KIRKWOOD, Mo. — Students showed up to Kirkwood High School for the first day of the 2021-2022 school year Tuesday morning.
Masks are a must this year and that applies to all students in grades K-12 and all staff.
The district said this rule applies to everyone, regardless of whether or not you’ve been vaccinated. The district posted the plan on its website on Aug. 4.
People can choose to wear a mask outside. But, on school buses they have to be on to comply with CDC public transportation regulations.
The district said it based this decision off the latest CDC guidance that says the best way to slow the spread of the delta variant is to mask-up indoors, especially if you live in an area with high transmission rates. As of Aug. 24, St. Louis County is marked as a “high transmission area” by the CDC.
Kirkwood is going to keep an eye on how the numbers are looking in case they need to update their COVID plans for the school year.
They’ll be monitoring the CDC data tracker for any updates.
The district website said if the level of transmission in the area goes down to “moderate” for at least seven days in a row, they’ll take another look at their COVID safety plan and make any necessary changes.
Kirkwood School District Superintendent Dr. David Ulrich said the board will also take recommendations from local health officials into consideration before adjusting the policy.
The district is encouraging parents to keep their kids at home if they show any signs of sickness or any COVID symptoms.
At around 7:15 a.m., Kirkwood High School brought back an old tradition. It’s the freshman welcome!
During this special activity, seniors line the outside of the school and cheer on the freshmen as they walk in for their first day of classes. The activity is organized by students.
Ulrich said during times like these, it’s important to maintain a sense of normalcy for students while trying to keep everyone safe.