The West Ada School District will require students and staff to wear masks beginning on Friday.

The district announced in a letter to parents that both staff and students will be requiring masks in all West Ada Schools “to protect staff and students from the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus.”

This requirement applies to students of all ages, staff and visitors. Only students with a medical exemption on file will be allowed not to wear masks. The school will continue supplying supplemental masks to students.

During extracurricular activities, students are told to social distance and encouraged but not required to wear masks.

“Our goal was to begin as normal as possible,” said Dr. Derek Bub, superintendent. “Unfortunately, the Delta variant is wreaking havoc on our state, local community, and is substantially disrupting our daily operations.”

The announcement suspends more than 14,000 students who opted out from wearing face masks with a form signed by a parent or guardian.

During the “crisis standard of care” declared by state officials, the district “has deemed it necessary” to require face coverings.

“The CDH and Ada County Health officials have identified the COVID-19 transmission alert level in Boise and Ada Counties as red,” Bub said. “Hospitalizations are rising at the fastest rate since the pandemic began among all age groups, including youth.”

“While we are not convinced that this will solve the COVID-19 pandemic, as leaders, we feel obligated to do our part,” Bub said.

The district has not given an exact timeline, but the current mask mandate will run until Sept. 22. At that time, the district will evaluate and decide if the mask mandate will stay in effect.