MCS Masking Message For Families
From the principals desk to you for your review
Hello Norwich,
Take a moment if you will to review some new masking guidelines for MCS families
Dear MCS Families,
If you had the opportunity to listen to Governor Scott's press conference last week, you are aware of the change in masking policies coming our way. When March rolls around, Vermont schools with a vaccination rate of higher than 80% will no longer be under the mask mandate. MCS has a vaccination rate above this percentage. There is also some flexibility in that local school districts can make the final determination. For our school, that means turning to the SAU 70 Pandemic Response Task Force. This group is composed of teachers, administrators, and medical professionals and has met frequently since the start of the pandemic.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Task Force met to discuss masking in SAU 70 schools. It was decided that we will keep indoor masking in place for the two weeks following the return from break and then meet again as a committee to look at case numbers, vaccination rates, and plan a path forward.
At MCS, our first step will be to consider outdoor masking (during recess or outdoor classroom time) as masks welcome, but not required. This will begin on Monday, February 28th. Outdoor masking was a step that we put in place as an additional measure to keep MCS students and staff healthy. There are many schools in Vermont who currently do not mandate outdoor masking. We believe this is a logical step to take as we look toward making masking welcome, but not required in other school settings.
Please know that we will continue to welcome masking outside for those who feel more comfortable. Remember, indoor masking will remain until the Task Force deems it no longer necessary.
Please take some time between now and Monday to discuss with your children how you will navigate this change. We do not have the capacity to enforce home expectations at school, so if your family decides that you wish for your child to continue masking outdoors, that is something that we cannot reinforce at school. There are simply too many children for us to have different masking expectations for some and not others.
Feel free to send any questions my way. If you have major concerns with this change, please direct those concerns to Robin Steiner, our Covid Coordinator.
Take care,
Shawn
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