The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, faced with increasing daily positive COVID-19 counts and with the Central Peninsula, Southern Peninsula and Eastern Peninsula all in the High “Red” Risk Level, re-evaluated allowing high school volleyball and swimming & diving to return to practice under high mitigation restrictions and KPBSD will allow practice only for peninsula schools under mask mitigation.
KPBSD Superintendent John O’Brien spoke on return to practice.
“As far as sports goes, we are at this point allowing practices to occur. I have provided some guidance to principals on Friday. We cancelled last week, even practices, just to see where the numbers were.”
O’Brien voiced concern over the current rise in numbers, but confidence in the medical team and their decision to allow practices so that fall sports may close-out their regular season.
“I’m very concerned with where the numbers are now, especially with what happened over the weekend (high positive counts). The medical advisory team that works with the district said that they were comfortable with allowing practices if we had student athletes wearing masks and face coverings while they were practicing. So at this point in time, that is what the situation is with athletics.”
KPBSD, at the high school level, currently has programs waiting to continue their seasons in Region III 3A volleyball (Kenai, Nikiski, Homer and Seward) and 4A volleyball (SoHi) and Region III swimming. ASAA has authorized the continuation of regular season regional play and regional championships through November 21st.
Each school district in Alaska has limited play to intra-district play and at this time only a couple of districts are allowing competition. Most will stick with in-house practices.
O’Brien explained cooperative effort by state colleagues.
“I’ve been communicating with my superintendent colleagues from Anchorage, Fairbanks, Mat-Su and Juneau; we’re known as the “Big Five” in the state, just to try to make sure that we’re somewhat on the same page with what we are doing. All the “Big Five” districts, at this point, are still allowing students to practice; most are not allowing any competition outside of their school. Juneau and Mat-Su, from my conversations with my superintendent colleagues this morning (Monday). are just allowing students to practice at this time.”
High school practices for the fall sports may continue with mask mitigation plans. Each school has previously submitted practice mitigation plans and with a little tweaking, those plans should hold up.
ASAA Revises Recommendation On Masks
In a press release on October 23rd, ASAA Executive Director Billy Strickland clarified the ASAA recommendations for mask wearing during competition; revising ASAA’s statement which required masks during competition (even under strenuous activity) for indoor events.
Strickland stated that ASAA would like to notify Alaska school districts that the Department of Health and Social Services has clarified their recommendation regarding mask to match the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) language.
As a result, ASAA will no longer require masks to be worn while actively participating, but
rather recommends a mask be worn “if feasible”. ASAA’s other mask recommendations stay
in place. For example: People sitting on the bench during games should wear a
mask. Additionally, ASAA would like to remind the schools, students and families much research shows masks are an important measure in stopping the spread of COVID- 19. Therefore, the wearing of masks even while vigorously engaged in an activity is allowed. ASAA will be working with the various sports official’s groups on how to manage this during competitions.
Among the CDC’s guidelines are the following statements:
• “to wear a mask if feasible, especially when it is difficult to stay less than 6 feet apart
from other people or indoors, for example in close contact sports such as basketball.”
• “People who are engaged in high intensity activities, like running, may not be able to
wear a mask if it causes difficulty breathing. If unable to wear a mask, consider
conducting the activity in a location with greater ventilation and air exchange (for
instance, outdoors versus indoors) and where it is possible to maintain physical distance
from others.”
ASAA’s mitigation recommendations for practices and competitions are aimed to reduce risks,
however mitigation of all risk associated with activities is not possible. Schools are allowed the
flexibility to tailor recommendations to their individual needs and circumstances. DHSS is
available on request to consult with schools on their mitigation plans and to help schools and
districts better clarify the risks associated to their athletes, staff and communities.
