February 25, 2022
Updated March 4, 2022

Greetings, Colt Nation:

As you may already be aware, Governor Murphy announced that effective March 7, 2022, the statewide mask mandate in schools and childcare settings will end, thus allowing school districts to implement their own policies regarding masking requirements. After monitoring the drastically declining number of Covid cases in our region, Cumberland Regional High School has decided to make the wearing of masks OPTIONAL in most circumstances effective Monday, March 7. With that said, CRHS will continue to recommend and support the wearing of masks and will require everyone to respect one another’s decision regarding whether they choose to mask or not. In accordance with district policy, bullying will NOT be tolerated!

Below you will find changes and updates to our Covid protocols and procedures that are directly impacted by this decision and will also go into effect on March 7, 2022. Please note that the District reserves the right to pivot back to mandatory masking for any reason including, but not limited to, elevated community transmission, Covid outbreaks within the school, or State mandates/Executive orders directing us to do so:

Face Masks:

• While mask-wearing will be optional in most locations on our campus, anyone visiting the Nurse’s Office will be required to wear a mask upon entering and throughout the duration of their stay. (Masks will be provided at the door.)
• Students traveling to outside schools or facilities for field trips, sports, or activities must abide by the masking policies of the site they are visiting.
• Students returning from Covid quarantine on Day 6 MUST wear a mask at school and on school buses through Day 10.

Quarantining/Close Contact:

• Contact tracing will continue to be conducted by our nurses; however, parents will be informed via email instead of by phone if their child is deemed a close contact in school. Therefore, monitoring your email on record with the school should take place every evening in order to be current with the daily Covid communications.
• Regardless of their child’s vaccination status, parents/guardians of close contacts will choose one of the following for their child:
       1) Their child may remain in school (as long as they do not develop any symptoms) and mask for 5 days.
       2) Their child may complete the recommended quarantine (currently 5 days) with virtual learning. Any parent/guardian choosing this option must reply to the email or call the nurses to inform them.
• Covid-positive students and home close contacts MUST quarantine for 5 days and may return to school only if masked for days 6-10. (Parents may choose to quarantine their child for the full 10 days.)

Please be reminded that until the mandate is lifted on March 7, our current school mask policy will remain unchanged. Additionally, it is essential that we all work together to promote an environment where everyone can feel safe and comfortable with their choice while respecting others with a different mindset. We appreciate your consistent support and understanding as we progress to a more “normal” school experience.

Respectfully,

Carl Dolente
Superintendent

For a list of COVID-19 testing locations in Cumberland County, please click here.