Dear Wayland Union Families and Staff:
Today at noon, the Allegan County Health Department issued a public health order mandating all students in kindergarten through sixth grade to wear face masks, unless medically unable to do so. This also applies to all staff members working within K-6th grade buildings. A medical exemption form will be available, by the end of the day tomorrow, on the COVID-19 section of our district website: https://waylandunion.org/district/covid-19-information/
Tonight's update is to provide an overview of how this will impact our students and staff at Wayland Union Schools. Since this age group is unable to receive the vaccine, the public health order applies to:
- Baker Elementary;
- Steeby Elementary;
- Dorr Elementary;
- Pine Street;
- Wayland Union Middle School; and
- All K-12 students utilizing Wayland Union School Buses.
According to the order, all students and staff who share space with kindergarten through sixth grade students are required to wear a face mask. With this in mind, the order applies to our preschool programs housed at Baker Elementary and Dorr Elementary. It will also apply to Wayland Union Middle School 7th/8th grade students and staff who share space with 6th graders (i.e., hallways and any shared classrooms). Once 7th/8th grade students and staff are within the classroom (no longer sharing space with 6th graders), they have the option to remove their face masks. All staff, including bus drivers, and visitors to the above buildings will also be required to wear a mask.
- ACHD states face masks for students and staff in 7th-12th grade are highly recommended, but not required, when they are not with students in grades K-6th.
- The public health order does not apply to extracurricular activities or to outdoor activities.
The public health order remains in effect until six weeks past the date that the COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and available to those five years through age eleven or until further notice from the Health Department.
I have attached the link to the ACHD COVID-19 website as well as the press release and mask order for your review. Please remember this is a mandate required by our local health department. If you have any questions or concerns with the authority of the health department, please see the attached documents and/or contact the health department directly.
We celebrate our ability to reunite fully with in-person instruction on our first half day on Monday, August 23, 2021. We will continue to stand together as Wayland UNION Schools keeping our students and staff at the focus of all we do.
In partnership,
Dr. Christina Hinds
