BELLWOOD — Bellwood-Antis School Board members Tuesday approved a return to school and continuity plan that calls for students to be in their classrooms beginning Aug. 26 and they will be encouraged to wear masks.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently changed its masking guidelines and recommended masks indoors in counties with moderate and high transmission rates, regardless of vaccination status. Blair County remains in the moderate range.

“At this time, the district strongly encourages everyone to wear masks. However, masks are a parents’ and employees’ choice. There is one exception, masks must be worn while riding on the school bus. The district has no control over that decision as we are mandated by the CDC as are the rest of the schools in the state,” Superintendent Thomas McInroy said.

Parents Anne and Brady Bickel voiced their concerns about the policy.

“A percentage of the community is concerned about the masking policy. We would prefer to see masks for all unvaccinated children in grades K-12. We are concerned about the delta variant which affects children more,” Anne Bickel said.

Brady Bickel said the delta variant is being called a pandemic of the unvaccinated.

“One hundred percent of our elementary students are unvaccinated. I don’t like wearing a mask, but I think it is important to keep our options open,” Brady Bickel said. “It is important for the board and community to keep options open, follow the data and make adjustments as needed.”

The district plan states, “The primary goal of this plan is to ensure a safe environment, limiting the possibility of COVID-19 exposure. District personnel will continue to work to improve the plan to make the return to school as safe as possible for students, employees, and our community.”

Virtual learning will not continue as a daily option for students, the document states.

In other action, board members approved a memorandum of understanding between Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ — which represents the district’s support staff — adding paraprofessionals to the collective bargaining unit.

Board members also approved an increase in the substitute pay rate for all support staff to $12 per hour.

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.