Schools to allow students to remove masks while outdoors

Apr. 14—Glynn County Schools Superintendent Scott Spence announced Tuesday that the district's mask mandate will be lifted while students are outside on campus.

During the Board of Education's monthly meeting Tuesday, Spence shared his decision to allow students to forgo wearing masks while walking outdoors in between classes, during recess and other activities held outside.

The change is effective immediately.

"Speaking with principals and our cabinet members and also witnessing how schools around us have handled the issue, I want to remove the mandate for outdoors and only continue with the mask mandate inside of the buildings as long as the students and staff can socially distance outdoors," Spence said. "I think we should be safe to remove the mandate outdoors on our campuses."

School board chairman Marcus Edgy noted that Spence may plan to change the mask mandate further in about two weeks if the district does not see a spike in COVID-19 cases following last week's spring break.

Past extended breaks this school year, including Thanksgiving and Christmas, have led to periods of higher case counts in schools.

In other business, the school board unanimously approved a proposal to name the field house and road leading to the building on Brunswick High School's campus after former football coach John Willis. Community groups asked the school board in March that Willis be honored this way.

The school board's approval is pending a condition that outside funding pay for the change.

"They presented us with documents that would meet our policy that we have on naming parts of facilities, and what they're asking us does meet it as long as they raise the money," Spence said. "They would get with Coach (Steve) Waters and make sure that what they want to put up is appropriate."

Before the school board went into executive session, member Jerry Mancil took a moment to ask that everyone keep Carl Alexander and his family in their thoughts and prayers. Alexander, former Glynn County police chief and retired head of security on Sea Island, died Tuesday after being under hospice care.

"We lost a strong community member today in Carl Alexander," Mancil said. "A big supporter of our school system, a major leader in the community and amongst civic groups ... If we could just keep him and his family in our prayers and thoughts, that would be greatly appreciated."

The school also approved, without discussion, the following measures:

—Hiring of additional staff positions, including some that will be focused on continued virtual learning opportunities next school year.

—Replacing older buses and adding eight new buses for special education students, a purchase of 34 vehicles for $4.7 million.

—Renewing the district's Follett-Destiny Resource Manager for $50,000.

—Approving e-rate contracts for internet access, wide area network (WAN) and internal connections.

—Replacing the video board at Glynn County Stadium. The board is broken and the district will receive funding assistance from the Georgia School Boards Association for the replacement.

—Renewing Infinite Campus, the district's student information system. The renewal cost is about $120,000.