Dayton Public Schools urges staff, students to wear masks after break

Third-graders made jumping robots and students in fourth through sixth grades built circuits to create LED ornaments Thursday, Dec. 12, 2022, when engineers from GE Aviation visited Edison Elementary School in Dayton. DAYTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Credit: Dayton Public Schools

Credit: Dayton Public Schools

Third-graders made jumping robots and students in fourth through sixth grades built circuits to create LED ornaments Thursday, Dec. 12, 2022, when engineers from GE Aviation visited Edison Elementary School in Dayton. DAYTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Dayton Public Schools recommends that staff and students wear masks when classes resume after winter break.

School officials cited an increase in sickness in Montgomery County and the possibility of exposure to illness over the holidays in a social media post.

Students return to school on Wednesday, and staff who return early are asked to wear masks beginning Tuesday.

“This is a precautionary measure that will end on Friday, Jan. 13,” the post read.

Health officials have been reporting cases of viral respiratory infections, including influenza, RSV and COVID-19.

Last year at the holidays, Ohio had a major COVID-19 spike, but data released Thursday by the Ohio Department of Health showed COVID cases down slightly from last week and far, far below last year’s levels.

Dayton Public Schools was among the many public schools in the area that shut down for a week in January 2022 because too many staff and students were out with various illnesses. Already this school year, Stebbins High School and Jefferson Twp. schools went remote for a week in November due to having too many staff and students out with flu, COVID-19, colds and RSV.

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