Classes end for Wylie ISD students this week, and some­thing else will end as well: re­quirements for mask wearing by students and staff.

The Wylie ISD board on May 17 approved removing mask requirements for students and staff and making them optional after the end of the school year, effective May 26. Mask-wear­ing won’t be required for pa­trons attending graduations for students at Achieve Academy (May 27), Wylie East High School (May 28) and Wylie High School (May 29).

The new policy – making masks optional – was made in accordance with the Texas Ed­ucation Agency Public Health Guidance and Gov. Greg Ab­bott’s executive order, accord­ing to the motion. That order came in March.

On May 18, Abbott issued an executive order prohibiting gov­ernmental entities in Texas – in­cluding counties, cities, school districts, public health author­ities or government offices – from mandating mask wearing. Public schools may continue to follow current mask-wearing guidelines until June 4, but af­terward, students, staff and oth­ers can’t be required to wear a mask while on campus.

Healthy practices will still be used during summer programs, including summer school and extracurricular activities, the board heard during a presenta­tion from Brian Kelly, director of safety and security with the district, and Amy Hillin, coordi­nator of health services for the district. They shared a consid­erable amount of data about the pandemic’s effects on the dis­trict this school year, including, for instance, safety measures that were used and the number of COVID-19 cases the district had.

For the full story, see the May 26 issue or subscribe online.

By Don Munsch • [email protected]