Superintendent Provenzano sent the following message to all families with children in grades K-12 at Fairport schools, April 10, regarding the return to full-time instruction beginning April 19 after the NYSDOH updated its guidance on April 9, 2021.

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Dear Families:

I hope you were able to enjoy Spring Recess and the glorious weather we have been experiencing this past week!

Last night, the NYSDOH released the much needed and highly anticipated updated guidance on the opening and operation of pre-school through grade 12 schools, including changes to social distancing, in some instances. This guidance is largely consistent with the CDC guidance released in March and parallels our return to full-time planning. We are studying this document and adapting it to our local circumstances as we plan our return to full-time, in-person instruction for both in-person and fully virtual students beginning on April 19, 2021. Given this new guidance, there are subtle but important changes particularly at each grade band (K-6 and 7-12).

Here is what you need to know at this point in time:

• Kindergarten through 6th grade students will begin full-time, five days per week of full instruction (both in-person and fully virtual) on Monday, April 19, 2021 as we had originally planned.  
  • As planned and previously communicated, the following dates will be student asynchronous instructional learning days and planning days for our staff:
    • Friday, April 16
    • Wednesday, April 21
    • Wednesday, April 28 
• Students in grades 7-12 will remain in their current learning program (both hybrid with rotating Wednesdays and fully virtual) given the updated guidance we received last night. 
  • Friday, April 16 will now be a regular school day for 7-12 students and staff.  

Please read the details below carefully.

Important to know from the new master guidance: 

• Schools can reduce physical distancing requirements to a minimum of 3-feet between students in classroom settings.
• The new guidance delineates transmission risk of COVID-19 by age ranges citing, “there is lower susceptibility and incidence among elementary children than teenagers.”
  • The guidance continues to state, “Therefore, in-person instruction represents less on-site transmission in elementary schools compared to middle and high schools.”
• Monroe County continues to experience a rise in COVID-19 cases and is currently in a designated Red Zone. Our region’s seven-day rolling average is 239. A seven day rolling average under 100 cases would place us out of the Red Zone.
• The concept of cohorting is important and clearly defined. This has implications at each grade band, K-6 and 7-12. The NYSDOH and CDC are defining a cohort as a “self contained, pre-assigned group.” This strategy is meant to prevent “intermingling” between cohorts to the greatest extent possible.
•  K-6 (Elementary) Guidance & Implications
  • The NYSDOH guidance allows for the elementary students to come to school in counties with high risk of transmission, which we are currently experiencing in Monroe County.
  • Students can be at school when cohorting is possible.
• Grades 7-12 (secondary) Guidance
  • The NYSDOH guidance cites that when counties are in high risk transmission zones secondary students can only come to school if we are able to cohort students. Given the size of our classes and the range of programming we offer, cohorting is not possible.
    • It specifically states, “when schools cannot maintain cohorting, middle and high schools must maintain physical distancing of at least 6’ between students and classrooms.”
  • 7-12 Implications
    • Given the high transmission rate in Monroe County and Perinton, secondary students in FCSD will remain in hybrid instruction until the rolling average allows for a full return.  
    • Students who are currently attending five days a week currently will continue to do so.
    • Infection rates will be reviewed and announced weekly for planning purposes and status updates.

Since March of 2020, the District has stated that it will align its approach to the relative guidelines, which are grounded in the given science and research from the CDC and our DOH experts. We feel confident that our schools are safe places for our students and staff when we employ proven mitigation strategies including the following CDC and NYSDOH endorsed strategies:

• Practicing distancing less than 6-feet and greater than 3-feet to the greatest extent possible
• Cohorting students where possible, particularly in grades K-6 
• Continuing mandatory face mask policy throughout the school day 
• Continuing to engage in COVID-19 testing in our schools, randomly testing 20% of our staff and students per month 
• Promoting correct hygiene and respiratory etiquette
• Maximizing ventilation and air exchanges to support effective airflow 
• Regularly cleaning and disinfecting high-touch areas in our schools and buses
• Managing master scheduling/period-by-period attendance to identify where students are each period 
• Continue with contact tracing protocols to support effective follow-up if cases are identified
• Continue to use the Daily Health Screening through ParentSquare to ensure wellness before coming to school
• Alternative instructional spaces will be assigned to classrooms where distancing is challenging to maintain

As we transition to a full-time return to school, it will be important to re-teach and reinforce all of the mitigation strategies the District has already been using. It is important to ensure that students fully understand and adhere to the policies throughout the school day, including on the bus.

I am grateful for our staff, students and families. Our resilience and irrepressible spirit will continue to move us forward TOGETHER as we transition to the next phase of this journey for the benefit of our students and school community.

In appreciation,

Brett Provenzano
Superintendent of Schools