WELLINGTON COUNTY – Following the province’s decision to end its mask mandate, the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) and Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) are pulling the plug on mandatory masking when students return from March break.
On March 9, the province’s top doctor, Dr. Kieran Moore, announced masks would no longer be required in most public indoor settings, including schools, as of March 21.
WCDSB communications officer Ali Wilson stated in an email the Catholic board continue to follow guidance from Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) as well as the Ministry of Education.
In accordance with the province, Wilson confirmed masks will no longer be required for students, staff and visitors in schools, school board offices and on school buses.
Masking will be optional for the board’s students and staff once they return from March Break, she noted.
“The decision to remove mandated masking corresponds with guidance from [WDGPH],” Wilson explained.
“Regardless of personal choices on masking, and in alignment with the chief medical officer of health’s comments, we ask that kindness, respect and consideration be shown to all.”
WDGPH also announced on March 9 that it was ending its face covering mandate on March 21.
In a March 10 statement on its website, UGDSB also confirmed it will no longer require masks in schools, “as the school board does not have the authority to enforce this beyond March 21.”
The board noted it consulted with several parties to determine next steps and review the board’s authority to mandate public health measures.
“Those consultations concluded that once the province lifts its masking requirements, the school board does not have the independent authority to prescribe public health measures in response to an infectious disease, such as COVID-19,” the statement read.
UGDSB trustees will be reviewing the changes to mask protocols at its meeting on March 22.
They are expected to rescind an August 2020 resolution requiring that all staff, students and visitors are required to wear a mask indoors and on school buses.
“We know that the topic of masks can be a divisive one,” the board statement acknowledged.
“We want to stress that students, staff and visitors are still welcome to wear masks in our schools, and this is their choice.”
The board noted it will continue to provide PPE to staff members who choose to wear them.
Protective measures such as hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, enhanced cleaning and disinfecting, ventilation measures and absentee reporting will also continue.
“Masking indoors continues to be strongly encouraged,” the board stated.
“We encourage all members of our school communities to treat others with kindness and respect with regards to their choice.”
Other mandates lifted
In addition to the removal of the mask mandate, as of March 21, school boards will no longer be required to have a COVID-19 vaccination disclosure policy in place or collect proof of COVID-19 vaccinations or medical exemptions.
Visitors will no longer be required to show proof of vaccination, and unvaccinated individuals, including staff and student athletes, will no longer have to participate in rapid antigen testing three times per week.
Schools will no longer do daily confirmation of COVID screening, however families are expected to continue to conduct self-screening before attending school each day.
Cohorting and distancing are no longer required in schools, and elementary students will no longer need to cohort during outdoor recess.
Assigned seats and cohorting on school transportation vehicles is also no longer required.
