Ottawa Hills Local Schools not lifting its mask mandate, for now
Superintendent Adam Fineske says vaccination rates are strong, but younger kids still need to get the shot.
TOLEDO, Ohio — Ottawa Hills Local Schools Superintendent Adam Fineske says the district isn’t lifting its mask mandate just yet for students enrolled in its elementary school, however, they are now optional for students in the junior-senior high. He adds that vaccination rates remain on the higher end.
“I think for the older kids who are 12 and up, who have had the opportunity to get vaccinated, I feel more confident with allowing the students to take them off — at that age. I’m still a little nervous at the K-6 level, and that’s why, in our district, we decided to keep them on — indoors only,” said Fineske.
He adds that parents have reacted well with regard to vaccinations, saying that about 80% of students are vaccinated in the junior-senior high (grades 7-12). The superintendent says “that’s a really strong rate.”.
“At the elementary, today was the first day you could do it [get vaccinated on-site] and we had almost 200 kids sign up already for day one. So it’s a good sign that this is what they want to see and they’re trusting and believing this is the right thing to do,” Fineske said with regard to the vaccination of kids ages 5-11.
