MADISON – As the winter break ends and school resumes in session, all students, teachers and staff in Madison City Schools must wear masks.

In the last few weeks, the positivity rate of COVID-19 cases has increased in Madison. The increase has resulted in the need for the mask requirement.

Teachers will report for a teacher workday/professional development day on Jan. 3. Students and their teachers will return to their classrooms on Jan. 4.

“With the past two weeks reaching above the “High Level” of the Alabama Department of Public Health or ADPH, we will begin the new semester in a mask required status for ALL staff and students,” MCS Superintendent Ed Nichols said.

“This mask status will remain in effect until we fall below the ‘Moderate Level’ for two weeks, as determined on Friday from the ADPH website,” Nichols said. “Furthermore, we are aware that the Centers for Disease Control (or CDC) has issued some new guidance on the time frame as it relates to a positive test and close contact exposure.”

Nichols and MCS staff are reviewing these updates with local ADPH officials and will update school families about any changes during the week of Jan. 3. “However, until clarification has been made by ADPH, we will continue to follow the same protocol for isolation and exclusion that was used before the winter break,” Nichols said.

These decisions relate to Madison Board of Education’s approval of a Covid Matrix on Nov. 4, 2021. This matrix determines the requirement for masks in the district. The basis for this determination is the positivity rate of Madison County as reported each Friday.

The Mask Matrix (madisoncity.k12.al.us/domain/131) uses levels of infection.

According to ADPH, the Madison County’s Positivity Rate of Test uses these levels: HIGH (Red) 10 percent or above; SUBSTANTIAL (Orange) that is 8 to 9.99 percent; MODERATE (Yellow) 5 – 7.99 percent; and LOW (Blue) 0 to 4.99 percent.

For more information, visit madisoncity.k12.al.us.