Mask Optional begins on Jan 18th in Ritenour School District

Mask+Optional+begins+on+Jan+18th+in+Ritenour+School+District

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When Ritenour High School returns on Jan 18th for second semester, current mandatory masking policies in all buildings will change. On Dec 9th, the Ritenour Board of Education voted to go to an optional masking choice for all students and staff.  We talked with Ritenour High School Principal Dr. Jana Haywood for more information about the change.

Ritenour High School Principal Dr. Haywood:

And so each month the Board of Education reviews data provided by Dr. Chris Kilbride that he pulls from the St. Louis County Health Department regarding the percentage of transmission rates and actual positive throughout the district to determine when or if we would make the shift from a mass mandatory school to being a mask mandatory school to being optional mask optional. So on Jan 18th we are scheduled to become a mask optional school.

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​​The Ritenour School District polled both community and staff to guide in their decision making of changing the mask policy. 45% felt the current mandatory masking in buildings should stay, while 35% were in favor of the option of choice. 17% wanted an ever tougher mandate requiring outdoor masking included. But the health numbers made the final decisions for the board of education. With low numbers of Covid positive students and staff throughout the semester District officials felt that choice was now a viable option for the school district.

The Ritenour Board of Education reviewed data from both the community and staff to help guide decision making on changing mask policies in the district. This is apart of the presentation presented during the Dec 9th meeting.

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How do you think students will be affected by the change?

Ritenour High School Principal Dr. Haywood:

Students are going to be affected minimally because again, it’s mask optional. So for those students who still believe it to be a mitigation layer to wear their masks, they will be allowed to. And for those students who are vaccinated or who choose have the option to not wear masks.

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Next we talk wtih staff member George Lee to get his opinion on the mask change.

George Lee, Ritenour In School Supervisior

So yeah, my opinion on mask mandate is ____. I do think it should be optional in a way, but it does see like the spread is happening regardless, so I think it is a____. It’s a catchy time right now, especially like with the numbers going up. So I mean, I just like it’s safety. Safety first.

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Ron Steinschreiber is a staff member whose opinions runs towards caution. With family members who are immune compromised he worries for more than his own health.

Ron Steinschreiber, ELA teacher

I’ve got some mixed emotions. I understand that there are some people ready to not have masks. I’m not one of those people. I will be wearing my mask the rest of the year. I’ve got some some close family members who are high risk for Covid and with the Omicron variant ____. People still being able to get Covid even after they’re vaccinated.  I have some pretty big concerns so I’m wrapping my head around it and getting ready to deal with what that will look like. Being at school is pretty much the most high risk thing I’ve done since March of 2020. So it’s now becoming more high risk.

The Ritenour Board of Education reviewed data from both the community and staff to help guide decision making on changing mask policies in the district. This is apart of the presentation presented during the Dec 9th meeting.

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Finally, safety protocals are at the heart of each decision for the district. After holiday break many wonder if a chance to return to mandatory masks might be more of a problem.

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How do you think students will react after mandates are changed back to being required?

Ritenour High School Principal Dr. Haywood:

This has been a conversation with all district leadership, and really leadership across the region. We know that change can be difficult for anyone, but because all of our students are aware that we’ve alreayd lost over 800,00 lives as a result of this pandemic, it is my hope that everyone would be supportive around supporting around protecting one and other from the virus.

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I’m Dorien Mack with Maurice Johnson reporting for KRHS Media.