Marblehead Schools To Talk Mask-Optional Policy Thursday Night

MARBLEHEAD, MA — The two remaining Marblehead elementary schools under an indoor mask order will be able to go mask-optional on Feb. 28 pending a discussion of the School Committee on Feb. 17.

Marblehead High School, Marblehead Middle School and Village School went mask-optional for the first time in nearly two years this week when the district acquired a state waiver with the schools' student and staff population both at the 80 percent vaccination threshold.

(Also on Patch: MA's School State Mask Mandate Will Expire Feb. 28)

The Glover and Brown Elementary Schools were not eligible for waivers under the current state order with student vaccination rates at about 65 percent for both. But with Gov. Charlie Baker saying on Wednesday that the statewide mask order will be lifted — allowing all schools to go mask-optional pending local approval on Feb. 28 — those schools may have that opportunity when students and staff come back from February vacation as well.

"This has been a while in coming," said School Committee Chair Sarah Gold of allowing the other three schools to go mask-optional at last Thursday's meeting. "I would go as far as to say that it should not be a surprise to most.

"I am really excited to take this step forward. It's a huge step toward normalcy. For most of us, that's what we need right now."

Superintendent John Buckey told Patch on Wednesday that the School Committee will review the mask policy at the Feb. 17 meeting and that he will make a recommendation at that time. While Buckey declined to reveal what that recommendation will be, he said at last Thursday's meeting he had intended to submit a mask waiver for the remaining two schools as soon as they reached the 80 percent vaccination threshold.

Buckey had recommended at Thursday's School Committee meeting that all students and staff wear masks for the first week back from the vacation week and return to mask-optional for the high school, middle school and Village School on March 7.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)