Masks To Be Optional In Wall Schools This September

WALL, NJ – Mask-wearing will be optional at all Wall Township schools when they reopen next month, according to the letter posted on the district website on Tuesday.

In the letter from the Superintendent Of Schools, Dr. Tracey Handerhan said that the decision was made due to Governor Phil Murphy leaving the decision up to the individual school districts. Handerhan did state that this could change depending on where the data goes.

“Wall Township Public Schools will make masks optional for students and staff in September. That said, the potential certainly exists for executive orders to unilaterally reverse this local decision,” Handerhan’s letter stated.

“Should New Jersey schools be mandated by executive order to require masks in the future, please recognize that public school districts must abide by these orders, regardless of the position of local boards of education. Additionally, district administrators will continue to monitor local health data as shared by local health department officials.”

Handerhan mentioned that students will not have to wear masks on the bus for the first two months of school as buses aren’t air-conditioned but will be looked at at the end of October as it is still mandated by the New Jersey Departments Of Education and Health in the “The Road Forward” document.

The letter also stressed that there was no thought of making getting vaccinated mandatory for students and staff or offering vaccines on school grounds. In addition, there will be no temperature taking of students or staff at any of the schools.

Plastic barriers placed in classrooms last year will no longer be up, but social distancing of the desks will still be followed as much as possible.

Parents are asked to check their kids every day for symptoms, and that the district will be providing COIVD-19 resources and information to parents before the school year starts.