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Date: 9/15/2021
WESTHAMPTON – The Hampshire Regional School Committee unanimously voted to include their masking policy for COVID-19 within their middle and high school handbook during its Sept. 7 meeting.
The committee officially approved the masking policy-which mandates everyone inside the school to wear a mask – regardless of vaccination status – during their Aug. 23 meeting. Masks will not be required when students are eating or drinking, or when they are taking mask breaks. A student may also be exempt from wearing a mask if they have a viable medical or behavioral condition preventing them from safely wearing one. Exceptions can be given to students who provide a note from a physician, if approved.
The day after this meeting, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) implemented their own protocol that requires all teachers, faculty, visitors, staff and children five years or older to wear masks while inside school buildings - regardless of vaccination status. This particular masking policy will be in effect until Oct. 1.
After Oct. 1, if a school demonstrates a vaccination rate of 80 percent or more, between students and staff, districts would be able to apply for the ability to allow vaccinated individuals to enter buildings unmasked.
The goal of the committee meeting was to compare their masking protocol with DESE’s, and make sure everything looks consistent. Interim Hampshire Regional High School Principal Lauren Hotz also provided updates on how the new policy has affected students early on in the school year so far.
“By and large, it’s been really good,” said Hotz, regarding the mask policy. “We definitely have our fair share of students who struggle to keep their mask above their nose.”
Hotz said that only a small number of students are struggling with the policy, and as a result, the school is looking into proper intervention methods for those students to help them move in the right direction. She has not gotten any reports from teachers about students refusing to comply with the updated policy, however.
“I’m not finding that kids are being outwardly defiant about it,” said Hotz, who added that she has been handing extra masks out to students who may experience a fit issue with their own masks. The school is also looking into making a lighthearted informational video featuring students at the school to help provide instructions on how to properly wear a mask.
The committee did end up striking the bullet point in the school’s own guidance that would have allowed individuals to take their masks off while alone in their classrooms, mainly because DESE did not have that explicitly included within their own guidance. The school is hoping to get clarification from DESE on whether this would be a feasible exception within the protocol.
“I totally understand it, but I think it will be very challenging to enforce and to have staff wear a mask all day long, even if they’re in a room alone,” said Hotz, regarding the bullet point. “But I also understand the discrepancy.”
DESE guidelines state that mask breaks may occur throughout the day. If feasible, these breaks should occur when the windows or open or when students are outdoors. The school’s own protocol states that mask breaks are allowed throughout the day, as well.