Patrons of the Glasgow School District submitted answers to the district regarding a mask-mandate survey. Some also submitted their input via letters and face-to-face dialogue.

According to unofficial minutes from the school board meeting on Wednesday, December 16, “After a great deal of thoughtful consideration, the board did not approve a mask mandate.”

Reasoning was explained: “Several days ago, school districts received further clarification from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) regarding the mandate. If adopted, the mask mandate would only allow a close contact to avoid a quarantine during the school day. Even if both individuals were properly wearing a mask, the close contact would still not be allowed to attend or play sports or participate in other school events; nor would it eliminate the need to quarantine from work and other outside activities.”

It continued with: “School districts also received information from the state regarding the shortened length of quarantine due to a close contact with a COVID-positive individual. Individuals are now able to test on the seventh day of a quarantine period if they were sent home as a close contact. If an individual chooses to test on day seven, and they have a negative result, the individual would stay away from school for five days due to the weekend.”

In addition, the district says it is now able to use the BinaxNow COVID antigen test to determine if a student or faculty/staff member is positive for COVID. These results are generated in 15 minutes.