Stillwater Schools Could Drop Mask Mandate By Mid-February

STILLWATER, MN — Masks could be optional within Stillwater Area Public Schools by mid-February after the district’s board on Thursday authorized administration officials to drop face-covering requirements if coronavirus cases continue to decline.

The board voted Jan. 20 to expand a masking mandate that was already in place at Stillwater elementary and middle schools to the high school after a spike in coronavirus cases among staff and students at the start of 2022.

About 5 percent of Stillwater Area High School students and employees reported coronavirus cases during the first week of the new year, officials said.

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Officials reported 336 cases from Jan. 7-13 and 329 cases from Jan. 14-20. But weekly totals provided by the district show coronavirus cases have dropped significantly since peaking in mid-January.

Officials reported 198 cases from Jan. 21-27 and 113 cases from Jan. 28 to Feb. 3, according to the district's data.

The Stillwater Area Public Schools board voted 5-2 on Thursday to authorize administration officials to lift the mandate Feb. 14 if cases continue to drop from Feb. 4-10.

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Officials said the board will re-evaluate the district’s mask mandate at its Feb. 17 meeting if cases do not decline over that period.

The COVID-19 data dashboard for Stillwater Area Public Schools shows there have been 1,923 total coronavirus cases among students and staff since the start of the 2021-22 school year.

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