North Judson-San Pierre school district implementing a mask mandate

STARKE COUNTY, Ind. -- Superintendent Annette Zupin and the school board of the North Judson-San Pierre school district voted on Wednesday to instate a school mask mandate for the next three weeks.

School officials wanted to keep masks optional for students and staff members as the school year started to progress.

However, due to recent large increases in COVID-19 cases across the school district, the mandate has been implemented.

"If schools have mask mandates, and the students wear the mask in the classroom, if everyone does that, then, when it comes to contact tracing those students that are considered close contact, they will not have to quarantine if they do not show signs or symptoms,” said Zupin.

This school mask mandate will be re-evaluated after three weeks.