Dear NPS Families, Tonight, the Newton School Committee voted to revise the mask policy in the Newton Public Schools. Beginning tomorrow, March 8, 2022, masks will be OPTIONAL in our K-12 school buildings. In this new mask-optional environment, we will emphasize personal choice and responsibility around masking. There will be many reasons students and staff continue to wear masks. There will be reasons students and staff decide not to wear a mask. All decisions will be supported and we will ask our school communities to be respectful of others’ individual choices. Please note, masks will still be required in the following circumstances: People returning from COVID infection on days 6-10 (CDC requires 10 days of masking, regardless of vaccination status) In nursing/health offices Newton Early Childhood Program (NECP) Certain school environments (assemblies, field trips, music class) – please continue to READ MORE
Tag: COVID-19
Health Updates from Nurse Carrie – June 25th, 2021
Happy Summer! We hope you are staying healthy and cool as we head into these next few months! Take care of yourselves and we’ll see you in the Fall! COVID-19 Vaccine: The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for people ages 12 and up. People 18 and older can get any currently authorized COVID-19 vaccine. You can find an available appointment at vaxfinder.mass.gov. You can find more information about COVID-19 vaccines here. COVID-19 Safety: Although most COVID-19-related restrictions have been lifted in the state of MA, some restrictions are still in place. Be sure to pay attention to the current COVID-19 mask requirements and travel recommendations. Individual businesses may also have their own COVID-19 measures in place. You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, READ MORE
COVID-19 Health Manual
During the 2020-21 school year, health and safety protocols will be of the utmost importance. Staff and students will all need to work together to create a school setting where educational needs can be met while mitigating the risks of COVID-19 for the entire community. This requires people to learn new approaches to their work and practice new behaviors. What follows is an outline of the necessary guidelines to support public health in Newton Public Schools. The implementation of these guidelines will be driven by school administrators who are best equipped to think through the specifics of their buildings and the particular needs of their school community. These guidelines represent a specific moment in time during a fluid and changing pandemic. The guidance may change. Information and protocols are based on the evidence available at this time. A great deal READ MORE