Masks are optional under Freeport Area School District's safety plan

Masks will be optional this school year in Freeport Area School District, though some other covid-19 mitigation measures will remain in place, according to the Health and Safety Plan passed unanimously by the school board Thursday night.

Masks are not required for students, staff or visitors, though anyone may choose to wear a face mask if they prefer. Masks will be required on school buses.

In the health and safety plan, district officials encouraged families to transport their children to and from school whenever possible to allow for better social distancing on buses.

Parents also are asked to conduct daily covid symptoms screenings on their children before sending them to school, a measure also in place last school year. Students displaying symptoms such as fever should stay home from school.

The district acknowledged in their reopening plan that 6 feet of physical distancing will not be possible with the schools fully reopened. They cited a recommendation from the World Health Organization that suggests one meter — or nearly 3.3 feet — of distancing is adequate, though district officials acknowledged even that may not always be feasible.

Enhanced cleaning and sanitizing measures will remain in place.

Under the health and safety plan, the district will continue to notify families in the event of a positive covid-19 test in one of the district’s schools. That information also will be posted on their online covid dashboard and provided to local childcare providers and other partners.

In the event of a positive covid-19 case, the Pennsylvania Department of Health will identify close contacts through contact tracing.

Students who are quarantined will be able to participate in remote instruction.

“School closures and a shift to remote instruction may be necessary depending upon school case counts and community transmission rates,” the district’s plan reads. “Students should plan to engage in remote instruction throughout a closure.”

As of August, the district had partnered with Klingensmith’s Drug Stores to host five covid-19 vaccination clinics for students in grades 6 through 12. Once elementary-aged students are eligible for the vaccine, the district intends to offer similar vaccine clinics for those students.

The district also is working to build a system for covid-19 testing in partnership with local pharmacies or the Department of Health.