Dear Families of Santa Cruz County,

Today represents a major milestone for our schools, as the statewide masking mandate is set to

expire at midnight. When students and staff return to school on Monday, March 14 – as well as during any school events this weekend – masking will be strongly recommended, but no longer required.

As we have done throughout the pandemic, we continue to adhere to guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Santa Cruz County Public Health Department.

We know that lifting the masking requirement may cause anxiety for some people, especially those who are at higher risk for COVID-19 or live with someone who is at higher risk. Please note that masking at schools is still strongly recommended by the state. Should circumstances allow, the state may at a later date shift its masking guidance from “strongly recommended” to “recommended” and, ultimately, to “optional.” Updated K-12 guidance from the CPDH may be reviewed in full here.