K-12 schools across the country are returning to in-person learning for the fall semester. Fortunately, it is safe to do so as long as COVID-19 mitigation strategies, such as masking, are in place. These strategies must be monitored and enforced. Last spring, members of the Guilford County Association of Educators (GCAE) in Guilford County, NC, developed creative programs and practices to do so.

GCAE members across Guilford County schools formed Safety Teams. The teams had the goal of reaching 99% masking compliance in their schools. To achieve this goal, Safety Team members monitored mask use through a weekly census that counted students and staff wearing their masks correctly, incorrectly, and not at all. Safety Teams also worked together to identify common safety concerns and brainstorm solutions.

One challenge that the Safety Teams faced was positively reinforcing masking for elementary students. In response, they created a Mask Heroes program. Every week, the program highlighted a student who had been wearing their mask correctly and consistently. The selected student had their photo displayed and a quote finishing the sentence “We wear masks because…”  Some schools also created a program that highlighted teachers who followed masking procedures. This helped set an example for the students as well as encourage masking among staff.

Meal times posed another challenge. ABC Science Collaborative recommends that time without masks be limited to 15 minutes. Additionally, students should avoid talking to one another without a mask. To minimize talking and ensure children ate their meals, Guilford County schools played a short TV show or read a story. Talking was not allowed during the program.

Educating students about how and why to wear masks was a third challenge. Guilford County elementary schools used child-friendly videos to briefly explain (ABC Science Collaborative compiled similar resources to teach students about correct mask use). Safety Teams were encouraged to correct incidences of incorrect masking as they came up. Some schools created hand signals or nonverbal cues to quickly remind students and staff to readjust or put on their mask.

How is your school facing its COVID-19 concerns? Share with The ABC Science Collaborative by e-mailing abcsciencecollaborative@duke.edu today.