JK to Grade 3 students must now wear face masks on buses
Windsor-Essex Student Transportation Services (WESTS) says that all students, regardless of grade, will now have to wear a face mask on school buses.
Previously, students from junior kindergarten to Grade 3 were exempt from the requirement.
WESTS board of directors approved a motion with the requirement after the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board and the Greater Essex County School Board approved their own motions asking it to mandate masks for all students on any board provided transportation.
In news release, WESTS says the requirement will go into effect right away, but that there will be a transition period until full enforcement starts on the first day of 2021.
"We understand that it may take some time for students and their families to implement the new requirement," said Gabrielle McMillan, WESTS general manager, in the news release.
"Communication through our website and the boards' social media platforms will inform students and their families of the new protocol.
"Beginning in the new year, children will not be able to board the bus unless they are wearing a face mask. However, we know that many of these students are already wearing masks and expect that they will begin complying with the new protocol sooner rather than later."
The release says that all four constituent school boards of WESTS will begin informing the school communities about details of the change immediately.
