Although they will be required to continue wearing face coverings in common areas, Johnson City students in grades K-4 will now be allowed to remove their masks while at their desks. The Johnson City Board of Education approved changes to the systemâs COVID-19 protocols on Monday, which included laxer policies on masking but also continuations of existing guidelines. Safety Supervisor Greg Wallace noted that itâs much easier to contact trace students in grades K-4 because students stay in a consistent classroom cohort throughout the day. As students move beyond elementary school, it gets harder to track potential contacts, he said.