The state school-mask mandate is set to come to an end on Jan. 17.

The Warren County School District started off the school year with control of the mask situation. By the second week of school, the state put a mandate in place.

The issue has gone back and forth, with the school board taking steps to put its own policies regarding masks in place, even when those policies were at odds with the state and federal governments.

According to Gov. Tom Wolf, the state will put power over the school mask issue back into local control after the start of the year.

On Monday, Wolf “announced the intention to return the commonwealth’s K-12 school mask requirement to local leaders on Jan. 17,” according to a release. “Upon the expiration of the statewide mandate, local school officials will again be able to implement mitigation efforts at the local level.”

“Now, we are in a different place than we were in September, and it is time to prepare for a transition back to a more normal setting,” Wolf said. “Unfortunately, the COVID-19 virus is now a part of our daily lives, but with the knowledge we’ve gained over the past 20 months and critical tools like the vaccine at our disposal, we must take the next step forward in our recovery. With more than 70 percent of adults vaccinated in Pennsylvania and the recently expanded vaccine eligibility, I strongly encourage parents to take safety measures to protect your children and your family — like getting vaccinated.”

The school board is taking a wait-and-see approach.

“It’s too soon to have a good understanding on how this will unfold,” board president Donna Zariczny said Monday. “We are encouraged by what we are hearing from their message of local control.”

The board repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the state mask rule – and the federal requirement that students wear masks on school transportation.

In August, the board approved a motion that made warnings the maximum penalty for not wearing masks on school transportation.

In mid-September, the board approved a motion that allowed parents to sign waivers that allowed students to not wear masks in school, without the need for supporting medical documentation.

Communication from the Pennsylvania Department of Health indicated that the district’s waiver policy was not in compliance with the mandate.

In October, the district was sued by a group of parents representing district students. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against the district, effectively overturning the waiver policy.