GOWANDA — Even in the short time since school has reopened, a lot of guidance in relation to COVID-19 has changed. Both Erie County and the New York State Department of Health released guidance for classroom instruction, leaving schools like Gowanda Central School District to adapt on the fly.

“We got some additional layers of guidance from state agencies that probably came later than it should’ve,” said Gowanda Superintendent Dr. Robert Anderson. “But it’s there.”

All information is available on the respective websites for people to access. The school had its normal beginning of the year hiccups at the start of school, but it is also messier behind the scenes than it was last year in terms of COVID-19 cases.

“Last year our first positive didn’t happen until around Halloween,” Anderson said. “But as of (Wednesday), there are two confirmed cases of COVID and 27 are being quarantined or isolated. Like other districts, we’re quickly taking some COVID hits.”

In the case of a positive, with confirmation from the Department of Health, the information will be posted on the school website on a daily basis. Anderson said when they get confirmation, quarantines and close contacts are determined by the Department of Health, though the school district does assist in determining those things.

“There are so many cases locally,” Anderson said. “It’s all hands on deck to make sure people are notified. It’s not uncommon for us internally to reach out and help Departments of Health notify families, but we don’t employ teachers to do that work.”

Anderson said there have been questions from the community about how the school district is handling regulations, given the connection the school has between Chautauqua, Erie, and Cattaraugus Counties. Anderson said that because they are so connected with all three counties, they’re doing their best to do what’s best for the students.

“I know we’re a mixed bag,” Anderson said. “We have one physical school in Erie County, the rest is over here in (Cattaraugus) County but our students are mixed. You can see the interplay and complications that happen.”

Anderson said the last written guidance the district received from Cattaraugus County came on Aug. 18, and have verbally deferred to Erie County, showing the collaboration between the Departments of Health.