Blackstone-Millville committee requires masks indoors, will review policy monthly

The Blackstone‑Millville Regional School Committee on Aug. 5 voted to require face masks for all students, staff and visitors while indoors and to review that requirement monthly.

The committee adopted the policy after hearing administration data showing that only about 30–35 percent of students eligible for vaccination were fully vaccinated and with adult vaccination rates at about 50 percent in Blackstone and 41 percent in Millville. Superintendent Jason Defalco and district staff recommended retaining indoor masking and three‑foot classroom distancing to reduce the risk of outbreak as the district returns to full in‑person learning.

"We are recommending that we continue with our masking for all students, staff and visitors for now," Jason Defalco said during the meeting, citing the district's vaccination breakdown and pending guidance from the Department of Education and the Department of Public Health. The motion as written required full‑time, in‑person instruction (no hybrid or full remote), three‑foot distancing in classrooms and cafeterias, and indoor masking; a committee amendment to revisit the policy monthly passed before the main motion was approved by voice vote.

Public comment and several committee members raised concerns about masks' effects on social and language development for young children. "I'm worried about the social and language development impacts especially in the younger grades," said resident Ryan Whetstone during the public forum. Committee members balanced those concerns against the district's operational limits for quarantine and staff coverage should cases rise.

The committee also debated but defeated a separate motion to require vaccination for staff and teachers; that proposal, amended during discussion to require staff to have at least one vaccine dose by the start of school, failed on a voice vote.

The committee said the masking policy will remain in effect indoors until the committee votes otherwise, and it will be revisited monthly or when state public‑health guidance changes.