Ridgefield Schools To Mandate Masks For 2021-22 School Year

Ridgefield CT

27 June, 2021

6:20 PM

Description

RIDGEFIELD, CT — Coronavirus mitigation practices, including masks and social distancing, will remain in effect for students in the school district next year. Remote and hybrid learning will not be an option, however. The Connecticut state Department of Education has mandated that each district submit their plans to keep the coronavirus in check in their schools come September. The Ridgefield Public Schools released a draft of "Safe Return to In-person Instructions and Continuity of Services Plan," online last week. The district does not plan to separate students into cohorts, as it did for the past school year. School officials say they will also "aim for three feet distance between students, and three to six feet where possible." Three feet distance may not be feasible in all environments/classrooms, according to the report. Face shields will be made available to those staff members who work with students who are unable to wear masks due to the nature of their disability. Students and staff will still be asked to wash their hands regularly, and hand sanitizer will be made available throughout the district buildings. Daytime and evening custodial cleaning routines will continue, with an emphasis on "high touch point" areas. The Public Schools will no longer be conducting COVID-19 screening, but contract tracing efforts will continue when a case of coronavirus occurs within the schools or at a school event. The district will continue to use the COVID-19 Data Tracker website to update the community of case rates, and quarantine impacts. Students and staff with symptoms of COVID-19 will require isolation within the school building or campus prior to going home. Those who are vaccinated and are not displaying symptoms of the virus will not have to quarantine if they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. Unvaccinated students and staff will have to follow the state's quarantine guidelines. District officials say they will be reviewing and revising the procedures when necessary, and will distribute updates, at minimum, in August 2021, December 2021, June 2022, December 2022 and June 2023.