MSBSD to mandate masks in schools

PALMER — The Mat-Su Borough School District has announced that all students and staff attending schools for in-person instruction will be required to wear face coverings as the new school year starts on Aug. 19.

On Tuesday incoming MSBSD Superintendent Dr. Randy Trani, who will officially start on Aug. 3, held a question and answer zoom call for concerned parents and teachers to address questions about the reopening of schools. Trani said that district staff will present the reopening plan to the MSBSD School Board on Wednesday. That plan, once passed, will then go to the state Department of Education and Early Development.

“We’ve looking at the landscape and we’re making determinations about what’s the best thing we can do to deliver high quality instruction and keep students and staff safe,” said Trani during the zoom call. “Our expectation is that students in grades 3-12 are going to wear masks. There are some exceptions, for instance athletics after school the difference there is that’s an activity that the person has opted into and they’ve signed a waiver but we expect students to wear masks on buses.”

The mask mandate within MSBSD schools will apply to all students and staff in grades third through 12th and take effect on Aug. 3.

“With regards to mask wearing this is a perfect opportunity for educators to do what we do best and educate students about why we have made this decision,” said Trani. “This is in response to increased community spread throughout our state, increased community spread throughout the Mat-Su, it’s in response to our partners with [Department of Health and Social Services] and Mat-Su Public Health who’ve worked with us its in response to the new CDC guidance that was released last week.”

Acting Superintendent Luke Fulp told the Mat-Su Borough Assembly that Mat-Su Schools would open under a ‘green status’ for in-person instruction during his presentation to the assembly on July 14. Fulp said that face coverings would be encouraged but not mandated for students and staff attending schools for in-person instruction.

On Tuesday, MSBSD announced the mask mandate for all students and staff within schools. High school and middle school principals have begun returning to their school buildings this week, and teachers will return to schools Aug. 12, one week prior to student arrival. The district’s plan allows each school to treat their school building as a community in regards to community spread. Trani said that if a student or staff tested positive for COVID-19, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services would become involved and contact tracing may result in surge testing as has been conducted at commercial fish processing plants.

“This is a chance for us to be flexible as a school district,” said Trani.

The MSBSD School Board will meet for a work session on Wednesday at 6 p.m. to hear the presentation of the plan to reopen. Trani said that Alaska Smart Start guidance had changed due to the CDC changes and school district’s around the country were undergoing similar changes at that time. Trani also said that a Health Advisory Team made up of local medical professionals, a DHSS liaison and staff members will meet each and every day to assess the risk level throughout the district.