The Washington Community School Board has approved to continue COVID-19 mitigation efforts for coaches and athletes during the spring season.

The board approved the item to follow the same procedures from the fall and winter seasons during a special meeting Monday night, requiring coaches and athletes to wear face masks except for when the students are actively playing. Superintendent Willie Stone explains why they are continuing this practice as well as requiring students and staff to wear face masks at school, “Our biggest goal out of all this is to make sure our students stay in school. Athletics are great and we love them, I love them, I think there’s a lot of things you can learn from them. All our co-curriculars are that way. But the main purpose for kids being at school is to be in school. So with the quarantine still requiring both people having masks on, we’re going to make sure our kids are masked up as much as possible.”

The board also approved that all spectators for spring sports are strongly encouraged to social distance and wear a mask at outdoor events, as per guidance from the Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. Capacity will not be limited for outdoor events, and Stone noted during the meeting that frequent reminders of their mitigation efforts will be made via the public address system throughout the events.