Monessen schools will require masks

By Taylor Brown

tbrown@yourmvi.com

The Monessen School Board has approved a health and safety plan for the upcoming school year that will require all teachers, staff, students and visitors to wear masks indoors and on school buses — at least through Oct. 15.

The safety plan, which applies to everyone regardless of vaccination status, was approved Tuesday in an 8-1 vote.

Directors Sharon Mauck, Mark Panicucci, Cheryl C. Galilei, Roberta Bergstedt, Donna Fantauzzi and Lee Johnson voted in favor of the plan, with Doreen Smith casting the lone no vote. Maria Scuteri was absent.

Superintendent Leanne Spazak said the plan follows recommendations from the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Monessen will start school in person five days a week on Aug. 23 with no option for remote learning.

Spazak said the district will continue to use recommendations from the PDE and CDC and will watch the spread of COVID-19 cases in Westmoreland County when considering revisions to the new plan.

With administration, teachers, students and other district stakeholders hoping for a return to normalcy, some policies and procedures put in place last year will once again be implemented, including the use of Funtastic and Schoology to keep sick or quarantined students up to date with their classwork.

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