Wimberley ISD retains masks, COVID-19 protocols

Wimberley Independent School District is sticking with current COVID-19 protocols after the Texas Education Agency sent out guidelines last week following Governor Greg Abbott’s changes to the executive order requiring masks.

“The TEA is pretty clear that masks are required for anyone over the age of 10,” Wimberley ISD Communications Officer Allen Bruggman said. “The only thing they added that is different is the school board does have the possibility of modifying or removing the mask requirement as stipulated by TEA, but it requires action by the board formally.”

The WISD Board of Trustees has not met to discuss the topic since the changes were announced.

“In order to remain in compliance with requirements issued by the Texas Education Agency, Wimberley ISD will continue with the mask requirement as it currently stands in its Return to School Procedures, approved by the WISD Board in July 2020 and in effect throughout the 20-21 school year. Within TEA’s guidance the only way to remove a district’s current mask requirement is through formal action by the school board at a posted, public meeting,” the district said in an email.

TEA Public Health Planning Guidance

Health and Hygiene Practices: Masks

Schools must comply with the following requirements:

o Every student, teacher, or staff member shall wear a mask over the nose and mouth when inside a school building, school facility, facility used for school activities, or when in an outdoor space on school property or used for school activities, wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household; provided, however, that this mask requirement does not apply to the following:

• Any person younger than 10 years of age, except where a school system determines it is developmentally appropriate;

• Any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a mask;

• Any person while the person is consuming food or drink, or is seated in a dining area to eat or drink;

• Any person while the person is: (a) exercising outdoors or engaging in physical activity outdoors; and (b) maintaining a safe distance from other people not in the same household; or

• Any person while the person is giving a speech for a broadcast or to an audience.

o The above mask-wearing requirements do not apply to any school system that was exempted from the face covering requirements of Executive Order GA-29 during its effect due to a county judge attestation filed with the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

o The governing board of a school system may modify or eliminate by formal action the above mask-related requirements.