Consistent with the guidance recently released by the New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH), Fayetteville-Manlius School District will no longer require students, staff and visitors to wear face coverings outdoors while on school grounds, including at athletic events and during recess.
Face coverings are still required to be worn on school buses and indoors at all times, except during meals and mask breaks. It goes without saying that students and staff members will be provided with additional mask breaks and opportunities to hydrate for the remainder of the school year.
On June 7, NYS DOH revised its interim COVID-19 guidance for schools, which was originally created in August 2020 to provide students, staff members and families with precautions to protect against the spread of COVID-19. The update, which F-M will implement districtwide on June 9, aligns with the most recent recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While this change applies to all F-M staff and students, it does not prevent an individual from voluntarily wearing an acceptable face covering outdoors on school grounds. In fact, the new language from NYS DOH specifically states that “no student, teacher, staff member, or visitor may be prevented from wearing an acceptable face mask voluntarily on school grounds.”
All students, staff members and visitors should continue to practice social distancing. Earlier this school year, Onondaga County health officials eased social distancing requirements for students from six feet of space to three because data continues to reveal COVID-19 transmission in area schools is low.
The district will continue to update the community with any public health guidance revisions that could impact students, staff and families.