Mask Policy Updated
Since our schools opened again in February for in-person learning, our teachers and students have made some great strides to maximize learning. Our playgrounds are open, and children can fully enjoy playing on the equipment again. When outdoors, children can choose to leave their masks behind to learn, talk, or play.
Now, with a few short weeks remaining in the school year, we are doing our best to make the most of the time we have left together in our schools. As a school district, LESD’s most important mission is to educate children. While there are many factors and issues surrounding the debate on mask use, ultimately, the Governing Board focused on one thing: what decision would promote the least disruption to learning while still helping schools return to normal?
The Governing Board offered a compromise for the few short remaining weeks: optional use of masks while outdoors and continued use of masks indoors with a few exceptions such as at lunch or at sport events, which includes PE. Listed below are some of the deciding factors to maintain mask use indoors.
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If we can limit exposure to COVID or other illnesses that present COVID-like symptoms, we will limit the number of students who need to quarantine. More children will remain in school, and parents will be less likely to have to arrange for emergency childcare.\
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If distance learning parents are confident that we are maintaining mitigation strategies, they will agree to allow students to come to school in-person to take end-of-year assessments. Therefore, teachers and leaders will have more reliable and available achievement data to plan for future learning needs.