GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina) – Greenville County Schools said additional protocols will go into effect on Monday, March 16 to help minimize students’ exposure to COVID-19.

All non-essential visitors will not be allowed in schools during the day. Parents will not be able to join students for lunch or send foods to be shared with other students, such as birthday cake, while this is in effect.

“This prohibition applies to parents, volunteers, mentors, lunch visitors, outside speakers, etc,” GCS spokesman Tim Waller elaborated in an email. “These new restrictions do not include essential business such as meetings related to Individualized Education Plans, Individualized Graduation Plans, or individual parent conferences called by teachers or administrators.”

After school events and activities will also be limited.

Below is the full statement from the school district:

Parents, this is Greenville County Schools letting you know about additional protocols to minimize our students’ exposure to COVID-19. Effective Monday, we are eliminating all non-essential visitors during the school day and limiting after school activities and events. As a result, parents may not have lunch with students or send in a birthday cake or other food for sharing. After school programs, such as Extended Day Programs or club meetings that are conducted inside and involve only school personnel may continue. Indoor public events, such as concerts or plays, will be cancelled or postponed. Outdoor activities, such as athletic events and carnivals are allowed to continue, since they allow individuals to maintain social distancing as recommended by the CDC.

Additionally, Waller said

Roper Mountain Science Center is suspending visits by out-of-district school groups until further notice. Starry Nights, because it is a public event, is continuing at this time. Saturday’s Space Day has already been postponed because of NASA travel restrictions that impacted the availability of the keynote speaker, Waller said.

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