An adjusted COVID-19 mask policy will go into effect April 26th in the Mid-Prairie School District.

Current policy requires masks be worn by everyone in all school buildings. Superintendent Mark Schneider says after lengthy discussion the school board Monday night approved the change to masks being highly recommended based on certain conditions, “The main condition is that the total student absenteeism rate for students that are COVID positive, students that are quarantined and students that are sick for other illnesses is below 3%, so when if the rate is below 3% masks will be highly recommended for students, staff members and visitors to the building. Each building will be considered separately, so it is possible that in one building masks may be mandatory while masks in all the other buildings in the district would be highly recommended.”

Schneider adds that the student absentee rate will be based on a seven-day average and that if one building’s rate is high enough to require face masks, masks would also be required for any and all students riding school buses. On Monday, the school district absences were less than six students for COVID-19, 16 students in quarantine, and eight students out for other illnesses for a total absentee rate of 2.9%.