Effective Monday, Feb. 28, the students, faculty, and staff of Guilford Public Schools will not be required to wear a mask while in our school buildings or on our school grounds. Our decision has been made after consultation with local and state health professionals and aligns with Governor Ned Lamont’s executive order, supported by the Connecticut General Assembly, to eliminate the statewide requirement for masks to be worn in all schools and child care centers effective Feb. 28. This decision aligns with updated guidance that school districts have received from the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the State Department of Education.

Importantly, any student or staff member may, at their own discretion or that of a parent or guardian, continue to wear a mask in school. These individual decisions will be fully supported by school administration and staff, and students will be reminded to respect and not judge their peers and their decisions to wear a mask or not.

We continue to recommend masks and strongly encourage vaccinations for all students and staff in the Guilford Public Schools.

Guilford Public Schools will continue to seek guidance from our local health department, district medical advisor, the Connecticut Departments of Health and Education, and the CDC and we will make any needed changes or adjustments to this decision as we move forward.

The following protocols related to COVID-19 will remain in effect:

• We will continue to update the COVID-19 Dashboard on our website each day with the number of positive cases among our students and staff.

• Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should stay home and test for COVID-19. Test kits will continue to be available in the school nurses’ offices as needed.

• Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate from school for five days from the onset of symptoms or, if asymptomatic, for five days after testing positive. The CDC indicates that they should then wear a mask for an additional five days after that return.

• Athletes will continue to follow guidance from the CIAC regarding a COVID-19 case.

It is important to note that the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health maintains the authority to reinstitute masking temporarily at any time based on virus transmission trends, and local school districts may reinstate a mask mandate as needed should changing conditions indicate a need to do so.

Wearing masks on public transportation including school buses is a federal order issued by the CDC. Barring any action from the CDC, this order is expected to remain in place after February 28 and students will be required to continue wearing a mask on the school bus, both to and from school as well as to and from athletic and other school events.

Student athletes and coaches will continue to follow guidelines issued by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) and the protocols in place in the school district in which they are competing.

I want to thank our families, faculty, staff, and community members for your continued support as we approach this next important step in resuming a more normal school day. I especially want to thank our students for their perseverance, strength, compassion, and adaptability throughout this very challenging time.

Guilford Public Schools remains committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our students, faculty and staff.

Thank you for your partnership.

Paul Freeman, EdD Superintendent of Schools