SHARON — The Sharon Academy is slated to move to an optional masking policy beginning on March 7, according to a Wednesday announcement posted to the school’s website.
Almost all employees are vaccinated and 87% of students are, the post said.
At a news conference earlier this week, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, announced that the state would not extend its universal masking recommendation for schools beyond Feb. 28. After that date, state officials said that schools with student vaccination rates over 80% could consider dropping mask requirements.
“We know that vaccination is the most powerful and effective tool we have, and most of our school staff and students have heeded the call and are either up to date on their vaccines or are closing in,” Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said in a Tuesday news release announcing the change. “Because the omicron variant leads to less severe outcomes, we can safely lift the masking recommendations in these highly vaccinated settings.”
TSA also plans to distribute take-home rapid tests to students on Friday in advance of the school’s winter break. The school asks that students and employees use the tests on Feb. 28 and March 1, before returning on March 2. Masks still will be required that week after the break.
After March 7, the school will continue to require masks during after-school activities, such as sporting events, “when a large influx of outsiders introduces uncertainty,” the website said.
Elsewhere, other schools in the White River Valley will have to wait a bit before dropping mask requirements, White River Valley Supervisory Union Superintendent Jamie Kinnarney said in a Wednesday message to families.
None of the schools in the WRVSU currently meet the state’s 80% threshold, Kinnarney said. The Newton School in Strafford comes closest with 75% of students vaccinated and Stockbridge (Vt.) Central School lags farthest behind with just 45% of students vaccinated.
Once a school reaches the 80% threshold, school officials will make a decision about whether or not to change masking protocols.
“We have aligned ourselves at WRVSU with the Vermont Department of Health and Agency of Education recommendations throughout the pandemic,” Kinnarney wrote. “This strategy has served us well. It has also brought frustration to our constituents from time to time. I expect that the upcoming decisions regarding whether to make masking mandatory or optional will also result in frustration.”
Like TSA, schools in the WRVSU will be distributing rapid tests to students before next week’s vacation and asking students to take them the two days before school resumes on March 2.
“This is an Agency of Education-sponsored mitigation technique that we fully support and hope you’ll consider participating in,” Kinnarney wrote.
Nora Doyle-Burr can be reached at ndoyleburr@vnews.com or 603-727-3213.
