On August 30, a mask mandate was decided by the school board. Since the announcement, responses have fallen into three groups:  people who agreed on the decision, people who disagreed on the decision, and people who were okay with the decision but still had questions. 

One question that lingers is how long the mandate will last.

“Probably for the school year,” paraprofessional Karen Bradford said. 

Reinforcing the mandate, the Ingham County Health Department has now required every school employee and student to wear masks. 

Teachers are affected by the announcement. English teacher Rita Stricklin thinks the mandate is going to help her out because she is at high risk of transmission. 

“So, even though I’m vaccinated, it makes me feel safer knowing that people that I’m around are also taking extra precaution,” she said.

Students are wearing masks in the classroom as well during sports practice and competition as well as after school activities. 

Senior year will be impacted for athletes like Makayla Myers.

“I guess it will affect dance and the things I participate in,”Myers said.

Art teacher Jay Langone believes the health experts know more about what is going on then most do right now.

“I think it’s smart to follow whatever the health experts say,”Langone said.