The following statement was emailed via school messenger to all BCSD families earlier today June 8, 2021.
Yesterday, Governor Andrew Cuomo held a news briefing and reported that the Centers for Disease Control has advised against changing the state’s requirements for schools regarding wearing of masks indoors. Accordingly, there will be no change in indoor mask requirements promulgated by the state.
At the same briefing, Governor Cuomo indicated that the state would relax its mask mandate for schools when students are outside for recess or physical education.
Effective today, Berlin will implement this policy change for outdoor activities, including athletic events, physical education, recess, outdoor class activities and end-of-year outdoor celebrations including graduation, while maintaining other mitigation protocols as directed by the staff. Students outdoors will not be required to wear masks unless they choose to. Future guidance may alter this procedure.
Please note that if an end of year celebration is moved indoors due to weather, masks will be required.
Masks and other COVID-19 mitigation protocols (such as social distancing, hand washing, etc.) will still be required indoors (and on buses) for all students and staff for the rest of this school year.
Updated guidance, released late last evening, indicates that no student, teacher, staff member, or visitor may be prevented from voluntarily wearing a mask outside on school grounds.
We will communicate any changes to protocols impacting summer school and the start of school this fall when this guidance is available from the state.
Joseph Dhara
BCSD Superintendent of Schools