July 17, 2020: Reopening Information
Dear Families:
Our priority remains the health and safety of our children and our staff. As I have shared, we will be opening schools this fall using guidance provided by New York State (NYS) officials and grounded in research and best health and safety practices. The Fairport Central School District has been working on reopening plans since our closure in March. Over the course of the closure, surveys were sent to parents, students, and staff to gather input on reopening. We also engaged the community via social media to share information and learn from each other.
This week we received guidance from the Governor, NYS Department of Health and New York State Education Department (NYSED) on how to safely reopen our schools. Governor Cuomo, along with NYSED and the Department of Health, released guidance to assist our reopening plans. These plans must be submitted by July 31.
The Fairport CSD will be:
- Physical distancing six feet in all directions upon our eventual return to school. Unfortunately, given the square footage of our buildings, available staff and number of students, it is not feasible to come back to school full-time, five days a week at full capacity.
- Masking will be required for staff and students under the given guidance.
- Given the dynamic nature of our programming, we will cohort (move together) students to the best of our ability. This will include reduced transitions when possible.
The data we collected from parent/guardian, student, and staff surveys and Town Meetings this past spring and as recently as this week has been informing our reopening plans. Our District considered four different plans for K-12:
- Full time, in-person instruction: This plan would require us to use nearly every available space in our schools (i.e. not only classrooms but also gyms, cafeterias, libraries, music and art rooms, etc.). With the six foot requirement, this is not feasible given our class size and facility usage.
- Hybrid instruction: The hybrid instruction plan would divide students into two cohorts. For example, the cohorts could meet in-person two days per week (Mondays/Wednesdays) with virtual and or independent work on the opposing days (Tuesdays/Thursdays). Students would then meet virtually on the last day of the week (Fridays) as a whole class community. This will limit the number of students in the building at any given time while allowing us to adhere to the health and safety guidelines.
- Virtual instruction per family choice: Full time, online classes for those who are unable to return to school for medical reasons and/or general discomfort. This will be a credit-bearing option offered to any student/family interested. We anticipate this commitment being long-term for a family.
- Full time, virtual instruction: In the event of a closure, this plan will have students joining their classes daily, using a revised online schedule that aligns with their current schedule; this will allow for a seamless transition if necessary. Attendance will be taken and assignments will be given and graded.
As we plan for the start of school, we will be soliciting specific information relative to fall registration: in-person (in a hybrid schedule) or virtual (choosing between options 2 and 3).
Transportation is also a priority. We will be physically distancing children on the school bus. We will be determining how many families are willing to transport their child(ren) to and/or from school each day. We will be asking for this information very soon.
Please stay tuned for Town Meetings via our social media platforms that will give students and parents the opportunity to provide feedback, ask questions and/or seek clarification.
Thank you in advance for your attention to this important information. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Brett Provenzano
Superintendent of Schools