The Riverhead school district will require masks for all students and staff this fall after the district’s Board of Education last week narrowly approved the reopening plan.
The board voted 4-3 at its Aug. 17 meeting to approve the reopening plan despite objections from some parents in the audience who opposed the measure.
School district representatives provided a copy of the reopening plan to Newsday but declined to comment further on the matter.
Riverhead School District Superintendent Dr. Augustine E. Tornatore said at the meeting the current infection rates and information made him concerned for the district’s students and staff, and his goal was to have 100% of the district’s students return to school in person this fall.
“I do feel that in order to protect our students in the district and the community, and this is after listening to many, many people, my recommendation to the board is to mandate the masks for the beginning of the school year,” Tornatore said.
Jeremy Rand, of Flanders, who has two children in the district, told the board not to pass the mask mandate.
“What my child does and what my child puts on their face is my responsibility and is my decision,” Rand said.
Board member Therese Zuhoski, who voted against the plan, said, “I understand the position that you are in, but I, too, will not be voting in favor of the reentry plan because of the mask mandate.”
Colin Palmer, also a board member, voted ‘yes’ on the plan.
“This is a difficult decision that the schools have been forced to make right now, but I think this is the right decision to make,” Palmer said.
Under the reopening plan, students will return for in-person learning on Sept. 2 under pre-COVID schedules. The district will require masks in accordance with guidance from the New York State Education Department that follows the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for masks/social distancing.
“Schools will require all students and staff to wear masks for all indoor instruction and activities. This includes bus transportation. Masks will NOT be required for outdoor activities,” the plan states.
The district also outlined several other steps they will take as part of reopening, including:
- participation in contact tracing as required by state and local authorities;
- isolating and disinfecting any impacted classrooms and spaces; and
- monitoring and adjusting protocols as conditions change throughout the school year.
