February 8, 2022
Dear Parents/Guardians and Staff Members,
As you are likely aware, Governor Lamont conducted a press conference late yesterday afternoon, February 7, 2022, announcing some changes to the state mandates connected to mask requirements in our school districts and child care centers. I am writing to you today to provide additional information on what this means for our school district and the decision-making steps we will be taking over the next few weeks.
At his press conference, the Governor recommended that the state mandated mask requirements in Connecticut continue through February 28, 2022, and that beginning March 1, 2022, the decisions surrounding mask requirements would be shifted to authorities at the local level.
It is our desire to remove the mask requirement across the district when it is safe and appropriate to do so. As such, our goal is to work to determine the best approach for our community, while ensuring those decisions are made keeping a focus on Federal and State guidance, public health metrics, mitigation strategies in use, and the ever-changing pandemic environment.
We have heard from many parents on both sides of the issue of whether to mask or unmask students in school. Please know that we hear you and recognize that, as has been the case nationwide, no decision will satisfy everyone’s desires around this issue. In order to make an informed decision on the future of mask use in the Milford Public Schools, we will take into account these factors and continue to rely on the active partnerships that have been in place since the beginning of the pandemic with the CT State Department of Education (SDE), the CT Department of Public Health (DPH), the Milford Health Department and the district’s Medical Advisor.
Next week, a statewide, multi-agency meeting is scheduled for all school superintendents, local health departments and city officials, as well as representatives from the CT DPH and CT SDE. We anticipate additional guidance from the CT DPH will be shared with us during that meeting and, in turn, we will continue to reach out to our community as we learn more.
As always, we remain committed to meeting our district’s educational goals, while maintaining the health and safety of students, staff, and community members. Thank you for your continued partnership and support.
Anna Cutaia, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Deepa Joseph, MPH
Director of Health