Dr. Nichols to proposed new matrix for masking in schools at Nov. 4 BOE meeting
Madison, Madison County Record, News, RSS Twitter, Schools, Z - News Main
 By  John Few Published 
5:07 pm Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Dr. Nichols to proposed new matrix for masking in schools at Nov. 4 BOE meeting

Dr. Nichols

MADISON – With new COVID cases at their lowest point in months throughout the Madison area, Madison City Schools Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols will try again to transition the school district from being mask mandated to optional.

“During the past several weeks, we have been blessed to see a decline in positive cases of COVID in our district, community, and state,” Nichols said. “Last week, we experienced nine positive cases out of 13,600 students and staff in the district. This number fell from close to 100 in early September.”

According to Nichols, the statewide school numbers last week showed 1,000 cases out of 800,000 students and staff, which is a decline from approximately 8,500 in early September.

Nichols said he plans to recommend to the MCS Board of Education a matrix regarding masking of students and staff, something he did last month but was voted down by the school board. Not only has the number of COVID cases decreased significantly since then, other school districts in north Alabama have decided to move away from mask mandates — except in Madison County.

Decatur City Schools will end its mask mandate Nov. 1, making masks optional. Athens City Schools ended its mask mandate Oct. 18, while Morgan County ended theirs on Sept. 16. Limestone County did not implement a mask mandate this school year. Madison County Schools and Huntsville City Schools still require students and staff to wear masks.

Details of the new matrix proposal for Madison City Schools will be made public on Friday, Nichols said. He will then take it before the school board on Nov. 4. The meeting starts at 5 p.m. at the MCS central office on Celtic Drive.

According to the Alabama Department of Public Health on Tuesday, Madison County’s rate of infection is 6.3%. There were eight new cases in Madison County reported Monday. That is a far cry from the 480 new cases reported on Aug. 24, the peak of the most recent COVID surge. There have been 249 new positive COVID tests out of 3,960 over the past seven days.

Madison Hospital has reported single digit COVID patients this week, for the first time in months. There were only seven patients with COVID at the hospital on Tuesday, which had experienced numbers near 70 a couple of months ago. Within the current cases, three are in ICU with two on ventilators.

Even as local school districts end mask mandates, the Alabama Department of Public Health is urging K-12 schools to leave universal masking in place to avoid COVID-19 outbreaks.

Assistant State Health Officer Karen Landers, a pediatrician, last week said children should wear masks because of the high number of pediatric cases and the difficulty of maintaining social distance within schools.

“We’re talking about an indoor setting. We’re talking about kids being close together in a congregate setting for a period of time,” Landers said. “Masks work. We need to keep this layer in place until such time as we have lower levels of community transmission, lower rates of percent positivity, and higher levels of vaccination.”

The issue has left parents of Madison students deeply divided. Some applaud Landers’ assertions that masks must stay, especially through the holidays. Others ask, if we do not stop mandating masks in schools when numbers are so low — then when?

Also on The Madison Record
Tri-agency traffic enforcement targets speeders on I-565
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
By STAFF REPORTS 
July 16, 2025
MADISON  – In a united front to crack down on excessive speeding, the Huntsville Police Department (HPD), Madison County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and t...
Local athletes set for North-South battles
A: Main, Madison County Record, News, ...
Bob Labbe 
July 16, 2025
MADISON - Some of the top rising senior high school athletes are about to invade the Alabama Capitol City of Montgomery July 21-25 for the 29th annual...
NASA, Orion to host Marshall’s 65th anniversary celebration this Saturday
A: Main, Events, Madison County Record, ...
Staff Reports 
July 16, 2025
HUNTSVILLE - NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center is inviting the community to help celebrate the center’s 65th anniversary during a free public event ...
Chamber needs nominations for ‘Military Family of the Year’
A: Main, Business, Events, ...
Gregg Parker 
July 16, 2025
MADISON – Madison Chamber of Commerce is encouraging residents to identify a family who has upheld a strong commitment to country and community. The c...
ADOC: Health care worker tried to smuggle meth, narcotics into correctional facility
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
Staff Reports 
July 16, 2025
LIMESTONE COUNTY - A health care employee was arrested Friday for allegedly attempting to transport almost 200 grams of methamphetamine and other narc...
Central Office values Becky Tucker as ‘Staff Member of the Year’
Madison County Record, News, Schools, ...
Gregg Parker 
July 16, 2025
MADISON – Becky Turner doesn’t get hung up on labels. No matter her job title, Tucker feels called to be a servant leader. Her colleagues at Central O...
Brett Burgess named ‘Teacher of the Year’ at James Clemens
Madison County Record, News, Schools, ...
Gregg Parker 
July 16, 2025
MADISON – Brett Burgess wanted to work in Madison City Schools for association with the best in his field, both academic and coaching. James Clemens H...
Olivia Skillern named James Clemens theatre department’s artistic director
Bob Jones High School, Madison, Madison County Record, ...
Gregg Parker 
July 16, 2025
MADISON – For Olivia Skillern, it’s ‘as if I never said goodbye’ (to quote a line from “Sunset Boulevard”). With her new job in the Theatre Department...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Our Latest E-edition
Latest Stories
YUM! Spicy yet savory poppers
MADISON - Your guests won’t be able to have just one of these sweet and savory poppers. With a touch of heat from the cayenne pepper, and sweetness fr...
July 16, 2025
poll