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Moose Jaw school divisions announce mandatory masking for students, staff

Moose Jaw schools will be mandating masks for students in grades 4 and above this fall
prairie south office spring 2019
Prairie South School Division (Larissa Kurz photograph)

Prairie South School Division and Holy Trinity Catholic School Division have now announced that schools in Moose Jaw will be requiring some students to wear masks when they return to school this fall. 

Both school divisions will begin the school year following level two safety protocols, which requires staff and students in grades 4 and up to wear masks in high-traffic locations and on school busses. 

Masks may also be required in classroom settings where physical distancing is not possible or more than 15 people are present; both divisions are strongly recommending students of all ages wear masks at school.

Prairie South has also specified that parents and non-teaching staff will also be required to wear a mask when students are present. Holy Trinity is recommending that staff wear masks.

The mandatory masking policy at Prairie South schools will be in place for the month of September at least, said the division’s statement, after which it will be reassessed.

“It is unlikely that we will need widespread mask use in all of our schools for an entire year,” said Prairie South’s social media statement. “At the end of September, we will re-evaluate mask protocols on a school by school basis.”

Holy Trinity did not detail a timeline for its masking policy at this time.

The announcements follow a press conference with education minister Gordon Wyant and chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab on Aug. 11, which shared that the province will be leaving policy decisions up to individual school divisions. 

The decision to implement a higher level of safety protocols follows recommendations from Shahab during the press conference. 

Moose Jaw parents are expected to provide reusable masks for their children at this time, as the government remains at level one in terms of protocols and will not be providing masks for students until level two.

Prairie South shared its update on social media on Aug. 12, and Holy Trinity revised its safety plan available on the division’s website.

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