MONROE — Masks are back for some Monroe students. On Monday, Sept. 6, School District of Monroe district administrator Rick Waski emailed families and staff to inform them of his decision to require masks for all students and staff indoors in Pre-K through fifth grade buildings, effective immediately. 

“As a result of Green County moving to the Very High Covid 19 Burden on Wednesday, all students and staff in our elementary schools will be mandated to wear masks,” Waski wrote. The decision will last until Waski and the Board of Education can meet and weigh in on the decision at the next scheduled Regular Board Meeting Sept. 13. “Masks will continue to remain optional in grades 6-12.”

Waski said that through the first week of school, there are a larger percentage of positive cases at the elementary schools compared to the middle and high schools. All persons ages 12 and older are eligible for an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, but that covers students around sixth grade and higher.

“Since we only have been in school for three days we hardly consider this to be a trend.  However, with the lower numbers in grades 6-12, combined with vaccinations being available to students in six out of seven of these grades; we feel that we can wait to make future decisions on masking at the MS and HS until the next board meeting,” Waski wrote.

According to the School District of Monroe COVID-19 Data Dashboard, which was last updated at 11:35 p.m. on Sept. 3, there were 16 positive cases and 38 quarantined students. Of those positive, nine are at the elementary level: six at Northside, two at Abe and one at Parkside.  There are three positives among Monroe Middle School (grades 6-8), and four in the high school (9-12). Northside has 10 students in quarantine, while there are 14 at the high school.

There are no positives or quarantines among staff. 

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, there have been 3,838 positive cases total in Green County, with 20 deaths. There have been 671,463 confirmed cases in the state, with 7,666 deaths. 

In the state, 55.3% of the eligible population is vaccinated with at least one dose, with 51.9% fully vaccinated. In Green County, 56.8% have received at least one dose, and 54.5% have completed their vaccination series. Lafayette County has 51.3% with at least one dose, and 48.9% have completed the series.

More than 70,500 were vaccinated across the state the week of Aug. 29, up more than 1,300 from the previous week.