Monday morning the Dover City School District announced their decision to require masks for students and staff in a statement sent to parents.
The mask requirement will go into effect Tuesday, Sept. 21 after being approved 5-0 at a Board of Education meeting Monday morning. This will include both during the school day and at indoor special events (ie concerts, parent nights, athletic events, etc.).
Dover Schools has 31 active Covid- 19 cases as of today. As of Friday, September 17, the total number of cases in the district this school year is 54, and one week ago (Friday, September 10), the total number of cases was 24. As of Friday, Dover has already had 300 student quarantines this school year.
With implementing masks, this will allow students to remain in school after being exposed to fellow students or teachers who may have tested positive from Covid. Dover City Schools added they do not expect the masking requirement to be long-term.
“We do not view masks and face coverings as a long-term solution to building a strong, healthy environment for student learning and our school community,” said Superintendent Karie McCrate. “We will continue to monitor the numbers within our greater school community and re- evaluate our face covering policy as local cases decrease.”
You can view all of the Covid cases in the district here.
Exemptions will be accepted with a documented medical reason.