Please read our updated Mask Policy effective immediately…
Below is an update that was sent on January 10, 2022. Under the direction of our Catholic Schools Office, all schools in the Diocese of Fall River are required to follow this as well.
At the special meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) on August 24, 2021, the Board voted to declare “exigent circumstances” pursuant to the Student Learning Time regulations, 603 CMR 27.08 (1), and authorized the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education to require masks for public school students (age 5 and above) and staff in all grades through at least October 1, 2021.[1] The Commissioner subsequently extended the mask requirement to November 1, 2021 and then to January 15, 2022.
The mask requirement remains an important measure to keep students safe in school at this time. Consistent with the authority provided by the Board, and after consulting with medical experts and state health officials, the Commissioner is extending the mask requirement through February 28, 2022. The Department will continue to work with medical experts and state health officials to evaluate the mask requirement beyond February 28.
[1] The mask requirement is an exercise of the Board’s responsibility to ensure students attend classes in a safe environment. G.L. c. 69, § 1B. It is also an exercise of the Board’s authority to set policies relative to children’s education, including ensuring that students receive the required amount of structured learning time through in-person instruction. G.L. c. 69, §§ 1, 1B, 1G; G.L. c. 71, §§ 1 & 4A; 603 CMR 27.08.