Last Friday Gov. Kate Brown said that Wednesday, June 30 would be the last day for statewide COVID restrictions like mask requirements, social distancing, capacity restrictions, etc. Therefore, beginning Thursday July 1, masks and distancing are no longer required in school buildings or the district office when there are no summer school or CARE students present. 

We ask that we show respect and kindness to anyone who still chooses to wear a mask.

For schools hosting summer school or CARE, all people are required to wear masks indoors while students are present. As the vast majority of students are not vaccinated, we want to continue to protect students by keeping the mask requirement.

Please also consider children and staff who live with immune compromised people, or who are going through medical treatments which prohibit receiving the COVID vaccine. With summer school and CARE, the time for exposure and transmission is much longer than in other public spaces. These are some of the reasons we are continuing to require masks this summer for summer school and CARE. 

What about next year?

Guidance from ODE for next school year reminds schools that most students will remain unvaccinated because they are too young. Districts are given the responsibility for deciding whether masks will be required. 

Newberg Public Schools will be monitoring caseloads carefully and will make a decision about mask requirements when we are closer to the beginning of school. We are planning for all students in school, five days a week, for a full in-person day.