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Superintendent Anna Cutaia informed the school community on Friday that from that date, students and staff will no longer be required to wear masks in school buildings – a sight that has become the norm for more than two years since the start of the pandemic.
“We believe it is time to make mask wearing optional in our schools for all students and staff from PK to 12,” Cutaia said.
“We understand that this change will have a different impact on students, staff and families,” Cutaia added. “We want to highlight for all the environment of mutual respect and caring that we have built in our schools and encourage everyone to support individual decisions on mask wearing – whether individuals choose to continue masking or remove them. Masks – as we transition to an optional environment mask.”
Earlier this month, Governor Ned Lamont recommended that the requirement for masks in schools by students and staff end Feb. 28. The state Legislature, after votes in the House and Senate, approved extending the governor’s executive order on masks through February. 28.
With those votes over, Lamont officially eliminated the statewide school mask requirement last week.
“Under the leadership of Dr. Cutaia, the administration and staff of Milford Public Schools have worked tirelessly to keep our schools open and some 6,500 members of the school community safe,” said Susan Glennon, school board chair. .
“The Board is confident that Dr. Cutaia’s decision-making will continue to reflect the same attention, due diligence and care for all as throughout this pandemic,” Glennon added.
Cutaia said that while masking isn’t mandatory in schools, federal regulations still mandate face coverings on public transportation, which includes school buses. She said that mandate is not under the control of local officials or the state.
Since the start of the pandemic, Cutaia said, the district has always made decisions about school operations based on health metrics, social and emotional needs, academic priorities, resource availability and resources. human.
“Using these factors has been effective in the past and we will continue to keep them as cornerstones of decision-making in the future,” Cutaia said.
Cutaia said the district is closely monitoring school and community transmission rates, immunization coverage rates, test positivity and several other factors routinely reported by the Connecticut Department of Public Health.
“While we saw significant spikes in positive COVID-19 cases during the holiday season, those numbers dropped significantly,” Cutaia said. “We are greatly encouraged by this trend and optimistic that this downward trend will continue.”
In accordance with CDC guidelines, Cutaia said people who have tested positive for COVID-19, who no longer show symptoms after five days of isolation and wish to return to school, are asked to continue wearing a mask for the additional five days. .
The Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Connecticut State Department of Education are in the process of providing public health guidance to Connecticut schools. Cutaia said the guidance will advise schools on how to safely manage COVID-19 as part of a routine disease prevention model and will be communicated to the community once received.
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