Mask Option Starts March 7 In Long Valley Schools: Superintendent

LONG VALLEY, NJ — On the heels of Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement on Monday to lift the statewide mask mandate in schools on March 7, Washington Township Schools’ superintendent announced the district plans to begin its mask-optional transition on the same day.

Superintendent Peter Turnamian wrote in a community update on Tuesday that the school district had consulted with the local health department and medical inspector about its decision.

Turnamian confirmed for Patch in an email that no policy process within the district will be needed to change to a mask-optional environment. The Board of Education is scheduled to meet on Tuesday and “no action is required” from the board, he said.

The school district plans to keep families updated as it transitions to next steps, Turnamian added. The district is waiting for more guidance from New Jersey’s Department of Health, which it intends to use for its planning and preparation. After reviewing the state’s guidance, should there be “relevant new information,” Turnamian said he will communicate it with the community.

Before Murphy’s Executive Order and Turnamian’s tenure with the board, the Board of Education sent a letter to Murphy in June, asking him to repeal the mask mandate for the 2021-2022 school year and leave the decision-making at the local level.

In August after Murphy signed Executive Order 251, the board decided to write again to Murphy, asking if he would meet with them, a request Murphy never answered. All board members but one agreed to explore ways to determine if with the Executive Order in place, parents could still have more leeway in choosing whether or not to mask their children.

“I know for many in our community this is welcomed news and for others it may heighten anxieties,” Turnamian wrote in his letter to the community on Tuesday about the switch to a mask-option. “I am pleased the conditions of the pandemic continue to improve and going forward we will continue to bring back as many ‘normal’ activities this school year as possible.”

He asked that members of the community respect staff and students who decide to continue wearing masks.

“For some of our youngest students school with masks has been all they have known,” Turnamian said. “Let’s be sensitive to how they may react to this change and recognize they may need time to talk about the change and how it makes them feel.”

“Please know our leaders, teachers, and staff will continue to be sensitive to these needs and we will continue to do all we can to ensure our school communities are safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments for all,” he wrote.

The district also planned to stop distributing its daily update of new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, he wrote. However, it would continue to post updates on the website’s COVID-19 hub.

Click here for Turnamian's full update and here for the Board of Education's agenda for Tuesday's meeting.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.