School leaders issue letter to governor, state

FINGER LAKES--A letter from all 26 school superintendents in the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES region sent a letter last week to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett asking for a "exit strategy" from pandemic regulations that have impacted schools. The letter reads:
"Dear Governor Hochul and Dr. Bassett,
The past two years have been met with many challenges due to the pandemic and the many direct and indirect impacts it has had on our state, communities and our school districts. As School District Superintendents serving students from Cayuga, Ontario, Seneca, Yates, and Wayne Counties, we are proud of our efforts, aligned to our local Department of Health Directors, that have maintained students in schools. We can all agree that the pandemic has taken its toll on school districts and the communities they serve. Yet, our resolve to maintain "in person" learning has never diminished.
As school leaders, we are writing now to enlist your support in helping schools across the state to regain a much-needed sense of normalcy. Students, staff, and families have endured unbelievable challenges during the past two years. Now, it is time to develop a plan to move forward. As infection rates drop across the state, we are asking you to develop a plan for strategically relaxing the many health and safety protocols that have impacted the social-emotional health of our students, staff, and school communities.
We strongly believe it is time for the state to identify an exit strategy from the current health protocols placed on school districts. Many in our communities are concerned that mandated protocols will never go away. Our communities need to know there is a plan in place for safely lifting these mandates so we can move forward and renew our focus on learning.
As a state that has responded to the needs of its citizens, we now respectfully ask that you respond to the need for an exit strategy from the current health protocols. We need strategies that are reflective of the current circumstances in schools where transmission rates remain low. Such a plan can become the unified, statewide voice that is needed for school districts and their respective communities.
It is time to tum our attention to teaching and learning while we also continue to address the social-emotional needs of our students and communities, which have substantially increased during the pandemic. It has become increasingly difficult to achieve these goals under the current restrictions, but it is what our communities expect from us.
We remain committed to keeping our students and school communities safe and healthy. Now, we look to your leadership to create a concrete exit plan so we can move on from the two years of uncertainty our school communities have already endured.
Sincerely,
The Wayne-Finger Lakes Superintendents"