Grand Forks School Board approves mask mandate

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (KVRR/KNOX) – The Grand Forks School Board is implementing an indoor mask mandate for students and staff as another school year gets underway next week. It’s part of the strategy to reduce the spread of COVID-19 with increasing cases of the Delta variant in the community.

Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Catherine Gillach says it’s important to keep students safe and in school. Superintendent Terry Brenner says the recommendation to wear masks was not an easy one – or one that he enjoys putting forward.

The board will consider dropping the mask mandate when Grand Forks health dashboard returns to “green” or low risk for ten consecutive days…the CDC transmission level is in the low to moderate risk level….or the vaccination rate hits so-called herd immunity status.

Other safety precautions include students eating lunch in pods to reduce transmission…faculty to maintain seating charts to assist with contract tracing… physical distancing…and restricting outside visitors during lunch time.

The mandate was approved on an 8-1 vote.

You can watch the entire school board meeting in the video above.