Schools are preparing for the start of the 2021-2022 school year with the delta variant bringing continuing changes to policies.

On Monday, the Diocese of Allentown sent out a letter to schools regarding updates to its plan to keep students safe while in the classroom.

“Decisions regarding the plan for the upcoming school year are very challenging and take into account the health and safety of students and staff along with the academic development and well-being of our students,” wrote Dr. Philip Fromuth, superintendent of Catholic education. “As with our plans for the previous school year, keeping our schools safe and open remains our primary goal.”

Catholic schools within the diocese will offer full, five-day, in-person classes with enhanced mitigation measures, including highly recommending face masks for students and staff at this time.

Fromuth added that they are not mandated at this time, but if the situation changes, the diocese will revisit the matter. This is a change from a letter sent out in June stating that masks were optional for students and staff when transmission levels in the five counties under the diocese was low.

Students will still be required to wear masks while riding buses to and from school based on federal guidelines.

Virtual education, which was an option last school year, will only be offered during COVID-19 related situations, such as quarantine.

Other mitigation measures remain in place, including “social distancing, increased cleaning and disinfecting, hand-washing and respiratory etiquette, quarantine protocols when needed, isolation areas and contact tracing.

“Each of our schools will have a Health and Safety Plan that will be very similar to the plan from last school year with one of the exceptions being the fact that face coverings are recommended but not mandatory,” Fromuth wrote.