Dexter schools think about COVID protocols for winter athletics

Dexter Community Schools are putting in place protocols to continue to address COVID-19 concerns while also giving student-athletes a chance to properly compete in the winter athletics season.

At its Nov. 1 meeting, the DCS Board of Education by a unanimous vote authorized the Superintendent to create protocols within the Washtenaw County Health Department guidance regarding Indoor Sports and Performing Arts.

DCS Superintendent Chris Timmis said the WCHD updated the mask ordinance on Oct. 29, with a carve out for winter athletics.

Timmis said an important part of the county update states:

“Final decisions about individual school district exemptions to the mask order are made by the head administrator (Superintendent or Head of School) and apply to the entire school community for extracurricular sports and performing arts only. Individual athletes, artists, or staff cannot make other decisions. Where there is no specific exemption, the mask order applies. The head administrator may not exempt masking for spectators; for classroom activities (e.g., physical education or band); or for students and staff in locker rooms, weight rooms, or on school buses or other school transportation.”

In Timmis’ recommendation, fans will wear masks indoors as well as coaches. Players on the bench or in the locker room/weight room would wear masks while players on the court, in the pool or in competition do not, unless they choose to. There will be no COVID testing of athletes.

As for drama and/or music performances, during practice masks will be worn, but when actively performing outside of the school day they can remove them.

Timmis said at the board meeting he expects additional information about the upcoming winter season from the Michigan High School Athletic Association in the coming days or week.

During the last winter season (2020-2021), Dexter athletes were wearing masks on the court. Testing was also done last year.

Dexter will continue to follow the county’s quarantine recommendations.

The following is the county’s quarantine rules:

Quarantines: Fully vaccinated individuals will not need to quarantine if they are symptom free. Unvaccinated individuals in sports or the performing arts will be required to do a traditional quarantine for 7 or 10 days and will not be eligible for Test to Stay.

Due to higher risk of transmission, in the following indoor sports, the default is to treat the entire team as close contacts if someone on the team develops COVID.

• Basketball—if there is exposure from a game, both teams will be required to quarantine unvaccinated team members.

• Ice Hockey—if there is exposure from a game, both teams will be required to quarantine unvaccinated team members.

• Competitive Cheer—only the team with the case will be required to quarantine unvaccinated team members.

• Volleyball—only the team with the case will be required to quarantine unvaccinated team members.

• Water Polo— only the team with the case will be required to quarantine unvaccinated team members. 

• Wrestling—the unvaccinated wrestling opponents of anyone who is COVID-positive will be required to quarantine, as well as anyone within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more.