TURNERS FALLS — Franklin County Technical School officially lifted its indoor mask mandate during a School Committee meeting Wednesday evening.
School Committee Chair Rich Kuklewicz brought forth the official motion after he explained to attendees he had taken the “executive privilege” to relax regulations himself. The mask mandate was initially expected to be lifted in line with other schools during a March 9 meeting, but when the meeting was canceled, the period of anticipation that followed was “starting to create a little bit of angst among the population,” Kuklewicz said. When he brought the topic up for the committee’s review, there was minimal discussion and the motion to officially rescind the mandate passed.
Masks will still be required in the school’s health office.
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Commissioner Jeffrey Riley announced last month that the statewide mask requirement for schools would be lifted Feb. 28, at which point local school districts would have the authority to develop their own policies.
As has been the case across Franklin County, Montague’s rate of COVID-19 infection has steadily decreased in recent weeks. In response, the Gill-Montague Regional School District School Committee voted March 8 to lift its mask mandate, effective March 21. The Montague Health Department’s most recent COVID-19 case count, released Monday, showed 22 positive cases in town over a two-week period, the lowest count since November 2021.
Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-772-0261, ext. 261 or jmendoza@recorder.com.