Chardon BOE: Masks Optional Starting Jan. 18
At their regular meeting Dec. 13, Chardon Schools Board of Education passed a resolution rescinding the district’s mask mandate, effective Jan. 18, 2022.
At their regular meeting Dec. 13, Chardon Schools Board of Education passed a resolution rescinding the district’s mask mandate, effective Jan. 18, 2022.
“Use of facial coverings will be left to the discretion of the individual and the student’s parent/legal guardian,” the resolution stated, adding because vaccines are now readily available, Geauga Public Health recommends allowing staff, students and parents the ability to choose whether or not their children should wear a mask or facial covering when in school. GPH also suggested the change not be implemented until mid-January to account for potential COVID-19 exposure during the holidays.
Board member Paul Stefanko asked for a motion to clarify the resolution, in which one article stated the district’s masking policy would remain in effect unless the superintendent or board determined a change was necessary.
“I would suggest that given the importance of the issue and concern expressed recently, that a decision to mandate masks should require a board of education resolution,” Stefanko said. “I have every confidence in our current superintendent. I don’t know who any future superintendents would be and board policy, I think, should not take into consideration personalities or people, they should be based on the facts and situations.”
Board member Guy Wilson said other districts are also considering moving to optional masking, mainly because vaccinations are now available for school-age children. Having the current mandate last until Jan. 18 also gives families time to get their children vaccinated, he added.
Additionally, the district spent $100,000 of federal COVID-19 relief funds on air purification systems in the high school, middle school and elementary schools. Final installation should be completed by Jan. 18.
“We can keep an eye on this and see what happens,” Wilson said. “The COVID situation continues to evolve and change, and it may be that we’ll look at this and come back a month from now and decide to reverse and go to a mandate.”
The board also approved a resolution to register with the Ohio Department of Education to allow the district to provide remote learning if it becomes necessary at any point.
Superintendent Michael Hanlon noted the district currently does not have a plan in place for remote learning, but said the state legislature has put significant pressure on Ohio school districts, requiring notification to ODE by Dec. 15, 2021, if the district wants to exercise a remote learning plan at any point in the future.
The resolution passed, with a clarification from outgoing board President Madelon Horvath.
“This gives us what we had last year, which is the ability to do a remote learning plan for students if we decide we need it,” she asked Hanlon.
“If it becomes necessary, yes,” he said.
A Dec. 20 COVID-19 update from the district reported 33 positive cases in the district. The previous highest case rate for the district was Nov. 29, with 18 cases reported to parents.
