School leaders met virtually with Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday to discuss ways to safely bring students and staff back after winter break ends next week.

Hochul told education leaders statewide it's critically important for schools to stay open for in-person learning in 2022. Several Hudson Valley school districts opted to go remote in the weeks leading up to the holiday break as COVID-19 cases were surging.

For schools to say open, the state is pledging more support. One way is sending testing kits home with children to increase gateway testing and help districts opt into test-to-stay if they choose. Masking in schools is also staying for a while longer as vaccination rates among the youngest New Yorkers continue to lag behind everyone else.

White Plains Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Joseph Ricca, told News 12 his district is looking forward to receiving more assistance from the state.

"The governor was very clear,” said Ricca. “As public schools, we need to do everything you can to remain open to in-person learning. It's of critical importance to our kids."

A decision has not been made on whether to allow asymptomatic teachers to return to work five days after testing positive for COVID-19 following the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated guidance on Monday.