By Kalin Krohe, Panhandle Post
The Alliance Board of Education held an emergency meeting on Oct. 25 to address increasing student quarantine numbers and COVID-19 infection rates. Alliance Public Schools have since implemented new guidelines to help slow the spread of the virus.
"The Board is reluctant to mandate masks, but is strongly recommending all students to wear masks when they return to school on Tuesday, Oct. 27," said Dr. Troy Unzicker, Alliance Public Schools Superintendent. "If students do not have masks one will be provided for them at the office."
Unzicker said students who wear masks will be seated together and socially distanced from individuals who do not wear masks.
"This distance will help protect students wearing masks from being quarantined, as they will be distanced from individuals who do not wear masks," Unzicker added. "Please talk to your student and encourage them to wear a mask to allow them to stay in school and slow the spread in our community. We also want to remind parents to carefully monitor your student for symptoms. If symptoms appear please ensure they remain at home to limit exposure of other students. If we all work together we can minimize the impact of COVID-19 on our students and community."
There are currently 100 students quarantined in the Alliance High School, 66 at the Middle School, 13 in Grandview Elementary, 23 at Emerson Elementary and 4 at Early Childhood schools.