Updated with clarification that both indoor and outdoor mandates end March 14.
The Edmonds School District announced Tuesday night it will be lifting both its indoor and outdoor mask mandates in schools and district offices starting Monday, March 14.
The school district “will continue to recommend masking, however, it will be an individual or family decision and that decision will be respected,” Superintendent Gustavo Balderas said in a message to families Tuesday. “We encourage families to discuss and decide if wearing a mask to school is right for your student.
“We ask everyone to be respectful and sensitive to the individual needs of our families and staff in this transition,” Balderas added. “Bullying will not be tolerated for anyone wearing, or not wearing, a mask.”
Balderas also said in his letter that the Washington State Department of Health on Tuesday released new requirements and guidance to mitigate COVID-19 transmission in schools. “We ask for patience as we navigate these changes and their impact on our daily operations,” the superintendent said. “We plan to provide more details later this week.
Here is the full letter from Dr. Balderas:
Dear Edmonds School District families, staff and students,
After reviewing the guidance from our state and local health leaders, starting on Monday, March 14, 2022, the Edmonds School District will lift our indoor mask mandate in schools and the district offices. The outdoor mask mandate will end tomorrow, Wednesday, March 9.
Please remember: Masks are still required both indoors and outdoors in the Edmonds School District until March 14.
This morning, the Washington State Department of Health released new requirements and guidance to mitigate COVID-19 transmission in schools. We ask for patience as we navigate these changes and their impact on our daily operations. We plan to provide more details later this week.
The Edmonds School District will continue to recommend masking, however, it will be an individual or family decision and that decision will be respected. We encourage families to discuss and decide if wearing a mask to school is right for your student.
We ask everyone to be respectful and sensitive to the individual needs of our families and staff in this transition. Bullying will not be tolerated for anyone wearing, or not wearing, a mask.
Thank you for your continued efforts to protect the health and safety of our students, staff, and families.
In partnership,
Dr. Gustavo Balderas
Superintendent
Monday is a big day in our school age kids lives! Time to celebrate for those who feel comfortable enough to not wear masks at school, especially our 1st grader who has never attended elementary school without a mask! It is a huge day in her life. Great job and thank you to all the kids in our community who put that mask on every morning, kept them on for 7 hours a day and only took them off for a quick lunch which they eat outdoors sitting on the sidewalk!