West Orange Schools Will ‘Strongly Encourage’ Indoor Masks

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Starting Monday, the West Orange Public School District will be “strongly encouraging” students, staff and visitors to wear face masks while indoors, administrators say.

The district made masks optional for students and staff on March 7. However, former superintendent Scott Cascone noted that things may change if the region’s COVID-19 Activity Level changed back to “high” status on the New Jersey Department of Health’s weekly report. Read More: Masks Now Optional In West Orange Schools, Buses

As of the week ending May 7, the Northeast area of the state – Bergen, Essex and Hudson counties – was at a “high” activity level, as were all but one other region (see chart below).

Interim Superintendent C. Lauren Schoen gave more details about the latest development on Friday. Schoen wrote:

“On March 7, 2022, our district made a decision to give students and staff the option of wearing masks. At [board of education] meetings following that decision, I have communicated that we would monitor the positive COVID-19 cases within our district as well as within our community and the north east region of New Jersey. The current COVID-19 Activity Level (CALI) index for the Northeast region (which includes West Orange) has moved to the HIGH range. This means that there is an increased number of positive COVID-19 cases reported in our area. Guidance from the New Jersey Departments of Health and Education as well as our local health officials, strongly encourages all students and staff, as well as visitors, to wear masks while indoors. Therefore, effective Monday, May 16, the West Orange School District strongly encourages all staff and students to wear marks while indoors. We will continue to monitor positive cases of COVID-19 within our district, maintain communication with our local health officials as well as monitor the weekly CALI index for the Northeast region. If additional preventative measures must be considered, we will communicate this information with our staff and families.”

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