Slippery Rock Area School District approved a health and safety plan for the 2021-2022 school year at Monday's board meeting.

Susan Miller, assistant superintendent of the district, said the district does not have complete control over the policy, because some requirements come from the state level.

She reviewed with the board the “nine top topics” of the plan.

According to Miller, masks will be optional for faculty and staff, save for school buses. Miller said it is a federal requirement that passengers wear masks on school buses, because they are considered public transportation.

The district will encourage three feet of social distancing between individuals.

The district will encourage handwashing and respiratory etiquette, and provide hand sanitizer at every school facility.

Cleaning protocols will remain the same in the district, with deep cleaning being implemented.

The district will continue contact tracing.

The district will also perform diagnostic testing for students or faculty members displaying potential symptoms of COVID-19.

Vaccinations will not be required by the district.

Students with special needs will continue to be accommodated.

Finally, Miller said administrators of the school district will continue to stay in contact with health care professionals and state and federal leadership.

According to Miller, the school district is attempting to strike a balance between safety and a feeling of normalcy this school year.

“We really want to focus on getting kids back face-to-face,” Miller said. “We want to do that safely, but we also want to have a sense of normalcy for this upcoming school year. So we're really excited about that.”