Students from Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) are keeping their masks on, for the time being.
The county school system won’t be changing its COVID-19 safety measures at this point, Superintendent LaTanya McDade said in a letter shared with families, employees and community members on Monday. This includes the mask requirements for students, staff members and visitors.
McDade’s letter followed the announcement of Executive Orders by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin this past weekend. Future adjustments to mask recommendations in schools was one of them.
Available on the Governor of Virginia website, the Executive Order leaves the decision of children wearing masks at school in their parents’ hands.
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is planning to provide updated suggestions, according to the letter from McDade. Guidance from VDOE, the Executive Order, and legal requirements will be assessed by PWCS.
“As always, any changes to our mitigation strategies will be made thoughtfully and with the health and safety of students and staff as our priority,” McDade said in the letter. “Any decision to remove a mitigation layer must take into consideration our ability to continue in-person instruction.”
