MADISON (WKOW) — With the Dane County mask mandate set to expire March 1, the Madison Metropolitan School District will begin to relax mask rules on school grounds while retaining some protective measures.
According to a news release, the district has planned a two-phase approach to address masking in the district. As part of Phase One, MMSD will lift outdoor mask requirements on school grounds March 1, as well as allow athletes and extracurricular activity participants to unmask “when they are actively competing, exerting or performing.” Spectators and coaches will still be required to wear masks.
The district will still “strongly recommend” masks when outdoors on school grounds.
Phase Two of the plan addresses masks in school buildings, which will be required at least through spring break. According to the release, students and staff coming back to school from breaks has led to spikes in positive tests throughout the pandemic.
In an email to district staff and families, MMSD Superintendent Dr. Carlton Jenkins said this approach serves as a “safeguard” against another jump in cases.
“Historically, our return from breaks have fueled significant spikes in positive case counts throughout the pandemic. Therefore, we will continue with masking indoors through spring break with a commitment to provide an updated decision on indoor masking after spring break and no later than April 15, 2022,” Jenkins said in the email.
Jenkins said the goal of keeping the indoor mandate in place is to keep students in school buildings for class with a spike in cases potentially on the horizon following spring break.
In addition to the masking requirement, MMSD will continue to push for staff and students to get their vaccines, promote social distancing, encourage frequent testing, keep buildings ventilated, keep up handwashing protocols, encourage students and staff to stay home when sick, clean and disinfect school buildings and continue contract tracing programs.
“As a result of a steady, thoughtful, and meticulous approach to safety mitigation, we are in a much better position than we were only weeks ago,” Jenkins said.
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