UPDATED MAY 30, 2021 at 10:44 a.m. – A unanimous vote by the Manatee County School Board Friday morning will end the district’s mask policy. The board published a notice of intent to change the mask policy on April 30 but had to wait 28 days to make it official to stay in compliance with the board’s bylaws. Although the 2020-21 school year has ended, the decision will mean masks will be optional for summer classes, as well as FOR the 2021-22 school year.
ANNA MARIA – Ever since Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order earlier this month that suspended all local COVID-19 emergency orders and related public health restrictions, it’s been left up to local government and school boards about how to proceed with their individual restrictions.
Anna Maria Elementary is the only public school on the Island, so it has been of particular interest to not only parents and faculty, but also area residents who are eager to see how COVID-19 will be handled at the local level.
According to Anna Maria Elementary Principal Jackie Featherston, students and faculty will continue to wear masks for the remainder of the school year, which is only a few more days; the last day of school is May 27.
“May 25, the school board meets and will specifically address how they will move forward for the 2021-2022 school year. I hope it will be a choice to wear a mask next year,” said Featherston.
The school has had two positive COVID-19 cases. The first was in November of 2020, and the second was February of this year. According to Featherston, both situations required a 14-day teacher quarantine. In the event of a kindergarten or pre-K case of COVID-19, the entire class, as well as the teacher would be required to quarantine for the same duration.
Students were given the option of virtual learning this year, but Principal Featherston said very few did so.
“Eighty percent of students were back in the classroom at the start of the year in August, and by the end of the Christmas break, the number was up to 90%. The students were anxious to get back to normal,” said Featherston.
On Thursday, May 20, Dr. Anthony Fauci said he believed President Joe Biden’s goal of 70% of adults getting at least one dose of the vaccine will be reached. Fauci also said that it’s conceivable for middle schools and high schools to be completely mask-free in the fall. Since children under 12 have not yet been approved to get the vaccine, he did not specifically address that age group.
