The leaders of Berkshire County’s largest communities say mask policies will remain in place for schools this fall.
North Adams Mayor Tom Bernard says the guidance of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will lead the way.
“The North Adams public schools will follow the DESE guidance as those currently stand and as those evolve,” he told WAMC.
Those standards recommend that K-6 students and unvaccinated staff and students in grades 7 and above wear masks indoors. Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer says she continues to prioritize in-person education for her city’s students.
“We have put a significant amount of investment in our school buildings to ensure proper and safe air quality, in addition to requiring the mask mandates in our public schools that exist across the commonwealth,” said Tyer.