Acting Superintendent Alberto Vazquez Matos announced Friday that starting Monday, masks would be optional for students and staff in school buildings.

“I have tremendous appreciation for all of you and your willingness to follow our mitigation strategies,” Vázquez Matos said in a statement.

It was originally announced that masks would still be required on school bus transportation, but that policy has since changed to make masking optional on a school bus or van. The only exception is that masks must be worn when traveling to and from sporting events in accordance with CIAC guidelines.

Mandatory masking could return for a while if another spike in positive COVID-19 cases occurs, school officials said.

District policies on mitigation strategies, such as hand washing, quarantine and social distancing, have not changed.

Middletown Schools Communications Director Jessica B. Lavorgna explained the policy updates on Wednesday. “All the mitigation strategies that were in place before last weekend are still in place,” Lavorgna said. “The only exception is that masks are now optional.”

The district’s recess policy has also not been changed, despite parents asking for a change for months.

Shortly after the start of the 2021-2022 school year, parents began raising questions about the recess policy, which divides leisure time into two 10-minute periods rather than one continuous session.

Sarah Kristiansen, who has a daughter in fifth grade at Wesley Elementary School, said at the time that the two separate periods are not beneficial for children.

“Recess is necessary for exercise, socializing, learning creative play and problem solving,” Kristiansen said in September. “To enjoy the benefits of recess, the time must be longer.”

Another parent, Colleen Sylvestre, who has three children at Farm Hill Elementary School, started an online petition which has since garnered more than 2,000 signatures.

She said Tuesday that she hasn’t received much communication on the matter from the district.

School officials said the two separate periods were intended to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and allow equal access to equipment for all students.

Sylvestre says that none of these reasons are satisfactory for the parents.

“I don’t feel like the cohort has been followed in elementary schools, but rather that excuse is a constant backsliding,” Sylvestre said. “We asked why students weren’t rotating recreation equipment/places to keep the 25 minute block, but we weren’t given a direct reason.”

Lavorgna acknowledged that a caveat would need to be addressed to change the recess policy.

There is currently a Memorandum of Understanding between the Board of Education and the Middletown Federation of Teachers Union which states: “For the 2021-22 school years, primary school teachers will be required to provide daily supervision for two student movement pauses.”

This was done in order to regroup staff with their students to reduce the potential for the spread of COVID-19.

“For the current practice of recess to change, this MOA should be reviewed,” Lavorgna said.

Sylvestre said she still hoped the administration would find a solution.

“I know Middletown can do better and I hope the school board realizes the poor service they have put in place for students,” Sylvestre said.