No mask mandate for several schools

Gosnell, Armorel, Manila, and Riverside will not require face coverings this year.

Gosnell superintendent Bonard Mace said while the district is not mandating masks, Gosnell Schools is strongly recommending students and staff wear them.

The first day of school is Monday.

Mace said the district is following CDC guidelines.

He said if an individual is fully vaccinated they will not have to quarantine as long as they do not have Covid-19.

Jason Evers, Manila superintendent, said the district is strongly recommending masks and vaccinations, and will be having a vaccination clinic as soon as possible. Manila is not mandating masks for staff or students.

Armorel wrote on its Facebook page, “After much communication, deliberation, and research, at this time, the Armorel School District will HIGHLY RECOMMEND all students to wear face coverings. This is NOT a requirement but is strongly encouraged. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and make any adjustment deemed necessary by community spread of the COVID-19 Virus. Thank you for your constant support and understanding!”

Riverside Superintendent Jeff Priest said Riverside School District is implementing layered prevention strategies to protect students, teachers, and staff. “We will continue practicing preventative measures such as highly recommending masks, taking student temperatures as they arrive to school, social distancing, hand-washing and sanitizing procedures, staying home when sick and getting tested, contact tracing in along with quarantine and isolation, and cleaning and disinfection to the building on a daily basis. We are looking forward to a great school year and we can't wait to see all of our Riverside students on Monday, Aug 16.”