The start of the 2021-2022 school year was filled with many unknowns. Principal Clapp emailed the highschool a few weeks before the first day of school letting Monticello know it will be mandatory to wear a mask during school.
Unlike the year before, there are now no mask breaks in the majority of teachers’ classes.
Senior, Lizzie Stiverson, believes mask breaks should still take place, she explained, “Yes. I believe it helps us get a break, and it’s refreshing”.
There are many positives and negatives to having mask breaks during the school day.
The negatives might fall into the category of the shortened classes. Although classes returned to being the same length as two years ago, teachers are adjusting back to only having class for 80 minutes instead of 140. Some teachers need the whole class period to cover the information they have planned.
Math teacher Mr. Ness said, “I don’t think mask breaks are really needed. We need to get through new lessons every day, and I don’t think a five minute break would really benefit anyone.”
The positives include, like Stiverson mentioned, getting a brain-break. If in a class, students are getting lectured the majority of the time, teachers shouldn’t expect them to obtain all of the information given. Students need a break, even as little as five minutes.
The masks also make it tough on students because of the full school day this year. Last year, when the mask mandate began, mask breaks were included even though school only took place until 1pm.
Hannah Swanson, Staff Writer swaha22@sages.us
The Sage Informer 
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