Maple Schools: In-Person, 5-Day, Masks Optional

The Fall 2021 return plan for the Maple School District is a return to five-day, in-person schooling with the wearing of a mask optional - for both students and staff - at least in the classroom. The plan was approved by vote of the Maple School Board at their meeting on August 9.

With the return on in-person learning, there is also an included option of online education for families that want to choose that.

Maple's return to school plan for fall 2021 comes with a detailed and specific effort to maintain health and safety for students and staff. According to an article in the Superior Telegram, the district is contracting an "outside vendor to provide rapid testing for COVID-19 onsite". At the same time, "social distancing will be encouraged and hand-washing stressed".

As reported, masks will be optional inside the classroom. The "only place masks would be required is on the bus and other transportation to and from school, per a U.S. Department of Education order".

That optional detail for masks flies in the face of what the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is recommending. The DPI - as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - "recommend that all students older than 2 and all school staff wear face masks at school regardless of vaccination status". Ultimately though, the masking decision is up to the district's governing authority.

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Vaccination status comes into play in regards to quarantining measures. District plans outline the following quarantining method:

"If the contact takes place at school, parents will be notified and can make their own choice about quarantine. If the contact takes place at home, students can continue to attend school with a disclosure showing they are fully vaccinated. Students who are not vaccinated would have to quarantine, but they could return to school on the eighth day following exposure if a test taken on day five, six, and seven comes back negative and they have no symptoms."

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As approved, the plan will carry the district through the entire year. There are conditions in place to handle a spike in positive COVID-19 cases in the school or in the event a county-wide order is issued. If either of those situations occur, the school board would call an "emergency meeting....[as quickly as] within two hours" to review the action plan and make a decision.

What Do I Do If I Lose My COVID-19 Vaccination Card?

When you get your COVID-19 vaccine, you're handed a card that details the date, manufacturer variety, and location of your dose. If you're getting one of the two-dose vaccines (Pfizer or Moderna), you'll need that card to coordinate your second and final dose. But even with the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine and even after getting the second shot, you'll need to keep that card in a safe place.

While nationwide vaccine mandates aren't a thing at the present time, there are a variety of times you might need that card even after completing the vaccine process. Many schools (primary, secondary, and higher education) are requiring the COVID-19 vaccine similar to other vaccinations. Additionally, some entertainment venues and mass transportation are requiring either proof of a negative COVID test or the vaccine card.

So what happens if you lose it? Relax. There are ways of obtaining a replacement - and they differ slightly whether you've lost it before getting both doses or after.