St. Cloud Area School District to require masks for all
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The St. Cloud Area School District will require masks for all students and adults to start the school year.
The Board of Education approved the measure by a 6-1 vote Wednesday. The mask mandate will go in effect Monday.
“We support the school district in making their decisions to do this as safely as possible while ensuring our students are continuing to get a great education in our St Cloud Area Schools," St. Cloud Education Association President Chris Erickson said in a statement.
The district’s back-to-school plan includes a full return to in-person classes with COVID-19 protocols in place. There will also be increased mental health staff on hand, such as school counselors, chemical health counselors and mental health supports.
"The emotional and social well-being of our students and school community are also paramount as we return to school, and we will be employing strategies to ensure mindfulness and well-being," Assistant Superintendent Lauri Putnam said in a statement.
St. Cloud Area Schools’ mask mandate comes on the heels of school districts in St. Paul, Bloomington, Brooklyn Park and Edina issuing their own mask requirements for the upcoming school year.