Cummings: Massachusetts mandates indoor masking in schools through October 1
While Grafton has already committed to having students wear masks in school to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Massachusetts Board of Education jumped on the bandwagon, voting Tuesday for a mask mandate through October 1.
Mask discussion is likely going to end up as part of the School Committee meeting tonight (August 24). Grafton members of a statewide anti-masking group on Facebook are planning to be there in support of their change,org petition. Similar appearances have been made in Millbury, Northbridge, and other Central Mass towns.
Dear GPS Community Members,
The Massachusetts Board of Education met today and voted to mandate indoor masking in all K-12 schools until October 1. After October 1, school districts with a vaccination rate of at least 80 percent of eligible students and staff may consider moving to optional masking. As a result, the start of the school year will be much like what we experienced last year, with a few notable exceptions: masks are not required outdoors; we may keep asymptomatic close contacts in school through the Test and Stay Program; we will discontinue remote learning; and DESE has eliminated distancing requirements.
With a return to in-person learning, we are focused on rebuilding student connections with staff and their peers. Our medical staff will continue to work through the many challenges that COVID and accompanying worries bring. Our teaching staff and administration will continue to go beyond what is mandated to provide a safe and supportive learning environment. I will continue to send out communication as we settle into our newest version of ‘normal.’
On the following pages, you will find an FAQ. As we receive additional guidance from DESE and DPH, we will share that information with the GPS community. We will be updating the COVID-19 resource page on the GPS website and answering questions on the GPS Coronavirus and Budget Facebook page. In addition to those resources, you are welcome to email me at cummingsj@grafton.k12.ma.us.
Sincerely,
-Jay
GPS Back-to-School FAQs
August 24, 2021
I am vaccinated. Will I need to wear a mask at the start of the 2021-2022 school year?
Yes, all students, staff, and visitors will be required to wear masks when they return to school in the fall. Mask-wearing inside K-12 schools is mandated by DESE through October 1, 2021.
Will students be provided mask breaks this year?
Yes. Like last year, students will be provided masks breaks. The frequency and duration will be determined at the building-level.
Will contact tracing take place?
Yes. Our medical staff will conduct contact tracing with any positive COVID-19 case.
Are there health and safety guidelines for parents to follow?
Yes, the 2021-2022 GPS Health and Safety Guidelines for Parents (Regarding COVID-19) provides information on masking, symptoms, etc.
What are the most updated testing and isolation procedures?
Our nursing staff has created a document that outlines the updated 2021-2022 testing and isolation procedures for GPS.
What are the current travel restrictions?
Massachusetts COVID-19 travel Guidance suggests that if you are vaccinated there are no restrictions on domestic travel. The CDC recommendations for unvaccinated people can be accessed here.
Will the School Committee be voting on the use of masks to start the school year?
No, the School Committee will not be voting on the use of masks as the existing policy from last year remains in place. In the future, when the mask mandate is lifted, the School Committee will need to vote to amend the existing policy.
Is Grafton participating in a testing program?
Yes, GPS is participating in the new Test and Stay Program. The Test and Stay Program is a testing initiative intended for asymptomatic close contacts of individuals with confirmed COVID-19. This testing program will allow asymptomatic close contacts to remain in school if they receive an individualized rapid antigen test (BinaxNOW) each school day and test negative. School nursing staff will administer the testing at school with parental permission.
The duration of the Test and Stay program is 7 days from the date of exposure. Some of these days could be non-school days (i.e., weekends or holidays). Testing is only required on school days, unless the individual participates in school-sponsored sports or extracurricular activities that fall on a non-school day. If the 7th day falls over a non-school day, the individual must be tested on the morning of their return to school. On the 8th day, a student will exit the Test and Stay protocol, assuming all tests were negative, and they remain asymptomatic.
What happens if a parent does not want their child to participate in the Test and Stay Program after being identified as a close contact?
The child will need to remain in quarantine for at least 10 days from the date of exposure.
What are the health and safety protocols being recommended by decision-makers in light of the Delta variant of the virus?
Here is a timeline and summary of the most recent recommendations made by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health ( MA DPH):
7/19/2021 – American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that everyone older than age two wear masks, regardless of vaccination status. The AAP guidance can be accessed here.
7/27/2021 – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offered guidance recommending universal indoor mask wearing for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status.
7/30/2021 – The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) updated guidance for PK-12 schools.
8/20/21 – Commissioner Riley announces request for authority to mandate K-12 masking, authority granted on 8/24/21
What happens if my child is quarantined? Will they be able to make up work (access school from home?)
We are not allowed to provide remote learning this year, so we will be approaching quarantine as we would if a student had the flu or strep throat. Staff will be very flexible with students as they will need additional time to ‘catch up’ and turn in assignments that are missed while at home.
Will GPS require additional physical distancing when we return to school?
No. We will do our best to maintain at least three feet of physical distance when eating, but there are no physical distancing requirements for the upcoming school year.
Is physical distancing still required at lunch time or when students are eating?
No, there are no distancing requirements this year. At all schools, we will be aiming to provide at least three feet of distance between students while eating. We will continue to look to maximize use of outdoor space when available to provide for as much distancing as possible.
Will there be assigned seating this year?
Yes. Whenever possible, seats should be assigned, and we recommend keeping students in desks rather than tables for now. In some cases it may be necessary to use tables. We must continue our contact tracing efforts, so assigned seating in classrooms and on buses remains important.
My child is immunocompromised and in-person learning does not feel safe to me. Is there a remote option this year?
Unfortunately, remote learning is no longer an option in the upcoming school year per the Commissioner of Education. Please refer to the DESE COVID-19 guidance issued on May 27, 2021, page 4:
Districts will no longer be able to offer remote learning as a standard learning model … districts and schools will be required to be in-person, full-time, five days a week this fall.
Will masks be required on school buses?
Yes. Passengers and drivers must wear a mask on school buses. This is a federal requirement and cannot be changed at the local level.
What are the health and safety rules for the performing arts?
We are able to relax the physical distancing requirements for the performing arts at the start of the school year. Masks must be worn by students and staff at all times.
Will GPS be reporting out on positive cases?
Yes, while not required, we will maintain the COVID-19 Dashboard and update case counts on a weekly basis. We will not be sending out emails with positive cases this year.
Will locker use be allowed?
Locker use is a building-based decision. Lockers will be accessible at the middle and high school.
What information is the district still waiting on?
I expect that the MIAA will release guidance regarding fall sports in the coming week. As it stands now, we are planning on requiring masking for any sports taking place inside.
We are waiting on direction from the state and legal counsel regarding the possibility of religious exemptions (regarding masking).
DESE will be releasing additional information regarding the specifics related to a district’s ability to transition from mandated masking to optional masking.
