Community Health Update:

As of January 13, 2022, the Department of Public Health (DPH) reports that the town of Cohasset’s positive COVID-19 test rate over the past 14 days is 21.24% with 890 tests reported. The town of Cohasset has 186 positive cases reported over the past two weeks. Currently, 94% of eligible Cohasset residents are fully vaccinated with 13% of eligible residents partially vaccinated. Here is the complete report issued on January 13, 2022.

On Monday, January 10, 2022, I sent a message to the community indicating that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) extended the mask mandate for schools through February 28, 2022. I wanted to bring to your attention that within that message was the following change in guidance regarding masking requirements within schools that meet the 80% threshold:

“Whether or not a school or district avails itself of the 80 percent vaccination off-ramp is a local decision to be made by school and district leaders in consultation with local health officials. In alignment with statewide guidance, it is highly recommended that unvaccinated students and staff continue wearing masks.”

 This is a change from DESE’s previous guidance, which required all unvaccinated individuals to mask within schools who had reached the 80% threshold. At this point, per the vote at the November 17, 2021 School Committee Meeting, the Cohasset School Committee Policy for masking at Cohasset High School and Cohasset Middle School remains that unvaccinated individuals are required to mask (middle school threshold guidance allowance goes into effect on January 18). Staff and students in our elementary schools, vaccinated or unvaccinated, need to continue to wear masks while in the school buildings, as required by the mask extension guidance.

 The Cohasset School Committee will be discussing the impact this new guidance change has on their policy at the January 19, 2022 Cohasset School Committee Meeting. A reminder that the Cohasset Board of Health (BoH) strongly recommends that all students and staff opt to wear face coverings through the month of January, which falls in line with their recommendations for all individuals in all indoor public settings town-wide. The full language of the mask extension can be found here.

Sincerely,

Patrick Sullivan, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Cohasset Public Schools

This morning, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) communicated to public school superintendents that the mask mandate, previously extended through January 15, 2022, is now extended through February 28, 2022. This extension does not alter the exception for those schools who have reached the 80% vaccination threshold, where local decisions can allow vaccinated individuals to remove masks. On November 17, 2021, the Cohasset School Committee voted to make masks optional for vaccinated individuals at Cohasset High School, effective 12/6/2021. Subsequently, on December 15, 2021, the Cohasset School Committee voted to make masks optional for vaccinated individuals at Cohasset Middle School, effective 1/18/2022. Both Cohasset High School and Cohasset Middle School exceed the 80% vaccination threshold, both individually and collectively, though only a collective 80% is necessary pursuant to DESE guidance where the two schools are housed in the same building. This decision complies with all current guidance and/or requirements issued by DESE, the Department of Public Health (DPH), and the Cohasset Board of Health (BoH). A reminder that the Cohasset BoH strongly recommends that all students and staff opt to wear face coverings through the month of January, which falls in line with their recommendations for all individuals in all indoor public settings town-wide. The full language of the mask extension can be found here.

Community Health Information:

As of January 6, 2022, the Department of Public Health (DPH) reports that the town of Cohasset’s positive COVID-19 test rate over the past 14 days is 16.42% with 877 tests reported. The town of Cohasset has 140 positive cases reported over the past two weeks. Currently, 94% of eligible Cohasset residents are fully vaccinated with 14% of eligible residents partially vaccinated. Here is the complete report issued on January 6, 2022.

Due to the current forecast of heavy snow for tomorrow, particularly during the morning commute to school hours, school is canceled for Cohasset Public Schools for tomorrow, Friday, January 7, 2022. All events, games, activities, and scheduled practices are also canceled for tomorrow. Please stay safe in the storm. Enjoy your weekend.

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