Hello Fairmont Families!
I am sure you are aware of the decision by PYLUSD to return to a full day of instruction for elementary schools on April 19. While this decision may feel rushed, it has been the goal of PYLUSD since last year when our schools were suddenly closed. At this point, there are many undefined details of our plan. We have much to figure out over the next few weeks to continue our standard of excellence for all students. As parents you have been asked to again make a choice. Will my child attend school in person from 8:22 - 2:47 Monday through Friday, or will my child attend school remotely through zoom from 8:22 - 2:47 Monday through Friday.
The logistics of safety precautions, classroom set up, lunch procedures, daily schedules, technology, etc. will be determined by the recommendations of the California Department of Public Health. Fairmont has successfully navigated cautionary practices up to this point and we will continue to do so. Much will remain the same. Students and staff will continue to wear masks, except when eating, and the plexiglass desk guards will remain in place. Covid-19 tracking and quarantine procedures will remain in place. And we will continue to expect parents to send only healthy children to school.
The safe distance between desks has not yet been determined by CDPH, and when it is, that is what we will follow. If we have more students than approved space in a classroom, we will equitably rotate students. Classrooms at Fairmont are different sizes and we may have a different maximum occupancy for each. Each grade level, if needed, will have an additional classroom and staff member where students will follow the same daily schedule as their classmates and zoom to receive instruction. These students would still have recess, PE, library, computers, and music with their classroom peers. This instructional plan will be in place for 43 days. If we need to use an additional grade-level classroom to accommodate social distancing, students might only rotate into the grade level room a few times. If the safe social distance for elementary students in a classroom is determined by CDHP to be 3 feet, there may not be a need for the additional grade-level rooms depending on the number of students in the class.
I don't want to complicate your decision with undefined details, but would like you to understand that every detail of student life will be examined in the month to come. Fairmont has had no spread of the coronavirus between students on campus or between students and staff on campus up to this point. I hope to be able to say the same thing in June. If you are struggling with the decision due to the lack of specific information, please know that students who zoom are as important to us as students who are in person and we will continue to do our best to create positive learning opportunities for both groups. I will be meeting with district leaders all next week from special education, food services, transportation, maintenance and operations, technology, and risk management. I will also be meeting with our wonderful team of teachers. Once we have your decision and our total enrollment is set, we will have two more weeks to work out the details.
You are a tremendously supportive group of parents! Please enter your decision in Aeries by Thursday. If nothing is entered, we will register your child to continue as they are right now, in person or remote. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Rex