The communication below provides important information from the Public Schools of Brookline. Translated versions are available on the right-hand side of the page.

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Greetings PSB community,

The Town of Brookline recently announced the decision to lift its mask requirement, effective tomorrow (Saturday, March 12). Following up on last week’s update, PSB will also begin its transition into a mask-friendly environment beginning Monday, March 14. More details on this transition can be found here.

We want to emphasize that this decision will likely create a variety of emotions; we have been wearing masks for a long time, and the excitement and trepidation we feel in this shift are justified. I ask that all of us, first and foremost, respect each of our masking decisions. As a values-based district, we will support and respect the choices and decisions that are made with respect to masking.

Our staff will be ready to support you and your students at whatever level of comfort you feel at this time. Some staff was able to begin these discussions this week with students; I encourage you to discuss/continue discussing this transition with your student(s) over the weekend.

In addition, we will also continue to leverage our support and resources in social-emotional learning, as well as maintain our current mitigation strategies (e.g. symptomatic testing at school, home testing program) through April 22, after which it will be evaluated by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Most importantly, we will monitor district data from our community to inform future policy decisions in response to any change in public health conditions.

We thank you for adapting so quickly to these ever-evolving changes. Let us continue to keep our community safe and healthy as we navigate together through the pandemic.

Sincerely,

Linus J. Guillory Jr., PhD

Superintendent

We want to thank you in advance for your participation in the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program Survey - the data gathered from this survey about how our students travel to and from school will help to inform decisions that will make our community safer. As a reminder, the survey for each school closes on Friday, March 18. SRTS will also be offering two other opportunities for student participation in the next few months:

• Yard Sign Design Contest: This contest is a great way for students to use their creativity to help promote safe roads for cyclists and pedestrians in their communities. Interested students may create and submit a design for a yard sign that brings awareness to walking, school bus and/or bike/train routes. Designs should not only help guide students on their way to school, but also make drivers aware that students will be walking, biking, or rolling along a certain route. Submissions are due by Friday, March 25. Click here for more information!

• Crossing Guard of the Year: Crossing guards play an important role in supporting our families’ safety as they access schools and neighborhoods across Brookline! The SRTS Annual Crossing Guard Appreciation campaign begins with a Crossing Guard of the Year nomination process, followed by Crossing Guard Appreciation Day on Wednesday, March 23, and culminates with the announcement of the Crossing Guard of the Year award winner(s). The winner(s) will also be recognized at our Annual Safe Routes to School Awards Ceremony in June. Let us celebrate the hard work of crossing guards across our community and recognize those who go above and beyond! Click here to nominate a crossing guard!