All students must wear a mask when unable to socially distance while at school, during school-sponsored programs, or when under the control and care of the School District unless a student has a disability that would prevent the wearing of a mask or a student in K3, K4, K5 or 1st grade who is unable to wear a mask as a result of that child’s age. Students may also submit medical documentation to the school’s administration, and any medical exemption will be considered on an individual basis based upon that medical documentation. Any student who communicates an absolute refusal to wear a mask and is not willing to comply with the requirement will be assigned to the District’s virtual program.

Schools should work with students who inadvertently fail to wear a mask to teach them of the importance of wearing a mask and to remind those students of the requirement for masks to be worn around others. If a student demonstrates a pattern or continual failure of wearing a mask then the following process should be followed:

1. If a student is not wearing a mask, the staff member observing should address and direct the student to put on his/her mask. The incident must be documented with the appropriate administrator and the parent/guardian must be notified.
2. On the second offense the same process will be followed
3. On the 3rd offense, the student will be sent home for the remainder of the school day and the parent/guardian will be provided the option of enrolling the student in the virtual program for the remainder of the semester.
4. On the 4th offense the student will be sent home for the remainder of the school day, will be suspended for two days of in person attendance and the parent/guardian will again be given the option of enrolling in the virtual program for the remainder of the semester.
5. A 5th offense will result in assignment to the virtual program for the remainder of the semester.

A decision by the school to assign a student to the virtual program may be appealed to the Executive Director of Student Services within 5 school days of that decision. The Executive Director of Student Services will review that appeal, which will include the reasons the student is challenging the decision, and obtain any necessary information from the school. A decision will be rendered in writing by the Executive Director of Student Services within 5 school days of the date of the appeal. Any further appeal must be directed in writing within 3 school days to the Superintendent. A final decision will be rendered in writing within 5 school days of receipt of that appeal by the Superintendent or his designee.