Masks now mandatory for Lewiston middle schools

All middle school students in the Lewiston Independent School District will be required to wear face masks at all locations inside the schools starting today to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Parents and guardians of students at Jenifer and Sacajawea middle schools were sent a message on the school’s Blackboard education technology service from Superintendent Bob Donaldson Sunday afternoon announcing the new requirement.

“Due to the most recent COVID positive cases at the Sacajawea and Jenifer Middle Schools, students will be required to wear appropriate face coverings at all locations inside of the building starting Monday 10/19/2020,” Donaldson’s message said. “The safety of the students and staff continue to be (the) priority of the district.”

The decision was made by Donaldson and he expects the school board will schedule an emergency meeting, likely Tuesday at 6 p.m., to discuss the middle school mask mandate. He said he expected to know more about the meeting today. The board can schedule an emergency meeting with 24 hours notice.

There have been 11 staff or students in the district test positive for COVID-19 since the new school year began, Donaldson said.

The district requires students to wear masks in hallways.

“Over the past few days, we have had students test positive for COVID-19 at both middle schools,” a message to Jenifer Middle School staff from Principal JoAnne Greear said Sunday. “In working with the district office and public health we have found it is very difficult to do contact tracing in a timely manner due to the nature of middle school transitions.”

A difference between transitions in middle school and elementary schools is that students do not stay with their same classes in middle school as they do in elementary schools, Greear said.

Wells may be contacted at (208) 848 2275 or at mwells@lmtribune.com