Superintendent Loren Feldkamp’s recommendation to move away from optional masks was shared Sunday night on social media.

In his message to patrons on the district’s Facebook page, Feldkamp said the district was experiencing a sudden rise in COVID-19 related cases of both positive and close contact tracing among Tonganoxie students.

“With our students and staff safety in mind I feel it extremely necessary to pivot away from my mask optional recommendation I made at our last Board of Education meeting,” Feldkamp said in the post. “This decision was made to ensure to provide our students the best option from having to quarantine from school and not be in the classroom. Having a large number of students and staff quarantined is not an option for me as the USD 464 Superintendent.”

He said his recommendation is based on increasing COVID-19 related Tonganoxie students in quarantine, as well as Leavenworth County Health Department and CDC recommendations.

“With that I will ask that all Tonganoxie students, staff and visitors begin wearing masks while indoors” effective Monday.

School Board President Jim Bothwell reiterated the move and Feldkamp’s “difficult decision” in a post shared on the district’s Facebook page Monday.

“This authority was granted to Superintendent Feldkamp by the Board of Education with the adoption of the District’s COVID Response and Reopening Plan in 2020 and reaffirmed with the approval of updated gating criteria at the August 9, 2021 Board of Education Meeting,” Bothwell wrote.

“The Board, Mr. Feldkamp and building administrators value in-person learning. The shift to require all students, staff, and visitors to wear masks gives the district and its students the best chance of maintaining in-person learning based on COVID 19 close contact protocols the district must follow per local, state, and federal public health guidance for K-12 schools.”

He said the community’s cooperation with the mask requirement was appreciated as school officials continue to monitor local and national pandemic-related data.

Faculty and staff returned to campuses early last week in preparation for the school year, which started Thursday with a half-day of school for some students and the first full day for grades 1-12.

Kindergarten started the school year this week.

The decision comes as school districts nationwide grapple with pandemic procedures in what has become a polarizing and contentious topic across the country.

The Leavenworth County Health Department’s Monday statistics showed that Tonganoxie had 24 active cases, an increase of 10 from the health department’s records a week earlier. Basehor has 12 active cases this week, while Leavenworth is at 110 and Lansing at 41.

As people at varying levels argue about masks and COVID-19 vaccinations, the pandemic is nearly at 18 months and counting with the Delta variant triggering more restrictions.

The Tonganoxie school board’s next regular meeting is set for 6 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Tonganoxie Elementary School library.