COVID-19 Updates Archive 2020-2021

July 22, 2021
July 22, 2021

Dear Fullerton School District (FSD) Parents and Community,

We hope that you are having a great summer break and enjoying time with your children, friends, and family.

Last week the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released updated COVID-19 requirements for K-12 schools for the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year. COVID-19 health regulations are determined by state and county health officials, and schools/school districts are required to follow these in order to provide in-person instruction.

FSD is reviewing the new CDPH regulations to determine how it will impact the 2021-2022 school year which begins with students returning to school on Monday, August 16, 2021. Listed below are some of the key components of the CDPH’s updated regulations which all schools and school districts, including private and charter schools, will have to implement in order to provide in-person instruction:
- California will continue to require masks to be worn by both students and adults in school settings when in the presence of students. Regardless of vaccination status. Masks are optional outdoors for students and adults in K-12 school settings.
- Schools and school districts must develop and implement local protocols to enforce mask requirements. Students who do not meet one of the mask exception criteria and who do not comply with the universal mask wearing guidance may be placed in an alternative learning setting.
- Physical distancing is no longer required as a result of the universal masking requirements. Without universal masking in place, physical distancing would limit the number of students in a classroom and not allow students to return to school everyday for the full school day.
- Schools and school districts must continue to implement mitigation and layered prevention strategies like increased ventilation, hand washing, respiratory etiquette, staying home when sick and/or getting COVID-19 tested, contact tracing in combination with quarantine and isolation, and regular cleaning and disinfection.
- CDPH will continue to assess conditions on an ongoing basis and will determine if and when mask requirements can be updated.
This new information provides clarity on what is required for schools to reopen in California and helps FSD prepare for reopening on August 16, 2021. The FSD team has been hard at work preparing for the 2021-2022 school year to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of students, staff, and families is at the forefront.

FSD will resume a traditional, full-time, on-campus learning model for the 2021-2022 school year while continuing to follow all guidance as set forth by CDPH and the Orange County Healthcare Agency (OCHA). Students and families will also have access to alternate instructional programs in the fall including the Distance Learning program, or MyFSD Academy, the District’s homeschool program.

FSD appreciates your continued support and partnership as we review and implement the new CDPH guidance. We also appreciate your understanding that the FSD School Board and District administration are not permitted to lessen or not implement the requirements all schools in California are under from the California Department of Public Health. The CDPH has a “Contact Us” link for any questions you may have regarding this guidance which can be found at http://www.cdph.ca.gov/Pages/contact_us.aspx.

Please also see a recently released joint communication from the Orange County Department of Education and Orange County Public Health on mask requirements by clicking here.

Please be on the lookout for additional updates from FSD regarding the 2021-2022 school year.

Sincerely,

Robert Pletka, Ed. D.

Superintendent

Fullerton School District
May 18, 2021

May 18, 2021

Hello FSD Parents, Guardians and Teachers,

As of today, Orange County has moved to the Yellow Tier for COVID-related illnesses. This means that some of the restrictions for promotion events have changed, allowing us to modify some of the plans for 6th and 8th grade promotions based on the new guidelines. The promotion regulations from California Department of Public Health (CDPH) continue to provide very restrictive guidance, even more restrictive than other outdoor events. The district abides by the CDPH guidelines and is not able to change procedures based on changes announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Now that we have transitioned to the Yellow Tier, we can increase the number of attendees at our promotion events. Instead of “student plus two guests”, we can now accommodate “student plus four guests”. We still need to ensure that all attendees wear masks at all times during these events, and that all attendees pre-register per the guidelines.

Please register with your school if you have not already done so. Your sites will also be reaching out with information on how to register the additional family members for the events.

