Masks recommended in Rockwood buildings starting Feb. 4
Face masks have been protested since the return to in-person school, where parents and community members have attended Board of Education (BOE) meetings to voice their opinion. Though the mask mandate was to be removed Jan. 18, the BOE extended the mandate through Feb. 3.
February 2, 2022
While students anticipated a Snow Day announcement, Rockwood sent an email to the community on Feb. 1 about the change in the Rockwood Safe Together plan to make masks recommended.
The decision comes after the Board of Education decided to extend the mask mandate through Feb. 3, contrary to its original plan made Dec. 16 to remove the mandate on Jan. 18.
Though masks will become recommended in Rockwood buildings on Feb. 4, they will still be required on school buses as buses are considered public transportation.
The plan assures that a school or building will return to a mask mandate if the school has 4% or more students and staff with positive cases or close contacts who are out with symptoms. In addition, the plan includes positive cases and people who made close contact with a positive case to quarantine for at least five days. If a COVID-19-positive student or staff member is without fever for 24 hours and has no other symptoms following their quarantine, they are able to return to school.
Interim Superintendent Tim Ricker said in an email to the Rockwood community that physical distancing to the extent possible, good hand hygiene and daily sanitation protocols will be continued mitigation measures.
“We continue to encourage mask-wearing, vaccination and boosters for those who are eligible,” Ricker said.
As of Jan. 31, Lafayette has 3 positive cases at home. For information on positive COVID cases in each building, the district has provided data on each school in Health Indicators under the Rockwood Safe Together tab.
