IPS superintendent announces added COVID-19 protocols
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools on Monday evening announced additional protocols that will begin after Labor Day to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
All of the changes are marked in blue on an IPS webpage showing all the district’s protocols.
Superintendent Aleesia Johnson announced the changes in a Vimeo video Monday night.
New protocols include:
- Changes to the visitor policy, making visits by appointment only and limiting visitors’ interactions in classrooms.
- Reducing the number of students in cafeterias of elementary schools at the same time. At those schools, in some cases, classrooms will be used to eat lunch.
- Masks must be worn while singing or vocalizing.
- The district will accept either a PCR or rapid test for both asymptomatic and symptomatic people. Tests must be done in a clinical setting.
Johnson said in the video that the district also will be hosting more vaccination clinics, and doing more “surveillance testing” to monitor what’s going on in the school, as recommended by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health leaders.
IPS has had a mask mandate in place since the start of the new school year Aug. 2.
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Below is the full video from Superintendent Aleesia Johnson. App users can go online to view the video.