Starting March 4, masks will be optional for FCCPS students and staff
A graphic of masks.
March 3, 2022
On March 3, the Falls Church City School Board met and modified resolution JA, revising the mask policy to allow Superintendent Peter Noonan follow CDC guidance, which states mask wearing should be optional when a county is in low or moderate transmission.
On Feb. 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new mask guidelines, categorizing transmission levels in communities as either low, medium or high. Falls Church is currently categorized as being in a state of low transmission. By CDC guidelines, masking should be optional for all, except for those with COVID-19 symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone who tested positive.
In accordance with the new guidance, masks will be optional for students at FCCPS provided that the transmission level stays at the low or medium levels. An opt-out form will not be required for students who choose not to wear masks. Mitigation measures, such as encouraging hand washing and free weekly PCR testing, will continue to be in effect.
P Noonan • Mar 3, 2022 at 7:14 PM
Hi Liam! Thanks for writing your article. To clarify, the school board didn’t direct me to make masks optional. Rather, their action modified policy JA that now allows me to follow the CDC guidance which indicates that in medium and low transmission masking is optional. Thanks!