Mask-optional on all HPS Busses.
After new guidance from the CDC, students and staff will no longer be required to wear a mask while riding an HPS bus.
On Friday, February 25, 2022, the CDC issued new guidance regarding masking for school transportation. This new guidance combined with continued reductions in COVID cases has led HPS to adjust our policies. Effective Immediately, Holland Public School students and staff are no longer required to wear a mask while riding a school bus or a chartered bus for daily transportation or school events, including athletics.
Effective February 25, 2022, CDC does not require wearing of masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, including early care and education/child care programs. CDC is exercising its enforcement discretion to not require that people wear masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, including early care and education/child care programs. CDC is making this change to align with updated guidance that no longer recommends universal indoor mask wearing in K-12 schools and early education settings in areas with a low or medium COVID-19 Community Level. School systems at their discretion may choose to require that people wear masks on buses or vans.
HPS will continue with mitigation options available for students and staff:
- Masks will still be available at all of our schools and on school buses upon student entry.
- We will still have hand sanitizer available at schools and on buses
- We will continue with regular cleaning of shared surfaces.
- We will also continue to ask that all individuals consistently self-monitor and test if they develop symptoms.
As masks will be optional and students and staff will make different choices, we must continue to model and teach that negative comments or judgment towards an individual’s choice to mask, or not, will not be tolerated. There will be individuals in our school community who will have increased anxiety with masks no longer being required.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to our students and staff to provide safe, secure, and predictable learning environments. Thank you for your continued patience and support.