Even though we are still in the middle of the summer, it is important to remember that schools are already planning for the upcoming fall school year. There are many questions as to what the school year will look like and the Governor announced recently that “based on current COVID trajectory, all New York State schools will reopen for full in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year beginning in September.” Fully reopening schools for in-person learning is welcome news for many but the question becomes how should the schools be preparing and what will be expected of them. In May of 2021, a letter was sent by 92 school superintendents in local BOCES regions asking for additional guidance for in-person instruction. The guidance has changed and restrictions have loosened since then, but the superintendents are still seeking clarification as we moved toward fall reopenings. The recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance did not provide clarity or definitive answers. The New York City Mayor recently indicated that masks will be required for students returning to school in the fall. The State of California has decided to require children to wear masks to school regardless of vaccination status. Then questions arise as to testing and procedures in the event that COVID-19 numbers increase. I sent a letter that was co-signed by some of my colleagues in the Legislature to NYS Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker asking for clarification for the superintendents who had previously written for the fall school year. It is important to be proactive especially when considering the impacts that sudden shifts and changes can have on children. Sometimes we cannot foresee these changes but we have learned many lessons in the past year and being able to prepare our kids and ourselves to the extent practicable is the reasonable thing to do.