Students in the Warren County R-III School District will now have the option to remove their masks, following a school board decision that was paired with the implementation of a new approach to quarantining. During their monthly board meeting on Oct. 14, board members voted 6-0 to lift the mandate across all buildings, while also agreeing to move forward with a “test to stay” program.

“The reason we put the mask mandate in place to begin with was to reduce the number of students who had to be quarantined,” said Superintendent Dr. Gregg Klinginsmith.

Under test to stay, if a student was in close contact with a positive COVID-19 case, they could potentially stay in school if they participate in the test to stay program. If the student was not wearing a mask, they could be tested for COVID, and if results are negative they would not be forced to quarantine.

“This is really focused on keeping kids in school,” said Klinginsmith. “Healthy students can stay in school and sick students would go home.”

Students would have to test a total of three times — the first day after contact with the positive case and then twice more over the next seven days.

The test to stay program is targeted specifically toward students who are not wearing a mask, as those who are wearing a mask or are vaccinated would not be required to quarantine in the case of close contact.

“We wanted to give the families the ability to decide again,” said Klinginsmith. “We really just feel like they should have the choice to do what they feel is best for their child now. This really gives parents the decision on their personal preference of masking or not.”

The implementation of test to stay will require more personnel and service hours, which the district is addressing through the hiring of five additional nursing staff. The middle school, high school and each elementary building will have a new nurse on staff to assist with test to stay.

“This will require a lot of additional manpower to get this done,” said Klinginsmith. “There’s funding tied to the testing program, and the district has been approved for that funding, and we will be participating in that.”

R-III will receive an allocation of $600,000 from the state to assist with test to stay and will also be provided with free test kits. The program has been approved through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

In the event that tasks related to COVID-19 decrease, the new nursing staff would assist with other nursing duties or help with substituting roles.

So far this year R-III has had 1,141 students quarantined, with 189 positive cases. Quarantine has been avoided in 181 cases, in which both students were wearing a mask.