In a move aimed at protecting school children and others, face masks will be required in certain settings on and off campus in the fall.

The Washington State Department of Health announced Wednesday, “All school personnel, volunteers, visitors, and students must wear cloth face coverings or masks regardless of vaccination status when indoors and on school buses” in all public and private K-12 schools when they reopen this fall.

Other requirements look similar to when schools started letting students back on campus shortly before the end of the school year: “at least (3) feet of physical distancing between students in classroom settings, to the degree possible and reasonable, that allows for full-time, in-person learning for all students;” rigorous cleaning and maintaining good ventilation and air quality; and, “schools must have plans in place to quickly respond to COVID-19 cases among students and staff.”

Local superintendents agreed with the decision.

“I can tell you I am very pleased that no face coverings are required outdoors,” said Aberdeen Superintendent Alicia Henderson. “What that means is children will be able to go outside for recess and lunch breaks and have a break from having to wear a mask.”

It provides a few challenges for the district, including working out the logistics of what students do with their masks when they go outside so they can have it on when they come back in, said Henderson.

“We are excited to open our doors this fall to all of our students,” said Hoquiam Superintendent Mike Villarreal. “Gov. Inslee’s recent announcement extending the mask requirements unfortunately clearly indicates that the COVID-19 and the Delta variant are a threat to our students and staff.”

Villarreal continued, “As a district we will be complying by requiring masks for all students and staff while on our campuses. Hopefully, as a community we can come together and stomp this disease out by following the recommendations from our health professionals.”

In Aberdeen, school officials are working to make sure there is sufficient outdoor space at all grade levels to give students a break from mask-wearing during a full school day.

“All our elementary schools have outdoor areas, the junior high unfortunately does not, so we are working on having an outdoor area for junior high students including some covered spaces,” said Henderson.

The district held a meeting on Thursday discussing outdoor spaces at the high school.

“We are going to provide an opportunity for any students who want to go outside during their lunch break to be outside, and we’re putting up a fenced area that will allow them to be in the whole grassy area and courtyard,” said Henderson. “We know the kids will need a break from mask wearing, and since we’re going back to a full day of school that’s very important for kids.”

Henderson said districts are still awaiting guidance on athletics and extracurricular activities, “but I have my fingers crossed they won’t be hampered by” restrictions.

Last year, during meal times, students had to be separated by 6 feet, which made the district break lunch times into sections to accommodate the distancing. Henderson said the guidance this year remains at 3 feet during lunch breaks, meaning a return to more normal lunch schedule.

The state’s schools requirements were based on CDC guidelines, and the rise of the Delta COVID-19 variant, “which spreads more than twice as easily from one person to another compared to earlier strains,” and “has surged to become the predominant variant in Washington.

“Given this, the high mixing of vaccinated and unvaccinated people in schools, and the fact that vaccines are not available to children younger than 12, universal masking is required in all Washington state K-12 schools.”

As of July 24, 35% of 12- to 15-year-olds and 44% of 16- to 17-year-olds in Washington were fully vaccinated, according to the Department of Health.

A letter from state Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal to school boards and superintendents across the state Thursday warned local school boards that failure to adhere to the state’s new guidelines, including the mandatory wearing of masks and providing anything less than a full on-campus school schedule, would result in the state cutting off that school’s funding.

Citing state law, Reykdal wrote, “Apportionment amounts and timing are shaped by additional law, but let me be clear: Boards or districts that intentionally disobey, dismiss, or shun an explicit law, including a governor’s executive order, which has the power of law, will see an immediate halt to their basic education apportionment, and their federal funds that come through (his office).”