BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — When Buffalo Public Schools reopen on September 8th, all individuals inside school buildings will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status.
The school district released its reopening safety plan on Monday evening, which provides a blueprint for staff, students and their families.
"As of today, we are expecting all students to return to school buildings, full-time, five days per week," Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash said in a written letter to members of the district community.
In addition to the masking requirement, the district expects all staff to be fully vaccinated, and all individuals must adhere to the CDC distancing requirement of a minimum three feet inside schools.
Cafeterias may be used as long as students can maintain three feet of distance between each other when masks are removed for eating.
"In order to schedule this, principals may need to create a combination of in-classroom lunch periods and cafeteria periods for students," the standards summary outlines.
Testing will continue to be a regular occurrence in schools. According to the summary, 30 percent of staff and students will continue to be randomly tested each week, pursuant to current permissions.
"When all eligible citizens and children get vaccinated and adhere to sensible research-based masking protocols in public arenas, we have our best chance to protect our children and to conquer COVID and its dangerous variants," Cash said in his letter to staff and families. "When all children and parents invest the necessary time and sustained effort toward achieving a high-quality education, they will attain it."
