Mask Option Begins March 8 In Chester Schools: Superintendent

CHESTER, NJ — Chester School District’s Board of Education called Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement of the mask mandate lift for schools “encouraging,” according to a letter from Superintendent Christina Van Woert.

At Chester Board of Education’s meeting on Tuesday, the board approved a resolution to accept Murphy’s announcement to end the mask mandate on March 7. In the letter from Van Woert on behalf of the board to families on Wednesday, she said the district plans to become mask-optional on March 8.

“On behalf of the Board of Education, we appreciated Gov. Murphy’s announcement and are happy to note from the evidence that our Covid-19 health metrics show that the virus is definitely subsiding and the numbers are decreasing accordingly,” Van Woert wrote. “This is wonderful news as we travel the pathway back to normalcy for all of our students, faculty and staff members.”

Van Woert clarified that school buses are not presently covered under Murphy's mandate lift, which she wrote “are considered public transportation and are under federal jurisdiction.”

The district is waiting for more guidance from New Jersey’s Department of Health on questions pertaining to quarantining and social distancing, Van Woert said.

Students or school staff who would like to continue wearing masks, will receive the district’s support, she added.

“We look forward to moving together collaboratively toward this next phase of our school year,” Van Woert said.

With the decline in COVID-19 cases, the district will continue to tally its case counts on its website, she added, but will stop sending out daily COVID-19 updates to families.

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