Dear Nettleton Family,

Governor Hutchinson recently announced that he was lifting the statewide mask mandate. However, the Arkansas Department of Heath and Arkansas Department of Education strongly advises districts to continue to follow all measures that have allowed successful in-person learning to occur. Therefore, Nettleton administrators, parents, and the Ready For Learning committee, made the decision to recommend to the Nettleton School Board to continue our on-campus mask policy until the end of the last day of school. The board unanimously approved the recommendation on April 5, 2021.

In addition, the CDC has updated guidance and they now recommend that, with masking, students can maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings. In some common areas where masks cannot be worn, such as eating, sports or band practice, and community settings they still recommend social distancing of 6 feet between students and adults.

Nettleton Public School is still responsible for responding to confirmed cases within the district. However under the updated guidance, there are factors that have changed our prior rules for quarantine. First, our continued mask mandate that promotes proper mask wearing may exempt individuals from being identified as close contacts if both the confirmed and exposed individuals are properly masked. Second, a fully vaccinated individual may not need to stay at home following close contact exposure to a test-confirmed individual if certain conditions are met. Third, individuals who previously have had COVID-19 and recovered and are within 3 months of their original diagnosis may not have to quarantine.

Thanks to all of you for your continued support and understanding. We believe that with your help, our on-campus mask mandate, social distancing, reduced class sizes, washing hands, cleaning and disinfecting have allowed successful in-person learning to occur at Nettleton.

Raider Pride,

Dr. Karen Curtner