Thank you
March 30, 2021
March 30, 2021

Dear FSD Families,

We are looking forward to a more traditional 2021-22 school year, and we wanted to provide you with some updates. While it is difficult to be certain about the instructional format, these are our plans for the next school year:
- We will be returning to a full-day “pre-pandemic” in-person school year, for Preschool-8th grades for the 2021-2022 school year.
- We will continue to follow the health and safety guidelines from both the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the local health authorities.
- We will offer virtual and home school options through the MyFSD Academy during the 2021-2022 school year.
It is important to note that Senate Bill 98 (SB98), which allowed for hybrid learning, will no longer be available after the 2020-2021 school year. Families who prefer that their children not be in classrooms beginning in August 2021 will be able to enroll their students in virtual or homeschool options. If you are interested in finding out more about the homeschool option, please click here.

An important aspect of the planning process for 2021-2022 is to gather information from our families regarding their preferences for next year. If you are considering either the virtual or home school option for your child(ren) for the 2021-2022 school year, please complete the survey here by Friday, April 16, 2021. Please complete one survey per child you have enrolled in FSD. By completing this survey, you are not committing to a virtual or homeschool program model. This survey is for planning purposes only. If you do not complete the survey, then we will plan on placing your child in the traditional pre-pandemic, in-person program.

Since the middle of January, the number of cases in FSD has been steadily declining. The positivity rates in both Orange County and California have been declining rapidly which should put Orange County in the orange tier soon. Vaccinations are now available through Tier 1B which includes our staff. The vaccine trials for students are currently underway and we are looking forward to seeing what those results are in the coming months.

As we plan for 2021-2022, we will continue to follow the guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Orange County Healthcare Agency (OCHCA) and modify our health and safety protocols based on the most current guidance.

We will be sending out applications for virtual and homeschool options in May.

We look forward to seeing your students again on our campuses!

Thank you,

Robert Pletka

Ed.D. Superintendent
Fullerton School District - Covid-19 Prevention Plan
Daily Health Monitoring
Greetings Fullerton School District Parents and Guardians,

We are asking families to help keep all students and staff safe by continuing the practice of monitoring the health of their child and those living in the home every day.

COVID-19 can be transmitted in public spaces and in our homes. If you or someone in the home is exhibiting any of these symptoms, please do not send your child to school. We can offer distance learning options for children who are unable to attend their regular program due to illness and/or quarantining.

DAILY HEALTH MONITORING STARTS WITH THESE HEALTH QUESTIONS AND TEMPERATURE CHECKS:
1. Does your child or someone in your home have a high temperature (fever) now or in the last 10 days?
2. Does your child or someone in your home have a cough not related to an allergy or other known illness?
3. Does your child or someone in your home have shortness of breath or difficulty breathing?
4. Does your child or someone in your home have repeated shaking with chills?
5. Does your child or someone in your home have muscle pain unrelated to physical exertion or injury?
6. Does your child or someone in your home have an unusual or unexplained headache?
7. Does your child or someone in your home have a sore throat?
8. Does your child or someone in your home have a new loss of taste or smell?
9. Has your child or someone in your home tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days?
10. Has anyone in your home traveled to a state/country with a high-transmission rate of COVID-19?
11. Has anyone in your home been asked to quarantine by their employer or medical provider?
If you have answered YES to any of these questions, please DO NOT HAVE YOUR CHILD COME to school until you have contacted your school nurse.

Contact your child’s school for further assistance – we will work with your family to assist in determining your child’s healthcare needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Thank you.
January 16, 2021

January 16, 2021

Good Evening Fullerton School District Community,

Today at a special Board Meeting, the Board approved to extend Distance Learning and on-campus Supervised Distance Learning until January 29, 2021. We will resume Hybrid and 5-Day instructional programs on Monday, February 1, 2021.

For the next two weeks, schools will be providing the option of Supervised Distance Learning on campus for students, or students may continue to participate in Distance Learning at home. If you choose to send your child to school for Supervised Distance Learning, please follow the instructional cohort schedule your child was on before the winter break.

For students receiving Special Education services, we will offer in-person and virtual services. Students that come to school in-person will be supervised by classroom teachers, substitute teachers, instructional aides, or classified staff.

We appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we work together to provide a safe teaching and learning environment based on the needs of our students and staff. Please contact your school’s office if you have any questions.

