hopkinton-independent-logo2x
Hopkinton, MA
loader-image
Hopkinton, US
5:52 pm, Tuesday, October 13, 2026
57°F
95 %
Wind Gust: 18 mph
Clouds: 95%
Sunrise: 6:56 am
Sunset: 6:08 pm

SIGN UP TODAY!
BREAKING NEWS & DAILY NEWSLETTER





Mass. education commissioner announces statewide mask requirement for K-12 students, staff

by | Aug 24, 2021 | Education, Featured: Education

The state’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education — after previously indicating each district would make its own determination — on Tuesday announced a statewide mask requirement for all public K-12 students and staff through at least Oct. 1.

Education commissioner Jeffrey Riley said he will reassess the mandate on Oct. 1, looking at not just vaccination statistics but infection and hospitalization totals. He added that more details and guidance will be shared with districts this week.

Hopkinton’s School Committee already voted last week to open the school year with the requirement that students and staff wear face coverings.

The mandate comes amid a surge in COVID-19 cases due in large part to the delta variant.

State officials indicated that they hope the mask mandate spurs an increase in vaccinations. As an incentive, on Oct. 1, middle schools and high schools in which 80 percent of students and staff are vaccinated can lift the mask requirement for those who are vaccinated. However, Riley indicated that this plan might need to be altered.

“We also cannot completely rule out the possibility that masks may be required intermittently throughout the year, based on the trajectory of the virus and any new emerging variants,” he said.

Recent statistics indicate more than 95 percent of Hopkinton residents aged 12-19 have been at least partially vaccinated, although the percentage likely is a little lower due to the chart using old census population totals. No data has been shared on teacher/staff vaccinations.

0 Comments

Related Articles

School Committee chooses firm for enrollment study

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVWIDtMIhzM&list=PL8WekT6kxX1B3xlP6fIr3QmhJButK4GkU&index=1 The School Committee on Thursday awarded a $15,750 contract to FutureThink, LLC to conduct an enrollment study and forecast spanning 2027 to 2031. Cynthia D. Mahr,...

Hopkinton Public Schools sign

High school HVAC replacement project back on agenda

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVWIDtMIhzM&list=PL8WekT6kxX1B3xlP6fIr3QmhJButK4GkU&index=1 Returning to the Hopkinton School Committee on Thursday after a year, representatives from the engineering firm CMTA noted the district must make a decision about...

Hopkinton High School

Schools Notebook: HHS trio named Merit semifinalists

Three Hopkinton High School students — Aditi Khiste, Rudra Pachori and Jacob Wu — were named semifinalists in the 72nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. They are among more than 16,000 academically talented high school seniors who have an opportunity to...

Merit Scholarship logo
Key Storage 4.14.22