ECASD Board Makes Masks in School Optional, Required on Buses

Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors voted Thursday night to leave the decision regarding wearing masks in school up to families.

Masks will however be required on the buses.

District Superintendent Dr. Wesley Shipley said he is encouraging families to do what they feel is best.

“If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask, we encourage it,” he said.

Although the school will not be mandating masks (other than on the buses), Shipley reminded the board and visitors that should a mandate come down from the state or federal government, that could change.

Masks on buses is based on a federal mandate where masks are required on mass transit.

On January 29, 2021, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued an Order that required face masks to be worn by all people while on public transportation (which included all passengers and all personnel operating conveyances) traveling into, within, or out of the United States and U.S. territories.

Shipley said during the August 5 board committee and voting meeting that administration and staff want to make the return to school as normal as possible.

“We want to treat school like school again,” he said.

In other board news:

• The board renewed the architecture contract with HHSDR. Representatives from HHSDR were in attendance to present a District-Wide Capital Improvements Study, which included a proposed total project cost of $24,385,000. The board will consider approval of individual projects contained in the study.
• Erin Carusone was hired as a fifth-grade teacher.
• Janelle Fox and Sydney Kaercher were hired as math teachers.
• Jake Olson was hired as an instructional technology coach.
• The board approved an “Elementary Wolverine PTO” pending submission of compliant bylaws.