Hopkinton High School Is First To Get Approval To Remove Masks

HOPKINTON, MA — Hopkinton High School is the first public school in Massachusetts to get approval to drop its indoor mask mandate, officials said Tuesday.

Individual middle and high schools are allowed to lift the indoor mask requirement if they can prove at least 80% of students and staff have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Even though Gov. Charlie Baker extended the statewide mask mandate last month through Nov. 1, Hopkinton Public Schools Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh submitted the required attestation form on Oct. 1.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says they approved the request last Thursday.

82 percent of Hopkinton residents are fully vaccinated, including more than 95 percent of those between the ages of 12 and 19, state data shows.

"Effective now, vaccinated individuals in the Hopkinton High School are not currently subject to DESE's mask requirement, although they may still choose to wear a mask," DESE said in a statement Tuesday.

Though vaccinated students can't take their masks off just yet because Hopkinton's School Committee decided to hold off on a vote to remove the mask mandate until at least Thursday, Oct. 21.

"The Superintendent and the School Committee are taking a cautious, informed approach in order to mitigate risk and to be prepared for the logistics of unmasking if that does end up being the decision for Hopkinton," Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh said in a statement Tuesday.

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