Canton school leaders to revisit mask policy next week
By Mike BergerThe Canton School Committee is expected to revisit the topic of face coverings — both for summer school programs and the start of school in the fall — at its upcoming meeting on Thursday, June 10.
At their most recent meeting held on May 27, committee members engaged in a lengthy discussion on the issue with one member, Charles Rae, advocating for the lifting of mask requirements for the summer programs, which start July 1. At the time, committee members had not seen the newest COVID guidance from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — which was released the following day — and opted to table the discussion until its next meeting.
The updated DESE guidance, the full text of which can be found at doe.mass.edu, reiterates the continuation of “core mitigation strategies” through the end of the current school year, with the exception of outdoor masking, such as during recess and outdoor athletic events.
On summer school and other summer programs, while it has no plans to issue a separate guidance, DESE is encouraging districts and schools to follow the health and safety measures currently in place for in-person learning this spring, including active monitoring of COVID symptoms, maintaining good hand hygiene, maintaining physical distancing, and wearing masks when indoors.
For the reopening of school in the fall of 2021, DESE will be requiring all districts and schools to be “in-person, full-time, five days a week,” and all health and safety requirements will be lifted, including all physical distancing measures. A possible exception may be mask requirements for elementary students, which will be determined over the summer in consultation with the Department of Public Health. “We will provide any updates to districts and schools as we receive them,” stated the DESE guidance.
In other news from the May 29 committee meeting:
* The committee approved the annual disbursements from the Cabot Fund, which dates back to the trust established by the late Arthur Tracy Cabot in the 1940s to promote outdoor health and recreation for Canton children. This year, the School Department received $18,000 in requests and committee members agreed to disburse $16,500 to the following organizations: Boy Scout Troop 77, Cub Scout Pack 77, and Friends of Canton Scouting ($2,000 each); Canton Little League and Girls Softball ($1,500); Canton Parks and Recreation Summer Playground Program ($2,500); Canton Youth Basketball ($1,500); Canton Youth Hockey ($1,000); GMS CAPT ($1,500); and JFK CAPT ($2,500).
* The School Committee and Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Fischer-Mueller officially appointed Public Health Nurse Cindy Bonner as the new Luce School nurse in place of June Warren, who is retiring after 21 years of service. Fischer-Mueller and committee members cited Bonner’s dedication and professionalism in serving the town during the pandemic …
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Posted by Mike Berger
on Jun 3 2021. Filed under News, Schools.
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