Health and Safety Update – Masks Required in All District Buildings

Effective August 9, 2021, face coverings are now required in all public indoor settings in District Buildings

The mask requirement for all individuals follows the July 29, 2021 announcement from Governor Kate Brown directing all Oregon school districts to require masks indoors in all K-12 schools for staff, students, and visitors, regardless of whether they are vaccinated or not. This aligns with the most recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP.) Both recommend mandatory indoor masking in schools because of the recent spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19. Since last week, the Delta variant of COVID-19 has significantly spread throughout Oregon, and most counties have reached a “high” level of transmission as determined by the CDC.

We all need to do our part to keep kids safe.

• Segments of our community are unvaccinated; many of those are kids under the age of 12 years.
• As of this week, 64.2% of the population in Benton County is fully vaccinated; we need a 90% vaccination rate in our community to gain herd immunity.

For purposes of the District’s mask requirement, “public indoor settings” include indoor environments in District-owned properties. Examples include school buildings, classrooms, school cafeterias (except while seated to consume food/drink), front desks, offices, and work areas.

We want to support the health and safety of our community and we want schools to remain open. Thank you for doing your part!