Ellwood City Area School District

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…

Following more than a year of ups and downs, uncertainty, masks and social distancing, Ellwood City Area School District plans to begin the 2021-2022 school year on a normal note. During Thursday’s Special Meeting of the Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors, District Superintendent Dr. Wesley Shipley announced that the district’s ARP ESSER Health and Safety plan will not include masks for back to school. He said that his administration believes that learning is a social activity and as such requires students to interact without masks or social distancing. “We have every plan to open full-time, mask-free, and…