WGLT Jeremy DeHaai center, was the only Unit 5 school board member to vote against a universal masking requirement to begin the school year during the board's meeting Wednesday night. The Unit 5 school board voted 6-1 Wednesday evening to require all students, teachers, and other staff to wear masks in schools at the start of the year to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Superintendent Kristen Weikle said the district will reassess the requirement about Sept. 21, which is two weeks after students return from the Labor Day break. That date, she said, is intentional. Throughout the pandemic, holidays have provided a greater chance for spikes in cases of COVID-19 as families travel and socialize outside their usual patterns.