With unanimous consensus from all five members of the Marion County School Board, face coverings/masks will be encouraged but optional on all school property starting Thursday, May 27.
The decision most immediately impacts summer school operations for the district, now including 5,799 enrolled students and nearly 1,000 employees, beginning June 1.
Parents wanting their children to continue wearing masks during summer school should have those discussions. School personnel, including teachers, bus drivers and cafeteria staff will not monitor masking.
This School Board directive reinforces a person’s right to wear a face covering if he/she so chooses while maintaining the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention making face masks optional for individuals who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
School Board members reached consensus based on Marion County’s declining positivity rate and number of positive cases, little impact on the 0-24 age group including students, and cooperative ongoing meetings between the district and the Florida Department of Health in Marion County each week.
Robust testing for COVID-19 will continue for students and employees of Marion County Public Schools, as will steps taken daily to mitigate the pandemic spread. Masks will continue to be required when students visit the school health clinic.
Masking decisions for the new school year starting Aug. 10 will be discussed in coming weeks. For more information, contact the Public Relations Office at (352) 671-7555 or Public.Relations@marion.k12.fl.us.