Schools revising mask mandates

With just a handful of days left in the 2020-21 school year, school districts are scrambling to revise their mask and quarantine policies.

On Friday, Iowa Department of Public Health Director Kelly Garcia announced that the state is revising its guidelines for schools and child care settings.

“While COVID-19 positive and symptomatic children should be excluded, exposed children should no longer be required to stay home, regardless of mask usage,” Garcia wrote in a letter to educators Friday. “Moreover, when there is a positive case, parents should be given information around exposure to COVID-19 in order to make their own informed decisions regarding risk.

“To that end, while we acknowledge that some parents may want their child to continue to wear a cloth face covering for reasons that make sense for their family or that child’s individual health condition, we urge schools and child care settings to provide parents and students with the option to make their own decision about mask usage.”

Several area districts quickly adjusted their policies, while others are calling special school board meetings to discuss the issue.

“We’re remaining the same for now,” Washington Superintendent Willie Stone said Monday. “We have a board meeting at 8:30 tonight to see if we want to keep it in place for the rest of the school year, which is a matter of six days.”

The Mid-Prairie school board held a special meeting Sunday and dropped its current matrix that determined whether masks should be worn or just encouraged based on positivity rate.

“The new IDPH guidance provides parents and students the sole responsibility for determining whether the student will wear a mask at school,” Superintendent Mark Schneider wrote in a letter to parents Sunday night. “The school district will no longer make public the student absentee rate nor use that data to determine whether the wearing of masks should be mandatory in our school buildings.”

He added that masks will still be required on buses because that requirement is mandated by federal order and not subject to state Public Health guidelines.

Many schools were already not requiring masks.

“We’re going to keep following what we have been doing,” Pekin Superintendent David Harper said. “With the shot density in our county, we feel we’re in pretty good shape.

“We’ve got three and a half days left, then we’re done.”

Columbus school district Business Manager Neil Mills said, “As of our April 26 board meeting, masks were made optional. We’re not planning on doing anything different.”

Washington

Special school board meeting Monday night to determine whether to revise the district mask policy.

Fairfield

“We are meeting with the board of directors Monday night and masks are on the agenda,” Superintendent Laurie Noll said.

Mt. Pleasant

“The Mt. Pleasant Community School District board of directors will be meeting in special session on Monday, May 17 at 4 p.m. to review the IDPH guidance and consider changes to the Return-to-Learn plan,” Superintendent John Henricksen said.

Cardinal

Superintendent Joel Pedersen said that Cardinal encouraged masks starting May 11 making them non-mandatory. “We will no longer be quarantining students starting today,” Pedersen said.

Highland

Superintendent Ken Crawford said Monday, “Right now the board is looking to meet sometime Wednesday afternoon. I will finalize the time and location this afternoon. We are waiting on some possible guidance from Washington County Health today.”

Keota

A message on the district’s Twitter account said, “In response to new guidance from Iowa Department of Health on Friday, masks will be optional for students and staff starting May 17th.”

Mid-Prairie

The school board voted Sunday to drop its matrix for determining mask usage and leave the decision regarding masks up to parents and students.

New London

Superintendent Chad Wahls posted a letter on the district’s website Sunday saying, “Effective tomorrow Monday, May 17, the district will only recommend face coverings during the school day and at any event scheduled to take place at the school for all students, staff, and visitors.”

Pekin

Superintendent David Harper said that the district will continue to encourage masks as it has been doing.

Van Buren County

A message posted on the district’s website said, “Due to updated guidance from the Iowa Public Health Department regarding mask requirements and quarantining procedures … Starting Monday, May 17 we are no longer requiring a face covering when social distancing can't be met. Students and staff can wear a face covering if they so choose. Other mitigation efforts will continue such as extra cleaning and social distancing when appropriate.”

Winfield-Mt. Union

Superintendent Jeff Meader said, “Our board is meeting tomorrow night for special session to consider revising our Return-to-Learn policy on masks. Currently, masks are required through the end of the school year.”