Johnson County district drops mask mandate for older students, but not until January
The Shawnee Mission school board on Monday agreed to remove its mask mandate in middle and high schools at the beginning of January.
All of Johnson County’s major school districts now have a plan to drop mandates for older students, although both Blue Valley and Olathe are making the move sooner, after Thanksgiving. The districts will all maintain mask directives for younger students, following a county health order that requires face coverings in schools that serve up to sixth grade.
The Shawnee Mission school board voted 5-2 to drop the mask mandate for students and staff in secondary schools after winter break, on Jan. 3.
“We felt strongly that we wanted elementary students to have the access to the vaccine before we were to make that recommendation,” Superintendent Michelle Hubbard said of removing the mandate for older students.
If a school building reports 3% or more of its population is required to quarantine or isolate, the building would return to a mask mandate for at least two weeks, officials said.
While COVID-19 cases had been dropping in Johnson County, health officials have reported an increase in new cases over the past couple of weeks. On Tuesday, the county’s incidence rate — or the number of cases per 100,000 people in the past 7 days — was 145 per 100,000. That’s up from 88 per 100,000 on Nov. 1.
That puts Johnson County back in the “high risk” category of COVID-19 transmission, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.
“As the holidays approach and temperatures drop, more of us will be gathering indoors which is the perfect environment for COVID-19 and flu to spread,” health officials said in a tweet. “If you’re eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot, now is the time to get it. If you are not vaccinated for COVID-19 or flu, please consider doing so this week so you’re protected during the holiday season.”
Shawnee Mission in January will adopt a “test to stay” model. Students and staff who are exposed to a COVID-19 case can stay in school as long as they wear a mask and are tested daily, with a negative result.
