Local school districts make mask plans

Ash Grove, Willard districts encourage masks, Republic mandates
 
Monday, Aug. 23, will be the first day of the 2021- 22 school year for the Ash Grove, Republic and Willard school districts. As the date draws nearer, each district is taking a different approach towards preventing the spread of COVID, particularly regarding face masks.
Ash Grove
Although an official statement wasn’t scheduled for release until after this issue went to press, the Ash Grove School District is not expected to return to a mask mandate for its students at the beginning of the school year. The district is expected, however, to encourage the use of masks.
Republic
The Republic R-3 School District is requiring all people ages two and up to wear face masks when inside district buildings when social distancing is not possible, excluding students attending school in the Early Childhood location. The requirement went into effect on Tuesday, Aug. 10.
In a communication to families in the district, Josey McPhail, director of communications, said the requirement put in place in order to help combat the spread of COVID and keep as many children in school as possible. She also said the district would review the mask requirement on Friday, Sept. 3, to determine whether masking needed to continue or not.
A link to the release can be found at www.republicschools. org, directly under the list of upcoming events on the right side of the page.
Willard
Willard Public Schools will “strongly encourage” all students to wear face masks when they return to school this month. The policy on face masks is part of the district’s Level One learning status, which will be in place when school starts up again. As part of the learning status, the district will also require and enforce social distancing where possible, hand washing and hand sanitizer will be available and encouraged, and visitors will also be encouraged to wear masks in the building. The district stated in the guidelines that the goal of the policies is to “keep students and staff healthy and to provide a safe learning environment to the best of our ability.”
The district’s COVID return plan can be seen online at www.willardschools. net/covid19.