Schools will welcome back students on August 19, and masks will be recommended but not required - the Park City School District can’t require them.
Last May, the Utah Legislature passed a bill prohibiting schools from requiring mask-wearing.
In a letter published Sunday, Superintendent Jill Gildea said students and school employees will be encouraged to wear face coverings, but not required. The same encouragement applies to all, regardless of vaccination status.
She told KPCW this guidance follows the CDC recommendation for everyone in the K-12 setting this fall. It’s also consistent with the Summit County Health Department’s updated recommendations as of Saturday.
The letter from Gildea also announced updated protocol for COVID-19 exposures.
If a student is exposed, the family has three options for what to do. The student can self-quarantine, undergo daily testing or wear a mask and remain at school if they remain symptom free.
If any school in the district has 30 or more active cases at once, there will be a “Test to Stay” event. That means, students would have to show a negative test to return to classes in person.
School faculty and staff are not required to be vaccinated, and the district doesn’t know how many of them are. That is being treated as a “personal decision,” Gildea says.
On Wednesday, families can expect to receive an email with more details about the upcoming semester.
