Masks in School
FACE COVERINGS AND COVID PROTOCOL
The Berlin-Boylston Regional School District is committed to providing a safe environment in schools during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining a safe environment is critical to the District's ability to ensure students remain in a full-time classroom learning environment.
Vaccinations are the best protection against COVID-19, and Massachusetts has among the highest vaccination rates of young people and is a national leader in overall vaccination.
The District also recognizes that personal health is largely the responsibility of the individual, and thus any choice to enact future health policy in school in regard to masking should consider the individual's right to make their own health care decisions.
Masks will be required in all school health offices.
Any decision to require face coverings in the school buildings or on buses requires a vote by the school committee unless otherwise required by law, and the Berlin Boylston Regional School District will follow all Federal, State, and local Mandates as supported by law regarding face coverings.
FUTURE MASK PARAMETERS
All Federal, State, and local guidance and recommendations will be strongly considered before the school committee makes future decisions on requiring face coverings in school buildings.
If, at a point in the future, it becomes necessary to consider requiring facemasks for any reason the committee will only consider a facemask requirement if a similar policy is required, followed, and enforced in general society ie. if there is an enacted law that all adults must wear masks at activities such as eating in restaurants, movie theaters, indoor sporting and social activities etc. No burden shall be placed on the school community that is not also followed by local officials, including but not limited to DESE leadership at hosted events and in DESE offices, MASC personnel and events, local town, city and state government elected officials and employees, buildings and events, and at private businesses. If such law is passed the District will follow the law; absent a duly enacted law the District will continue with the mask optional policy.
The implementation of any required masking plan or policy in the BBRSD by vote of the school committee must include these parameters:
1. The administration will consider recommendations and guidance from CDC guidance and other parameters to provide a written procedure on when masks will be required and when they can be removed.
2. A written plan that describes how teaching and learning will be facilitated for those skills where visual expressions of the teacher's face are necessary or helpful for student learning.
When a suspected covid case is presented to the school community we will follow Protocol A. No other protocols are necessary nor should any other steps be taken by school officials.
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Protocol A for individuals who test positive |
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• Duration: Self-isolation for COVID-19 positive cases is a minimum of 5 days after symptom onset or after positive PCR or antigen test, if asymptomatic. |
Approved by BBRSDSC May 24, 2022