Washington County Public Schools eyes 'off ramp' for masking in buildings

Sherry Greenfield, The Herald-Mail
·2 min read

The mandate requiring staff, students and visitors to wear masks inside Washington County Public School buildings has divided parents since it was put in place on Aug. 30.

But the school system in late December got specific on ways the mandate could be lifted in local schools, based on a vote by the Maryland State Board of Education in early December.

Whether WCPS would be able to take one of these "off-ramps," as the state board of education described the policy change, depends on several factors related to the level of COVID-19 cases in the county.

The "off-ramp" regulations will go before Maryland's Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review Committee in the legislature for consideration. That hearing is not yet scheduled.

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Meanwhile, the COVID-19 positivity rate, which is the seven-day average rate at which people being tested for the virus are testing positive, in Washington County got as high as 22.56% last week and nearly 20% statewide, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

From left, North Hagerstown High School seniors Gabbie McCafferty, Bryan Boateng and Tanish Gupta wear face masks while attending class in late October.
From left, North Hagerstown High School seniors Gabbie McCafferty, Bryan Boateng and Tanish Gupta wear face masks while attending class in late October.

WCPS announced how the "off-ramp" policy would apply locally. The face covering requirement can be lifted locally if one or more of the following occurs:

  • If 80% of Washington County’s population is fully vaccinated as reported by the state health department

  • If 80% of the school staff and students in a specific school facility have been verified to be fully vaccinated

  • If Washington County has sustained 14 consecutive days of moderate or low transmission rate of COVID-19 cases, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As of Jan. 4, Washington County Public Schools' 4,500 employees must be either vaccinated against COVID-19 or get tested weekly for the virus, according to a notice released by the school district before Christmas.

This includes substitute teachers and new, current, permanent and temporary employees of WCPS.

"It should be noted the proposed regulation requires the confidentiality of vaccination status consistent with federal and state law," WCPS documents state.

If approved, the regulations would expire on June 30, 2022.

Sherry Greenfield is the Education Reporter, covering Washington County Public Schools and the Washington County Board of Education. Follow Sherry on Twitter at Sheina2018 or Instagram at beckmangreenfield.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: WCPS has options for eliminating masking in school buildings