School District 11 in Colorado Springs draws closer to possibility of COVID-19 mask mandate

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Students and staff in 33 District 11 elementary schools likely will be required to wear masks by the middle of next week if the current surge in COVID-19 cases doesn't subside.

D-11 spokeswoman Devra Ashby revealed Friday that the district is now on a five-day evaluation period; she said that if the trend toward an increase in cases continues during that time, those schools from grades K-5 will be under a mask mandate.

"That's where the bulk of our students are, in those schools," Ashby said. "Those grades are most vulnerable right now because they're generally too young to be vaccinated. Up until now, we've recommended that students wear masks but we'll have to take stronger action if the situation doesn't improve."

She said that the district's superintendent will monitor COVID numbers in the community during the evaluation period and decide if a mask mandate is necessary.

D-11 parents were to be notified of the situation Friday.

Ashby said that students are required to bring their own masks, but the district will soon have 400,000 masks available for use if needed.

Terry Seaman, the district's executive director of facilities, operations and transportation, said that the use of masks increased from around 5,000 annually before the pandemic to 300,000 last year.

"We think we might use more this year," he said. "Schools are trying to keep kids in the classroom longer. Before the pandemic, a mask would cost us around 12 cents. Last year, they went for around a dollar each. Fortunately, we saved money by buying in bulk and this year we're paying around 14 cents per mask."

A shortage of substitute teachers and staff, she said, is adding to the district's overall concern about health safety.

"We have two grade levels at Mann Middle School, and (all of) Adams Elementary School, that switched to remote learning because of it," Ashby said. "We're just hoping we don't see more cases that force us to require masks in all schools."

Two parents of students at Wilson Elementary school shared their opinions of mask mandates.

"They should make kids wear the mask, just in case," said Daniel Baca. "Anything could happen. Kids are always touching stuff and passing germs on to people."

Kashmen Coleman disagreed.

"I feel that the masks aren't good for elementary kids," she said. "They won't keep it on or wear it the right way. It won't benefit them."

However, Coleman said that she wouldn't take her kids out of school if a mask mandate is enacted.

A new K-8 district remote learning program, Spark Online Academy, has had applications "through the roof," Ashby said. "Some students and families prefer online learning."