Madison Reporter

Schools around the country have been dropping their mask mandates and that includes the Oregon School District, which will have its mandate lifted on March 1.

According to a report by WKOW on Feb. 22, the district’s decision coincides with that of Dane County, which drops its mandate on the same day. An email was sent to families in the school district from Superintendent Dr. Leslie Bergstrom, saying that masking up is still strongly encouraged but not required for students and staff in grades K-12. Students must wear masks on buses and district vehicles.

“I know that we all continue to be committed to our goal of offering a safe learning environment for our students with as little disruption as possible, and I know that we will do this by moving forward together," Bergstrom said in the email.

There are policies posted on the school’s website that will be updated in the coming days, as well as instructional lessons for students about masking. Currently on the site it says that physical distancing to the extent possible is recommended, as well as proper procedures for cleaning and sanitizing. It also discusses contact tracing and COVID-19 testing procedures, as well as a number of frequently asked questions about masks and the district’s COVID-19 protocol. While the mask mandate is being lifted, the district will continue to be practicing symptom checking, air ventilation, hygiene practice and COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.

The early learning and 4K programs will have their own guidelines and will be discussed with parents of the students.

On April 11, the school board will be holding a meeting to discuss the topic and the public is invited to attend.