January 12, 2022

Return to Face Coverings

Based on the Hoover City Schools face covering matrix, the district will return to a face covering required status for all buildings beginning Thursday, January 13, 2022. The latest data revealed that 454 students, or 3.4% of our students, tested positive in our last seven-day reporting period. When the percent of students testing positive is at or below 1% for two weeks, the district will return to a face covering optional status. This face covering rule applies to all activities inside school buildings except for after-hours athletic events. Athletic activities after school hours will follow the Alabama High School Athletic Association COVID-19 guidelines. These guidelines parallel the Alabama Department of Public Health guidelines which currently state that face coverings are strongly recommended but not required.

Contact Tracing

Contact tracing was never intended to be a function of the school district.  Many of our surrounding districts do not conduct contact tracing.  When Hoover City Schools became aware that agencies responsible for contact tracing were not able to perform the duty, we assumed the responsibility as a courtesy to our students and parents.  Currently, parents of elementary students receive a letter of close contact when someone in their child’s classroom tests positive.  Parents of bus riders receive a similar letter when a student on their child’s bus tests positive.  These procedures will continue. 

In our middle and high schools, nurses have conducted contact tracing and informed parents of close contacts with letters.  With our latest surge, this practice has become impossible.  When students rotate classes throughout the day, the number of potential close contacts becomes unmanageable. Until further notice, parents of middle and high school students should assume their child has the potential of being exposed and check their child daily for any possible symptoms.  

Best Solution to the Latest Surge

Parents PLEASE check your children daily for symptoms and keep children home who are showing COVID or other transmittable disease symptoms.