UPDATE: Aug 5, 1pm
School Board Adopts Universal Mask Policy
August 5, 2021 – The Metro Nashville Board of Education has adopted the following motion by a vote of 8-1 regarding mask requirements for MNPS students and staff at the start of the 2021-22 school year:
“Consistent with Mayor Cooper’s Executive Order 21, I move that MNPS adopt a universal mask policy, and that all persons indoors and on MNPS buses be required to wear a cloth face covering or mask, effective Friday, August 6, 2021. The Director of Schools is given discretion to design and implement alternatives to this directive, in order to appropriately meet the needs of MNPS students, employees, or members of the public, while providing reasonable access to educational services and government facilities and services. The board will reassess this mask requirement, under our given authority and with guidance from the Health Department, when all Metro Government issued mask requirements end.”
The motion was made by Vice-Chair Rachael Anne Elrod and by the Board adopted at a specially-called meeting held on Thursday, August 5 at 11 a.m.
Original Story:
August 4, 2021 – Dr. Adrienne Battle, Director of Metro Nashville Public Schools, has issued the following statement in response to the Mayor’s mask requirements for Metro facilities:
“As a result of the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases and spread of the delta variant, the recommendations from the CDC and AAP, along with the Mayor’s new mask mandate for Metro facilities, it would be my recommendation to the Board that we adopt a universal mask policy, indoors and on buses, for the start of the 2021-22 school year in order to keep our students, staff, and their families as safe as possible.
“I wish that more Americans had taken advantage of the life-saving vaccine that has been available to them, so that the pandemic would be less of a factor in the lives of our students and a universal mask mandate would not be necessary. I’m hopeful that more community members will get the vaccine so that we can mitigate the spread of the virus and return to a normal school setting. Metro Schools will continue to do our part to promote vaccination events for our students who are eligible, their families, and our staff, along with the other mitigation protocols that can reduce transmission of the virus.”
The Board of Education will meet Thursday, August 5 at 11:00 a.m. to discuss COVID protocols for the start of the 2021-22 school year.
2021-22 COVID Protocols
On Tuesday, July 13, Metro Schools announced updated COVID safety protocols for the upcoming 2021-22 school year that starts August 10.
Vaccinations for 12- to 15-year-olds
Children ages 12 to 15 can receive vaccinations at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and through the Metro Public Health Department.
Parents can make an appointment at Vanderbilt for their child’s vaccine by:
- Visiting Vanderbilt’s appointment website
- Calling the COVID hotline at 888-312-0847.
As additional age groups become eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Vanderbilt will administer vaccines to those groups through this process. Children under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian with them for the vaccine administration.
No appointments are necessary for anyone 12 and older to receive the vaccination through the Metro Public Health Department. Details are available at A Safe Nashville website.
Protocols & Guidance
Visit the MNPS COVID-19 protocols and procedures pages for information on when students and/or staff are exposed to COVID-19, have symptoms, or are diagnosed with COVID-19.
The pages detail procedures for things such as quarantine, infection control, cleaning, transportation, closure, and communication with students, families, and staff, as well as steps that will be taken by the Metro Public Health Department.
As thousands of our students return to the classroom, our safety protocols and procedures are meant to reduce the spread or transmission of COVID-19 in our buildings. Asking families to monitor student symptoms, wearing of masks, social distancing when possible, frequent washing of hands, the use of sanitizer, and cleaning protocols will all reduce the chances of COVID-19 passing from one person to another.
