Students and staff will not be required to wear masks in Mars Area School District schools this fall.

Mars Area School District school board members approved an updated Health and Safety Plan at a meeting Tuesday night, with a vote of seven yes and two absent. The removal of mask mandates for students and staff was one of several changes implemented by the new plan.

School Board president John Kennedy said that the approval was “a step closer to this coming fall.”

State law requires school districts to submit their Health and Safety Plan before July 30 to be eligible for American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funding. The plan, which is available online, will now be submitted as approved.

Mars Area School District Superintendent Mark Gross said that he is aware that “not everyone will be happy” with the updated plan, but that his priority is education and not compromising the ability to teach students.

“We don't want to be reckless, we don't want to be careless,” Gross said. “If there should be something called to our attention that we need to immediately change gears, I'll do that. But right now there are no mandates on schools.

“If folks firmly believe in masks, then we're OK with that. But it needs to be a parental choice. I don't think it's the school's role to dictate to parents what they do with their children as much as we do in a lot of things in our bureaucratic world.”

The only place that masks will be required will be on school buses, because they are considered to be public transportation and a federal mandate requires the wearing of masks.

For the 2021-2022 school year, the Livestream Interactive (LSI) distance learning system will not be available for parents to choose as an option for their child. LSI will be available in the case of a mandated quarantine for a child that would prevent them from attending school, but is no longer available as a general option.Parents who are concerned about in-person learning will have the option of Mars Area Cyber Academy, which was also available last year. If a student chooses to return to in-person learning from the cyber academy, they will be able to transfer back in at any point in the year.“We will embrace with open arms any student who wants to return to learning traditionally,” Gross said. “We are highly hopeful that students come back. I believe that the best learning takes place in the classroom.”In terms of physical distancing, Gross said that practices will be continued “as feasible,” while prioritizing the ability to teach.“If it's feasible, we will, and if it's not, we won't,” he said. “If it compromises our ability to educate, we will not force that.”The district will continue to encourage handwashing, as well as to monitor ventilation systems, and will leave directional signage on the floor at schools.No on-site vaccine clinics, screening or diagnostic testing will be conducted in the schools, though information will be provided to parents when vaccines become available.“Because it's such a polarizing issue, once again I want it to be a parental choice,” Gross said. “I don't want it to be a sanctioned event by the district. We will make parents aware of vaccination centers, but it's just an awareness. There will not be any push either way.”

A number of community members spoke at the meeting for and against the new policy.Mars resident Lauren Evans asked the board to revisit the plan in light of updated national recommendations that unvaccinated children wear masks.“I understand that it is a big effort to put the plan together, and I appreciate that, and I understand that you put this together prior to the CDC guidance,” Evans said. “My concern is that since the CDC has come out with guidance, that your mask policy be revisited, especially since just yesterday, the American Academy of Pediatrics came out recommending universal masking for all staff and students in schools.”Mars resident Beth Ziegler also spoke up in favor of revisiting the policy.“I'm confused why the district is continuing to follow some recommendations from the (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) — like continued physical distancing, signage and handwashing — but not others,” she said. “I feel like we're very close to the finish line here. I'm confused why we're running this marathon and stopping two miles from the finish line, risking a child contracting COVID and developing long COVID.”In contrast, Mars resident Tony Carrabba expressed enthusiastic support for the plan and emphasized that he is “against masks” in school for students.“I'd be all for eliminating social distancing as well,” Carrabba said. “I'm in favor of the minimum amount of COVID protocols. I'm happy that common sense was the rule with Mars School District.”