Holmdel Schools: Face Masks Now Optional For Students, Staff

HOLMDEL, NJ - Following relaxed face mask guidelines from surrounding school districts in Hazlet, Colts Neck, Middletown and beyond, the Holmdel school district has released updated rules surrounding the use of face masks in school buildings through the end of the school year.

In a June 14 letter to the school community, interim superintendent Dr. Lee Seitz announced that, effective Wednesday, face masks will be optional both on school buses and in school buildings.

“The Governor has made recent statements to suggest that local schools have greater discretion during excessive heat conditions to address remediation measures in their schools,” Seitz wrote. “As a result, we conducted a review of our current safety practices, which have resulted in the mitigation of student or staff COVID-19 cases and a significant decrease of mandatory quarantines for an extended period of time; we have also reviewed the relaxation of mask mandates in the State.”

Earlier this month, Gov. Phil Murphy noted during a press conference that school officials may relax masking among students and staff amid rising summer temperatures. However, even as surrounding school districts in Monmouth County began to revise masking protocols, Holmdel did not make an official call on the matter until June 16.

Holmdel’s latest policy overturns a June 8 statement from Seitz noting that the district aimed to write a letter to Murphy "to ask him to relieve Holmdel from the mask mandate in light of all the investments made in our District to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases."

It was not immediately clear if the letter was sent to the governor’s office.

“I’m glad this issue has been resolved as the public overwhelmingly sought a mask option for their kids. Now they have it as they should,” said Holmdel Board of Education member Terence Wall, who spoke on his own behalf and not on behalf of the board. The board member previously wrote an open letter to the superintendent, calling on him to make the call to ease mask restrictions in Holmdel schools (according to Wall, the issue of masking is entirely left up to the superintendent). Read more: Holmdel Schools BOE Member To Supt: Face Masks Must Be Optional

“This ties into the contentious issue with the Governor seeking vaccine compliance for children as young as five years old in September or cover the faces. So mean,” Wall said. “So, the bigger issue will be in September and parents need to be aware of it now.”

The state is already preparing for what the incoming school year will look like, with schools now mandated to provide full-time, in-person instruction in September without remote learning options. As for the issue of mask requirements, the jury is still out.

“Three months from now might as well be five lifetimes in a pandemic,” Murphy has said. “The answer is … our minds are open.”