The school district abides by the recommendations set forth by the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) when determining health and safety protocols in response to COVID-19, or any other transmissible virus.
I. Proclamation
The school district is aware that student health issues can affect their ability to learn. To provide the safest environment for in-person learning, the school committee requires that district schools implement health and safety protocols in compliance with RIDE, RIDOH and/or CDC guidance. The administration of each school building shall implement masking protocols, under the direction of the superintendent, in accordance with this policy.
II. Scope
This policy defines and sets forth the West Warwick School District’s response to guidance set forth by the Rhode Island Department of Health for the safe return of all students to in-person learning in the 2021-22 school year. The CDC recommendations dated August 5, 2021 state, “Due to the circulating and highly contagious Delta variant, CDC recommends universal indoor masking by all students (age 2 and older), staff, teachers, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.”
As stated in a joint release of the PreK-12 Health and Safety Guidance for the 2021-2022 School Year by RIDE and RIDOH, “It is strongly recommended that Local Education Agencies (LEAs) create masking policies requiring all unvaccinated individuals wear a mask while indoors.”
As voted by the R.I. Council on Elementary and Secondary Education at its meeting on August 17, 2021, the RI Department of Education has been ordered by the Council to reject any district re-opening plan that does not include mask mandates.
And finally, as ordered and directed under Executive Order 21-87, by the Governor of the State of Rhode Island, Daniel J. McKee, by virtue of the authority vested in him as Governor of the State of Rhode Island, pursuant to Article IX of the Rhode Island Constitution and the Rhode Island General Laws, including, but not limited to, Title 30, Chapter 15, and Title 23, Chapter 8, “The RIDOH protocol shall require universal indoor masking by all students (age 2 and older), staff, teachers, and visitors to K-12 schools.”
III. Definitions
Cloth face covering: Textile (cloth) covers are intended to keep the person wearing one from spreading respiratory secretions when talking, sneezing, or coughing. CDC has guidance available on the design, use, and maintenance of cloth face coverings.
Facemask: Facemasks are Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and are often referred to as surgical masks or procedure masks, and are used in accordance with product labeling and local, state, and federal requirements. FDA-cleared surgical masks are designed to protect against splashes and sprays and are prioritized for use when such exposures are anticipated, including surgical procedures. Facemasks that are not regulated by the FDA, such as some procedure masks, which are typically used for isolation purposes, may not provide protection against splashes and sprays.
IV. Face Covering Requirements
A. All students, staff, teachers, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, shall wear a face covering when entering a district facility or attending school.
B. During sports and related activities, all athletes must follow the athletic guidance from the Superintendent (or designee), which is informed by the Rhode Island Principal’s Committee on Athletics, the Rhode Island Interscholastic League and the CDC based on the requirement of their individual sport. Otherwise, masks/face coverings are not required for outdoor activities.
C. Masks/face coverings are required to be worn by everyone on the bus during school bus transportation by federal order unless guidance is updated and provided by the District.
V. Face Coverings
A. When required, face coverings shall, at a minimum:
1. cover the nose and mouth and be secured under the chin, and
2. fit snugly against the side of your face with no gaps, and
3. may not have exhalation valves or vents.
B. Masks/face coverings should be provided by the student/family, but extra disposable face masks will be made available by the school for students and/or staff who need them. Reusable masks/face coverings provided by families should be washed by families daily.
C. CDC guidelines state that a mask may not be worn for the following reasons:
1. No one under the age of two should wear a mask;
2. If it would medically compromise an individual; or
3. For anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
D. A physician’s note cannot excuse mask-wearing, however, it can indicate the condition/disability and the impact it would have on the individual. Individual cases shall be reviewed and documented in accordance with requirements of Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
E. Mask breaks should occur throughout the day for individuals who are required to wear a mask. Breaks should occur when students can be appropriately socially distanced based on minimum requirements per RIDOH.
VI. Exigent Circumstances
A. The School Committee recognizes that the continued prevalence of COVID-19 and all its variants create a dynamic emergent situation resulting in the potential change in public health and safety recommendations and orders from the CDC, the Rhode Island Department of Health, and the Governor of the State of Rhode Island or in the district’s approach to health and safety measures.
B. In the event any updated or revised mandatory order is issued in this regard, or in the event of an unanticipated change in circumstances in which the Superintendent determines it is necessary to immediately alter the District’s response and notwithstanding this policy, the Superintendent is directed to forthwith amend the District’s response to COVID -19 pandemic and to conform with all such orders.
VII. Dissemination
This policy shall be disseminated to policy book holders and to all parents/students as part of the ongoing communication strategy of the district with respect to the opening of schools for the 2021-22 school year.
VIII. Effective Date
This policy shall become effective upon adoption by the School Committee.
Policy Adopted:
9/14/21