Dear Padilla Community,

In The Padilla Post on Monday I outlined adjusted protocols around masks for 27J Schools. The message from Dr. Fiedler, 27J Schools Superintendent, stated that we would be returning to a "masks recommended" policy on September 7th. Following that newsletter's publication, Tri-County Health Department rescinded the ability of counties to opt-out of health mandates related to masks in schools. Furthermore, Tri-County Health passed a new requirement that any individual older than 2 years old who is inside a school building must wear a mask. As a result, all 27J Schools, including Padilla, are required to enforce the Tri-Count Health mask mandate that all students, staff, and visitors wear masks when inside the building, with the exception of individuals who quality for an exemption for medical reasons.

As I have stated before, I believe that the learning experiences we provide at Padilla, along with the wrap around services we provide for students like mental health support, special education services, social emotional learning, and others offer a superior experience for students compared to other alternatives, regardless of whether or not we are required to wear masks. That being said, I recognize that some families may not want their students wearing masks, and therefore may need to explore alternatives to attending Padilla. If you would like to discuss those alternatives please reach out to me using the contact information below.

If you have any other questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Sincerely,

Kevin Purfurst

Principal

Padilla Elementary School

303-655-5101

kpurfurst@sd27j.net