The HHSW Board has decided that, for the 2021-22 school year, the time is right for teachers and families to be empowered to make the decision to wear a mask or not to wear a mask for themselves and for their own family members.
We realize that there are families with medical concerns that may still opt to wear masks. Individual teachers may choose to have a mask-required or mask-optional classroom. However, the overall policy for Heritage will be that masks are not required in the building.
We feel it is essential for our families to respect and support one another with whatever each family decides is best for them. We are advocating a spirit of unity and that our conversations and our attitudes at Heritage would be one of submitting to one another. We also ask that teachers who would like to require masks please communicate that to your students and their families by June 1. We do not want to engage in a vaccine discussion at this time or in the fall. We would like private family medical decisions to remain private. This is a mask-required or mask-optional discussion only.
We are considering reserving a study/waiting room for people wearing masks to accommodate any families who have a need for a separate space. If that is something that you would use, then please let us know by June 1.
Finally, we would like to reiterate our healthy attendance policy. If one of your family members is sick (fever, runny nose, cough, vomiting or diarrhea within the last 24 hours) or has been exposed to COVID, they may not attend Heritage that day. It is important not to put others in our body at risk for COVID, flu, or any other illness.
As with our pandemic related decisions up to this point, we will continue to revise our format in the light of new information and the ongoing conversation with NCBC.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this issue, please feel free to contact the board at [email protected].
