State Releases Updated Guidance

State Releases Updated Guidance

Letterhead

July 30, 2021

Dear STGRSD Community,

This afternoon Governor Baker and Massachusetts Commissioner of Education Jeffrey Riley released guidance for districts and schools for fall 2021.

Under the guidance, all districts and schools are still required to be in-person, full-time, five days a week this fall and other previously-released DESE health and safety requirements, including social distancing, will be lifted.
Additionally, new recommendations on masking and COVID-19 testing have been issued:
- Masks are "strongly recommended" for students in grades K-6 when indoors
- Masks are "strongly recommended" for any unvaccinated staff and any unvaccinated students in grades 7-12
- Masks are required for students and staff on school buses
- Masks are required for students and staff in health offices/areas of schools
- Masks are not required when outdoors or when eating
- Districts and schools are highly encouraged to maintain or establish a robust plan for COVID-19 testing in schools, including both diagnostic testing and screening (pooled) testing for students and staff.

The Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District is actively reviewing the new recommendations and working as quickly as possible to identify the impacts for our school community. We will in touch in the coming days and weeks as reopening plans are finalized and will continue to keep you informed as new guidance from the State is released.

I thank you for your continued patience as we continue to navigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sincerely,

Jennifer C. Willard

To read the full guidance released by the Commissioner of Education, visit the website: https://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/on-desktop.html

Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District