Mount Vernon Families and Community Members:
Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provided an update on the wearing of masks for people who have been fully vaccinated. The new guidelines allow for more freedom of fully vaccinated people to go maskless in many indoor and outdoor settings. As we prepare for the final events of the 2020-2021 school year, I wanted to provide an update to the guidelines we are asking everyone to follow for the last two weeks of the school year:
- Mount Vernon Community School District staff members will continue to wear masks when in the presence of students who have not had the opportunity to be vaccinated. Staff members who are fully vaccinated may go maskless when not in the presence of students, and when gathering with other fully vaccinated staff members. Students will continue to wear masks, as they have yet to be fully vaccinated.
- The mask guidelines for indoor events for everyone will remain in place through May 31, 2021. This includes graduation, honors nights, concerts, and other indoor events. We are asking fully vaccinated individuals to continue to wear masks at these events because of the presence of students who have not yet been vaccinated. Additionally, people in the audience at these events will be in somewhat close quarters with one another and thus should remain masked at these events. You are welcome to take off your mask when indoors and when not in close proximity with students and other people.
- The wearing of masks is optional for fully vaccinated people attending outdoor events. Those who are not fully vaccinated are encouraged to continue to wear masks for their safety and the safety of others.
We continue to trend positively as we work through the COVID-19 pandemic, and I appreciate you hanging in there for two more weeks with the current mask mandate. We will work this summer to develop new protocols for the 2021-2022 school year. I hope to see you at our end of the year events celebrating our students!
Dr. B.