The Janesville School District is the latest to bring back a full mask mandate for the start of the school year.

The school board voted 6-3 Tuesday night to reinstitute a mask requirement for all district students, staff and visitors effective immediately.

The masking protocol will last through the first quarter of the school year, and the board will decide whether to continue it in late October.

Multiple school board members cited the importance of masks for keeping kids in school and not having to pivot to virtual learning due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

The school boards in both Beloit and Milton have also recently passed similar mask requirements in their districts.