(Radio Iowa) – Some Iowa school districts will require students and staff to wear face coverings in an effort to keep from spreading coronavirus and they also need a plan for enforcing the mask mandate. Darin Haack (HAWK), chief operations officer at Ankeny Community Schools, says the district north of Des Moines will spend time in the first days teaching students why they must wear masks. He hopes that prevents any need for discipline.

Ankeny is following a hybrid plan where students are divided into two groups that attend class in-person every other day. Students and teachers will be required to wear face coverings when they’re indoors and can’t be at least six feet apart. Exceptions will be made for medical reasons. Haack remains optimistic the students will comply.

Haack says teachers will build mask breaks into the day. He says families can choose an all-virtual option instead of attending school in-person, but the district will not force students to go virtual because of face coverings. The Iowa Department of Education recommended allowing but not requiring face coverings, in part because of potential legal and disciplinary problems.

(By Grant Gerlock, Iowa Public Radio)