Dear Northland Family,
I am sure you are all aware by now that Governor Abbott has announced the end of mandatory mask requirements in Texas and that all state businesses will be open without restriction starting next Wednesday.
When we made the decision at Northland to continue in-person education this school year, we had to put protocols and processes in place to do our best to protect our students, families, and faculty. We concluded, independent of state requirements, that the best way to create a safe environment on campus and limit the spread of COVID was to require masks to be worn on campus.
We have made it almost three-fourths of the way through this school year, and I believe we have successfully navigated this challenging time. While we have had some COVID cases on campus and had to send students home on a few occasions to quarantine because of possible exposure, our protocols have kept COVID from spreading through our school and allowed us to continue offering a safe environment.
So, until we reach a point at Northland where we feel we can safely have school without masks, and the COVID vaccine is readily available to anyone who would like to be vaccinated, we will not be removing the mask requirement at Northland. While I know many of us are tired of wearing masks, it is currently the greatest tool that we have to allow our students and teachers to continue safely gathering together for face-to-face instruction. In that light, I believe it is an easy sacrifice for us to make.
As with Thanksgiving and Christmas, I would ask you to keep the protection of Northland’s family and environment in mind during your Spring Break plans, as we anticipate another spike in cases in the Houston area in late March. We are moving toward the end of COVID restrictions and the end of the school year, but we want to finish the school year strong.
Sincerely,
