By KEN CARPENTER
Great Bend Post
GREAT BEND — Great Bend's school board members voted unanimously today to end the school district's mask mandate. Wearing a mask is now recommended but optional for all students and staff beginning tomorrow morning.
The Board made the decision at their regularly scheduled lunch meeting at the USD 428 District Education Center. Schools Superintendent Khris Thexton told the Board that parents were surveyed earlier this week about the mask issue. He said approximately 75 percent of the parents who responded were in favor of removing the masks.
Board member Deanna Essmiller told the Board that other schools have ended their mask mandates successfully.
"I like seeing that we have models, [that] communities around us that have removed masks aren't having any cases," Essmiller said. "Holy Family has removed masks now. It's been a few weeks. It makes me feel more comfortable."
Jacquie Disque, another Board member said a survey found that 196 teachers in the district supported removing masks. She pointed to the district's success in containing the spread of the virus.
"I think we've made it through Spring Break, Easter Break, Holly Ball, prom, state assessments and we've seen no increase in cases," Disque noted.
She recommended that the Board reevaluate the decision at their next meeting on May 10th or earlier if needed.
Thexton reported that only one student in the district is quarantined at this time. That student was exposed to the Covid-19 virus outside of school and did not test positive.