BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Public Schools students, faculty and staff will return to in-person learning following their second holiday break during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What You Need To Know

  • Buffalo Public Schools is set to return to in-person learning on Jan. 3
  • Roughly 2% of students tested positive for COVID-19 before Christmas break
  • Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore said the key to staying in school is continuous testing, vaccinations and masking

Class is back in session on Jan. 3, 2022, and Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore said he has some concerns.

“[Teachers] want to have the kids back in school, but they want to make sure that they’re safe — not only for the teachers, the adults and the community,” said Rumore.

Rumore said testing and masking are the priority for the new year.

“There should be continuous testing,” he said. “Not just on the first week. The second week. The third week. The fourth week. Because, you know, that’s when things start to explode… Nobody wants to wear a mask. It’s a pain in the nose. But the thing is that you have to wear the masks, and teachers in the building and adults have to make sure that they’re setting an example for the kids.”

According to data from New York State, the district had 724 students test positive for COVID between Dec. 10 and Dec. 23 — roughly 2% of the school's 34,000-student population.

Erie County is set to receive at-home test kits from New York State. Earlier in the week, County Executive Mark Poloncarz said the first set of tests will go to schools, and then the public.