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Masks will be optional in Tonganoxie USD 464, but mandatory per gating criteria

By Shawn Linenberger - | Aug 11, 2021

Tonganoxie High School, home of the Chieftains

Masks will be optional for students in class when the 2021-22 school year starts later next week, though the facial coverings will be mandatory if COVID-19 numbers are in the yellow or red gating criteria.

USD 464 school board members approved criteria for the start of the school year during its regular August meeting Monday.

Superintendent Loren Feldkamp initially offered two options to the board, one that made masks optional unless COVID-19 numbers entered the highest level (red) and another that made masks mandatory.

Board member Justin Sturgeon said he felt more comfortable with the mask-optional plan if the mandatory threshold included both yellow and red levels. The yellow level is the middle tier of the criteria, with green being the lowest level.

After hearing comments from two patrons during open agenda and later discussing the topic as part of the agenda later in the meeting, the board voted, 4-2, to approve the guidelines with the amended line making masks mandatory at the yellow level.

Board Members Kaija Baldock and Stephanie Shupe voted against the amended option. Board Member Drew Overmiller was absent.

The district’s gating criteria uses Leavenworth County data along with staff and student absences due to positive COVID-19 results.

Feldkamp noted Monday that while masks are optional in school buildings per the gating criteria, they are required on school buses and vans per federal government mandates.

In addition to in-person learning, the district is offering a virtual school option this year through a partnership with Greenbush Virtual Academy.

Teachers will be back in district buildings starting Thursday with new teacher orientation.

Professional development is Monday and Tuesday, Back to School Night is Tuesday evening for students in grades 1-5 and their families and teacher work day is set for the next day on Wednesday, Aug. 18.

The first day of school for students in grades 1-6 and ninth grade will be Aug. 19 with a half-day. The first full day for students in grades 1-12 is Aug. 20 and then kindergarten gets started Aug. 23. The first day of pre-k is Aug. 26.