As communicated earlier this month, the Board of Education passed a COVID-19 Recovery Plan that would be focused on data to guide decision making for safety protocols throughout the 2021-22 school year. We will continue to make decisions in this fashion, as we did last year, with guidance from the Winnebago County Health Department.
Based on the recent community surge in COVID-19 cases, all students, staff and visitors in Neenah Joint School District buildings will be required to wear masks during the first two weeks of school, regardless of vaccination status. Masks will not be required in outdoor settings. Masks will be required on District transportation. These guidelines will be in place for all school open houses as well.
After two weeks of school on September 10, the case numbers among students and staff within our schools will be reviewed to determine whether to continue mask wearing. As stated in the Recovery Plan, data-driven decisions may be made affecting individual classrooms or schools, as well as the entire District. As of today, the COVID-19 case numbers reported among students within our District are higher than they were in mid-September of 2020.
Our Board of Education and administration have been clear in their priorities of keeping students safe and in school throughout this upcoming school year. However, also be aware that the COVID-19 Recovery Plan does require quarantining for unvaccinated students who are close contacts to positive cases in school or within their families. Testing will be provided for all students when deemed necessary. More information with the specifics of quarantines and testing procedures will be provided prior to the start of school.
Similar to the 2020-21 school year, there will likely be plenty of changes to protocols throughout the year. We will continue to make decisions based on our data and our priorities of keeping students and staff safe and in school. We appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we embark on this new school year and ask that everyone considers approaching this year with grace and patience. We look forward to seeing all of you next week!
Dr. Mary Pfeiffer
Neenah Joint School District Superintendent
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