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Date: 2/23/2022
WEST SPRINGFIELD — As the coronavirus pandemic approaches its two-year mark, West Springfield students will finally be able to attend an in-person classroom without a face covering on Feb. 28.
Following the state’s decision to drop its own school mask mandate, the West Springfield School Committee voted 4-2 during its Feb. 14 meeting to make masks optional.
Committee members raised several concerns about the end of mandatory masking by students and faculty before their vote. Committee member Diana Coyne, one of the two “no” votes, said Gov. Charlie Baker and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) made this decision based on “state metrics,” but West Side’s COVID-19 data don’t “particularly align” to what’s being reported at the state level. She asked how or if this has been taken into consideration.
Mayor William Reichelt replied, “Our vaccination rates are certainly rising.” He continued, “We obviously have a much different demographic, where much more targeted outreach is needed, where people from many different cultures are here in West Springfield, many different backgrounds, many different beliefs in vaccinations.”
Nonetheless, he said, the work is “starting to go on.” Recently, a one-day clinic at Coburn School vaccinated more than 40 students. Now that the vaccine is available to everyone age 5 and up, Reichelt said he hopes to see these vaccine efforts continue.
In the town of West Springfield, about 63 percent of residents are vaccinated, and that percentage is rising, added Reichelt.
From December through January, Coyne said, the omicron variant infected about 1,000 people in the schools alone — mostly students, but staff, as well. Although these numbers have since decreased, there are still positive cases. She expressed her concern that the mask mandate would be lifting the same week that students and staff return from February vacation.
“If you looked over the time period of when we’ve been in school … every period of a break, you’ve seen an uptick,” said Coyne. As many are traveling during this time off, she said it “makes sense.”
Kira Thompson, the other School Committee member to vote “no,” made the same point.
“Even people who are ready to be done with the masks now understand that coming back from a vacation may not be the best timing,” said Thompson. “What’s two more weeks if it can save a couple hundred kids from missing school or being sick, or taking it home to a sick one?”
Committee Vice Chair Nancy Farrell said the schools had 205 students and 59 staff members test positive for COVID-19 in the week of Dec. 30 to Jan. 5, but only 26 students and three staff in the week of Feb. 3-9.
With masks now optional, each student or family will be able to make its own decision on whether to wear one. Coyne said she worried this could lead to bullying.
“Was any thought put into consideration on this, around the potential for bullying for those that do feel compelled to wear the mask as optional and as [strongly] recommended by all of the organizations noted, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, DESE, Department of Public Health, and the governor. … Do we have to consider any adjustments to the bullying policy?”she asked.
School Superintendent Tim Connor said, “We would handle the bullying like we do any bullying situation. … We take bullying very seriously and there’s a statewide process that we use for that. … It would fall under that same umbrella.”
Baker had said that his administration will “fully support” those who continue to wear masks in schools after the mandate lifts.
When state officials announced earlier this month that the statewide school mask mandate would end Feb. 28, they noted that those who test positive for COVID-19 will still be subject to a five-day quarantine, and will be required to wear masks for the first five days after their quarantine ends. Masks will also continue to be required in healthcare facilities — including school nurses’ offices — and while riding on school buses.
Coyne asked how compliance will be monitored on buses, as she believes having different rules for school and buses will result in “inconsistencies” and “confusion” for some.
Connor replied that even now with masking, there is only one driver, making it difficult to monitor all riders. However, he said, “It’s working with the students to make sure they understand what those obligations are.”
Assistant Superintendent Vito Peronne, added that each bus driver is given a box of masks each day, to give to the kids who don’t have one.
“When students come off the bus, the administrators have been discussing with them — if they’ve taken their masks off prematurely, or if they are habitually coming on [the bus] without one on — they are contacting home,” said Peronne. He explained that these practices that have already been put into place will continue.
School Committee member Kathy Alevras asked about someone who does test positive.
“When they’re positive for five days and return, and have to mask for five days … who’s going to monitor that or keep track of all that?”
Each of these shifts, Connor said, comes with a “time of adjustment.”
He continued, “It’s going to be difficult, especially at the larger schools, to maintain that. We will certainly have the administration, the nurse [obviously] be aware, and the classroom teacher.”
Farrell said, “During the last two years as a School Committee member, I’ve tried to make decisions that I thought were best for students and staff. Not everyone will be happy with every decision and not everyone will be happy with tonight’s vote, but hopefully respectful of everyone.”
She continued, “We’re not saying that masks can’t be worn in schools, we’re making masks optional. If you want to wear a mask or you want your child to wear a mask, they can wear a mask.” She compared this vote to a “compromise.”
Every week, Reichelt said, school officials host safety meetings, in which they will continue to monitor and discuss any potential new variants, surges, masking policies and more.
At-home testing
On Feb. 10, West Springfield schools began a new at-home testing program, allowing for participating staff and students to test every Thursday. If everyone takes advantage of this option, Farrell said it would “alleviate” the town from having positive COVID-19 cases in school.
Thompson shared that as of Feb. 14, only 24 percent of students are taking at-home tests.
Schools are continuing to offer pool testing and symptomatic testing on-site.
Reichelt thanked Connor and Christine Beaumont, director of health services, for their work rolling out the new testing system.
“It’s one of the most robust in the area… especially with the pool testing, Test-and-Stay and now at-home testing,” said Reichelt, in addition to the targeted vaccine outreach.