Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Superintendent Yvonne Stokes said in December that the district would be looking into the possibility of changing mask policy from a requirement to an optional policy, but in a letter to parents issued Monday, it appears the mask requirement will be in place once again when classes resume Tuesday, January 4th.

“We will use this time to review COVID-related cases in our individual schools,” the letter to parents says. “Information from the Indiana COVID-19 Data Report and our internal COVID-19 Data Dashboard will also be utilized going forward to determine if masks will be optional or required in schools during the second semester.”

The extension of a federal mandate will require that masks be worn by everyone on a school bus

According to the letter, the school district plans to closely monitor all data provided by city, county and state health officials when making decisions on mask policy as the second semester moves forward.

The letter was signed generically from “HSE Schools.”