State guidance aimed at getting more students back into school is making life harder for the Clymer Central School District.

On April 10, state officials revised the guidance on social distancing for schools. The revised state guidelines allow for at least 3 feet of distance between students in elementary, middle and high school classrooms in counties with a low or moderate risk of transmission. In counties where infection rates are high, middle and high schools should still aim for 6 feet of distancing unless they can maintain “cohorting,” where groups of students remain together through the day.

At the same time, the state changed its guidance on mask wearing in school. For Clymer Central School students, that means now wearing masks all day instead of just when they are moving around the building even though the district has been open five days a week with more than 90% of its students attending with the more relaxed mask guidelines. The district’s previous policy also more closely matched community feedback received last year as part of community school reopening surveys required by the state.

“I will tell you I was very frustrated and aggravated at this guidance,” said Beth Olson, Clymer Central School superintendent. “In the original guidance it talked about mask breaks and there is no language in here about any type of mask breaks except for when eating. That’s part of my frustration. But we are bound by it and we will do what we have to do to keep our kids here and we’ll work with them as we need to.”

Clymer officials reached out to the state Health Department, county Health Department, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office and the state Education Department to see if the district’s past experience gave it some room to maneuver. All of the agencies with which the district consulted said the district has to comply.

The new state guidance also changes the types of mask that are allowed to be used in schools. A letter district officials sent to parents states all masks must now have two layers of material and include cloth-based masks and surgical masks that cover both the mouth and nose. Gaiters, which had been a popular mask for several months, are not allowed under the state’s guidance.

“The whole intention of this guidance is to try to get more kids back to school,” Olson said. “Again, that’s difficult for us because we’ve had these kids here.”

Clymer officials said they expect to have to work with students and give them time to wear masks all day rather than just when moving around their room or hallways. Teachers are taking a child’s development, physical and mental health into consideration as they meet the new state mandate.

“The nice thing is we’ve had great cooperation from the kids because we’ve been able to control it and have pretty decent, strict protocols,” Olson said.