PPEE Mask Requirement

Dear Paw Paw Early Elementary Families, 

I hope that you received and were able to review the email I sent yesterday with the district’s Covid Update. Since that email was sent, two more positive cases of Covid have been reported from the Early Elementary (EE) building. Additionally, we had about 30 individuals identified as close contacts to yesterday's positive cases from the EE. Unfortunately, we have seen a sharp rise in the number of “close contacts” at school that end up infected with Covid.

As an additional step in our Action Plan to stop the spread of Covid and keep students in school, beginning tomorrow (Friday, 11/5), we will require all students and staff in our Early Elementary building to wear masks while indoors. This is a temporary mask mandate that we will keep in effect until our infection rate is reduced to where it was prior to this recent sharp increase in cases.

I ask for your support as we strengthen our Action Plan to keep students in school and in a safe environment. I recognize that opinions on masking are wide-ranging, and as a district we have only recommended masks up to this point in 2021-22 but avoided a requirement. But our Covid data from the past week indicates that we need to do more to stop the spread in our buildings at this time.

Please send your child to school with a properly-fitting mask each day beginning tomorrow. Those without a mask will be provided with a surgical mask when they enter the building.

We will do our best to keep you informed. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. 

Rick Reo
Superintendent