By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — The Crestwood and District 7 will require students and staff to wear masks starting the 2021-22 school year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
D7 decided to comply with universal masking for all and will re-examine mask wearing and otters coronavirus protocols on a month-to-month basis.
Visitors will be required to wear masks at schools, but exceptions will be made for those who cannot safely wear a mask because of a disability or a qualifying medical condition.
The universal indoor masking is required regardless of vaccination status and mask wearing is recommended for staff and visitors when students are not present.
“I apologize that the most recent community ‘Chalk Talk’ edition that you received mentions parent choice for masking” Interim Supt. Mary Ann Cyr said in a letter. “As you know, Covid information rapidly changes and last week, given new information, D7 took the stance on universal masking. I apologize for any confusion.”
After a long discussion, the Crestwood Board of Education decided to also mandate masks at the beginning of the school year because it in the best interest for the community, students and staff.
“These last three weeks, we’ve been watching the numbers for our county, as well as our state with positive Covid tests,” Supt. Youssef Mosallam said in a community message video. “Based on these numbers, based what has been happening in other schools across the nation that opened before us I made a recommendation to the board of education that we mandate masks to start the school year but with a re-evaluation every two weeks based on the numbers and feedback.”
Students with a medical condition that prevents them from wearing a mask can bring documentation to their school building for administration to review and make accommodations.
Both districts said mask breaks are planned for students as needed.
Masks on school buses also will be required, following the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services requirement for public transportation regardless of vaccination status.
The Wayne County Health Department issued a public health advisory with information to keep public and private school students and staff safe, but did not mandate masks.
Social distancing recommendations of at least three feet between individuals and proper ventilation which helps reduce virus particles in the air and can reduce transmission risk.
“With children 12 and younger not yet able to get vaccinated and the increased spread of the highly contagious delta variant, it is critical that everyone does their part to ensure students can safely return to in-person classrooms this fall,” Director of the Wayne County Department of Health, Human & Veterans Services Melita Jordan said. “These guidelines provide common-sense advice for school districts to follow that will help protect both students and staff.”
The MDHHS recommends that all schools adopt policies to, promote vaccination for eligible students, staff and families; require universal masking for students, staff and visitors regardless of community transmission rate or vaccination status; and implement layered prevention measures.
No statewide mask mandate was issued by the MDHHS itself, allowing school districts to make their own decisions.
For more information on each district’s return to learn plan go to www.district7.net and www.csdm.k12.mi.us.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected].)