Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff, and Community Members:

  Update–Governor’s Executive Orders Regarding lifting the statewide mandate

  on masks in schools:

As you are aware, last Monday, Governor Lamont and Dr. Manisha Juthani, Commissioner of Public Health, held a press conference to announce lifting the statewide mandate on masks in schools.  We view this as another step of encouraging news as a transition from a pandemic to an endemic.  The reasons stated for the shift in policy are due to a rapid decrease in cases, high rates of vaccination in the state of Connecticut, and effectiveness in treatments for those who are diagnosed with COVID-19.   

I hesitated to communicate the information immediately, as I was not sure of the process from the announcement through the legislative action that needs to occur regarding the extension of the Executive Order.   Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted to extend the executive order.  The Senate will take it up on Monday, February 14th.   I do not believe that this will affect the eventual outcome of a statewide lift of the mandate in schools.  We also thought we were going to be receiving additional information and or guidance from either the State Department of Education or the Department of Health.  To date, we have not received anything.  

I have engaged with our medical advisor, school district attorney, local Director of Health, and Health Supervisor to discuss the lifting of the mandate and have reviewed local data (vaccination rates and hospitalizations) which the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health is saying should be the focal indicators.   I will be presenting that information and my recommendations to the Board of Education at their regular meeting on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at 7:00 PM at Bethel Middle School.  For convenience, it will be the first item on the agenda. If you are unable to attend but would like to have your comments included, please feel free to email the Board of Education at boemembers@bethel.k12.ct.us.  Please be aware that the email will become part of the public record and be included in the Board Packet.

Please note, we do not believe the mandate will be lifted for buses, as they come under federal law under public transportation.   We also do not know if there will be a shift in

protocols for positive cases.   Again, we will communicate any information as soon as we have it.  

School Budget Update: 

The Board of Education presented the school budget of 4.43% increase to the Board of Selectman and Board of Finance last night.  You can view that presentation on our District Dashboard.  All budget information can be found on  our District Dashboard, under the section financial dashboard. 

The next step in the process is the Board of Selectman and the Board of Finance will deliberate the town and school budget prior to the public hearing.   Posted meeting agendas can be found on the Town’s website.