A state Supreme Court judge ruled Jan. 24 the school mask mandate was unconstitutional, but that decision was stayed a day later by an appellate judge to allow New York State to appeal the ruling.

Students and teachers must continue to wear masks while the appeal is heard in the courts, Champ said.

“I recognize that this continues to be an uncertain and unsettling time for many and that each chapter of this pandemic presents us with new questions and challenges,” wrote Champ in an email Monday. “I also understand that some families may need time to prepare their children for this shift and determine whether or not they wish to continue wearing masks in school. It is important to remember that everyone’s approach to Covid-19 is different, and I encourage everyone to be respectful of the choices made by others, especially our students.”

Champ cited the multiple strategies the district is using to battle the virus: Social distancing, making KN95 masks available to students and staff who want them, surveillance testing, encouraging participation in a weekly PCR testing program and placing air purifiers in classrooms.

“As we prepare for the next phase of this pandemic, vaccination continues to be the most important mitigation strategy, especially when it comes to preventing the most severe outcomes of the disease,” Champ said. “We are fortunate to have high vaccination rates among our students and staff, as well as in our community, which I believe positions us well to make masks optional when the time comes.”

Vaccination rates, positive case counts and the results of Covid testing are on the district website (see charts on this page). The superintendent encouraged families to send images of their children’s vaccination cards to new Covid-19 coordinator Jackie Huezo or to the school nurses to help schools keep data on vaccination rates. Huezo was named coordinator on Dec. 21, replacing Bridget Gates, who had been appointed in September.