School district mandates face masks in all LCPS buildings

Face masks will be required inside all Las Cruces Public School district buildings, Superintendent Ralph Ramos announced during an LCPS work session Aug. 3.

“Starting Aug. 4, 2021, all LCPS students and staff will be required to wear masks indoors during the school day and during afterschool indoor events,” Ramos said. “We will continue to monitor the state’s public health orders and will comply with any mask requirements and social distancing guidelines as they relate to outdoor events on school grounds.” 

“We want children in schools,” LCPS Board of Education President Ray Jaramillo said. “It’s time to put aside the political discourse and bring our community together.” 

The New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) released the latest Covid-19 toolkit for public and charter schools July 26, enabling leaders with LCPS to finalize plans for what the upcoming school year will look like for students and staff, LCPS said in a news release. The most notable update provided relaxed mask mandates for those who are vaccinated, but a shift in mask guidance from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention later that day prompted NMPED to advise school districts that mask requirements could be implemented, LCPS said. 

“We are following the most current guidance from our local and national health experts,” said Ramos, who added that maintaining a safe environment for students and staff remains a priority in planning for the upcoming school year. 

The first day of school for LCPS students in grades one-12 is Monday, Aug. 9, with kindergarten transition days beginning Aug. 10.