Ashland School District
Inspiring Learning for Life
MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT: Governor Requires Masks for K12 Schools - July 30, 2021
Ashland School District
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Email: Catherine.Carne@ashland.k12.or.us
Website: ashland.k12.or.us
Location: 885 Siskiyou Boulevard, Ashland, OR, USA
Phone: (541) 482-2811
Facebook: facebook.com/ashlandpublicschools/
MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT: Governor Requires Masks for K12 Schools
Staff, Parents, Guardians, Families and Students;
On July 29, Governor Kate Brown announced that she is directing Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to develop rules aligning to CDC recommendations and requiring masks indoors for K-12 schools during the 2021-22 school year. Read her full statement HERE. This is a change from local decision to state decision making on indoor masking and impacts all K-12 public and private schools.
The Department of Education has indicated that the mask requirement will include “all students, staff, contractors, volunteers and visitors.”
As of Monday, August 2nd, students and staff in both the K8 and high school summer programs will be required to mask indoors. The masking requirement will continue for the start of the regular school year.
As we head into our second three-week summer school session, we are updating our COVID safety practices to include required masking in response to the Governor’s order, local health metrics and recent changes in quarantine rules that can reduce or eliminate the quarantine period for students that wear masks. While no one is excited about the requirement to wear masks in this heat, under the new County Health quarantine protocols for students wearing masks will reduce or eliminate quarantine periods in most cases - meaning more time in school.
With four weeks to go before school starts, we continue to plan for full return to on-campus instruction five days a week and a year of on-campus connection and learning. We are continuing to follow COVID safety protocols and work with the Jackson County Department of Health around COVID safety.
We recognize that parents and guardians have strong feelings and a range of beliefs around masking and state requirements. Our primary goal is to assure access to school, and the opportunity for learning and connection. Thank you in advance for your flexibility as we work together to keep our kids and staff healthy and in school for the summer and the coming year.
Stay cool and enjoy your summer –
Samuel
Samuel Bogdanove
Superintendent
Ashland Public Schools
Pronouns: He, Him, His