Minisink Valley school community:

The New York State Council of School Superintendents released the following statement, along with the letter it sent to the State Health Commissioner Mary Bassett on Thursday, Feb. 2.

In the interest of keeping you updated on the latest information regarding mask mandates, we are sharing for your awareness: 

“As we have noted in recent listserv messages, since August, we have advocated in conversations with Governor’s staff members and State Health Department officials for the state to adopt and publicize metrics to be applied in determining when universal mask requirements in schools could be rescinded or modified.

“We have now written to State Health Commissioner Mary Bassett urging the state to take that step. Here is our letter to Commissioner Bassett. 

New York State Council of School Superintendents letter

“When asked, we have encouraged regional advocacy on the same point, to amplify the concerns we have been raising with our contacts.

“One theme we have repeatedly stressed to state officials is that thoughtful changes to their policies could help sustain public acceptance of whatever requirements that remain necessary or might become necessary as our circumstances change.

“We had a similar letter drafted and ready to send in December, but deferred doing so as the emergence of the Omicron variant raised new uncertainties.”

Thank you for your attention to this information.