Superintendent Deena Bishop ripped the bandaid off of the question as to whether children in Anchorage Public Schools will be masked to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
According to Bishop, she will propose a universal mask policy to the Anchorage School Board and it will discuss it during its Aug. 3 meeting.
Many on the school board have pressured her to enact the mask mandate for all in Anchorage schools.
Bishop, in a letter to parents stated:
Universal masking will be required for all individuals while inside any ASD school or building. Some exceptions will apply. Masking while outside is optional.
2. Keep ASD Symptom Free. We must all do our part to minimize viral spread. Please stay home and get tested if you are experiencing ANY symptoms.
3. Cleaning and Disinfecting. Regular cleaning of classrooms, buses, and offices will continue. Hand sanitizer will be readily available and frequent handwashing will be encouraged. Enhancements and upgrades have been made to building HVAC systems to allow for optimal ventilation and air exchange.
4. Keeping students and staff in the learning environment. The District will continue to make COVID-19 vaccine clinics available to eligible students (with parental consent), staff, and community members through a contracted provider. Additionally, following new guidance from the CDC, asymptomatic, properly masked students and fully vaccinated individuals will not be required to quarantine if deemed a close contact.
“These past few weeks I have gathered information, heard from parents and staff, and spoken with experts. The science tells us the new variant is highly contagious, is circulating around the globe, and is at a high rate in our community. Given the rapid rise of COVID cases in Anchorage and the new public health recommendations provided last week by the CDC, I will recommend this mitigation plan to the Anchorage School Board. The Board will review and discuss it during its August 3 meeting, she wrote, ending her letter with the word “Cheers! Dr. Deena Bishop”.
Read: Jamie Allard: Parents, now is the hour to weigh in on masks in school
