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Masks Back On for Gibraltar Grades K-6

Unmasking decision reversed due to Door County’s “critically high” disease activity

Gibraltar Schools students in kindergarten through sixth grade were poised to return to school this week with an optional masking policy in place, based on a decision the school board made prior to the holiday break.

That has changed. Gibraltar Superintendent Tina Van Meer used her decision-making authority to continue mandated masking for children in grades K-6 until further notice.

To maintain staffing levels that “ensure continuous, uninterrupted instruction,” she also required all employees to wear masks. In addition, all students and staff continue to be required to wear masks on buses. She also “strongly” encouraged students in grades 7-12 to wear masks, given that the vaccination level for that grade level has not yet surpassed 62%.

Van Meer updated parents and guardians on New Year’s Eve about the latest health advice and guidelines. She said health officials still do not know how rapidly the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads, or how well vaccines and medications work against it. She said the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) expects that anyone with the Omicron infection can spread it to others, even if they are vaccinated, and the CDC continues to recommend wearing a mask in public indoor settings.

On Dec. 30, Door County was reported in the Critically High level of disease activity, and hospitals in northeastern Wisconsin reported bed occupancy at 89%, Van Meer conveyed. She said less than 25% of Door County children ages 5-11 have been vaccinated, and that’s a “major concern.”

Following her email message to parents, Van Meer sent another email indicating that families and employees within the district continued to test positive for COVID-19, including another staff member and five students. More about the status of cases within the district would be known once school resumed.

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