Masking Planned For Fairfield Schools, But Nothing Final Yet

FAIRFIELD, CT — The first day of class is about a month away for Fairfield students, and the school district is preparing to enter the third academic year that will be affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The district this week shared with parents the state health department’s interim school guidance, which includes many adjustments to pandemic protocol, as well as a continuation of mandatory masking.

“Please note that this is interim guidance, and some portions may change prior to late August,” Superintendent Mike Cummings said in the message to families.

Barring any modifications, face masks will continue to be required in schools and on buses, according to Cummings.

Mandatory school masking has been a source of frustration for some in Fairfield, where residents have put up lawn signs protesting the policy and spoken out against it before the Board of Education. This week, more than 70 Fairfielders cosigned a letter opposing mask requirements in schools, and last month, the school board wrote to Gov. Ned Lamont, asking him to end the mandate at the state level.

While masking requirements may well remain in place, several pre-existing coronavirus-related rules are expected to be relaxed when the new school year starts.

“We expect the school year to begin on time with our regular schedules — every student on every day,” Cummings said.

Students who are at least 3 feet apart in a classroom, and are masked and asymptomatic, will no longer be required to quarantine if a classmate tests positive for the virus. Additionally, cohorting will not be mandated, but rather will be considered as a mitigation strategy when schools encounter challenging environments for social distancing and masking.

The first day of school is Aug. 30 in Fairfield.

The school district and town health department will hold a webinar 7 p.m. Tuesday. Questions must be submitted in advance at forms.gle/oaDWwCVwcKcQkCND9. To access the webinar, visit youtu.be/e_cnXyiS7Rs.