August 21, 2021
Dear STEM Families,
I want to thank all of our students and families for a great first week of school. The return of students to the building brought energy and excitement that has set the tone for a great year of learning and growing. In-person learning provides such a great opportunity to make connections and enhances the real world experiences we seek to offer at DRSS. We are so glad to have everyone on campus!
The biggest threat to in-person learning at this time is the need to quarantine based on potential exposure to COVID. The Ohio Department of Health quarantine guidelines clearly show that the use of face coverings will enable us to keep students in school, regardless of their vaccination status. In light of this, I am announcing a school-wide mask requirement for all grade levels at the Dayton Regional STEM School beginning Monday, August 23rd.
Here are a few exceptions to this mandate:
- Masks will not be required when individuals are alone in a classroom or office
- Masks will not be required when able to maintain a distance of 6ft from those around you
- Masks are not required outside
- Masks are optional when exercising – physical separation will be maintained
- Parents should contact the principal if there is a reason why their child is not able wear a mask
Our goal through this directive is to keep students safe and in school while the Delta variant continues to threaten our local communities. We will reevaluate the mask requirement frequently and make adjustments as needed.
With the addition of a masking requirement and the other mitigation strategies we have in place, we will be able to substantially reduce the need to quarantine students. We are also changing our lunch room set-up to increase space between students and will utilize plexiglass partitions to further block any potential spread when students are eating lunch.
Please know that I share your desire to return to a pre-pandemic status. I don’t know when we will get there, but I am confident that this community can unite in these unusual circumstances to give our students the best chance for a successful year.
Thanks for your understanding and support.
Sincerely,