Fullerton School District
Daily Wellness Check Video
December 11, 2020
December 11, 2020
Good Evening Fullerton School District Parents,

We need to share some important information relevant after we return from Winter Break. We are continuously monitoring the health and safety conditions and making refinements to our systems. We have been monitoring the number of COVID-19 cases in the District since we returned to in-person learning and have found an increase in the number of positive cases following the Thanksgiving Break. Due to the statewide surge of testing that occurred right after Thanksgiving in labs throughout the state, our FSD COVID-19 testing results were delayed, and in some cases, we didn’t receive results for many days.

In anticipation of a similar increase in the number of cases and impact on COVID-19 testing results, the District will be moving to Distance Learning for all students for the first 4 days when we return from Winter Break (Tuesday, January 5th is our first day of school as planned).

We are committed to keeping our students and staff safe while still providing on-campus learning opportunities for our students and families who need this support.
- During the week of January 5th through the 8th, all students will be distance learning from home.
- During the week of January 11-15, 2021, every school will be offering supervised Distance Learning and extended care at school for students currently enrolled in Hybrid and 5-day learning models in addition to in-school support for students on IEPs. Due to the potential time table for testing results, your children will be supervised by school employees, but their classroom teacher will be teaching your child via Zoom during that week of January 11-15th.
We will fully return to the current established learning options including in-person learning Tuesday, January 19th (Martin Luther Day Holiday is January 18th). We will have completed and received test results for our employees by that time. At that time, you may change to Distance Learning if you so choose or continue with your current learning option. Please contact your school site for any learning model changes.

We are encouraging you to have your children COVID-19 tested after the Winter Break and during that first week of January 4th so they can return to school safely. We will be providing further information on COVID-19 testing centers on our website next week.

We appreciate your understanding as we work to address the safety needs of our students and staff and adjust to changing conditions. However, we are committed to offering in person learning and meeting both the academic and socio-emotional needs of students who need and flourish in in-person learning.

For this next week of December 14th we have made no changes and we will continue to offer all our learning options including Hybrid and the 5-Day Learning option as planned.

Please enjoy the time with your family during the holidays. We are thankful to be able to educate your children and look forward to seeing them on January 5th via Zoom.

Best Regards,
Dr. Bob Pletka
Superintendent
December 3, 2020
November 28, 2020

November 28, 2020

Greetings Fullerton School District Parents, Guardians and Staff,

We sincerely hope that you had a restful, relaxing, and joyful Thanksgiving Break. COVID-19 cases have seen a recent surge both nationwide and in Orange County. This communication is to inform our parents and community on why the Fullerton School District is continuing to provide parents and students with the option of in-person at school instruction.

We are committed to making school safe for our students, staff and community. To this end, we have implemented a number of health and safety protocols to help protect everyone. As each student and staff member enters the school, they are checked for elevated temperature and screened for COVID-19 symptoms and use of masks. Hand sanitizing and hand washing are part of daily routines. Students are seated six feet apart and encouraged to remain six feet from others at all times while at school. In recent consultation with our employee associations, we have decided to add new safety precautions including now offering weekly COVID-19 testing for all employees. We are appreciative of FETA, CSEA, and FESMA for their collaboration to keep everyone safe.

Largely, these precautions do seem to be working. While some have suggested that our schools would be super spreader locations for COVID-19, we have found that COVID-19 cases in the Fullerton School District seem to trend at a lower rate than the National, State, and county rates of spread. Similar to National and State trends, our students and staff who contract COVID-19 are mostly contracting COVID-19 through travel, family gatherings, and community activities. When we see cases of potential spread occurring at school, we respond with contact tracing in coordination with the Orange County Health Care Agency and quarantine impacted classes or individuals. While there is a risk of transmission of COVID-19 in schools, there are studies (https://www.npr.org/2020/10/21/925794511/were-the-risks-of-reopening-schools-exaggerated, and Oster, 2020) that show some of the safest places are in schools with the types of safety precautions which FSD continues to follow.

While there is a risk of COVID-19 spread, there are other safety and social-emotional risks of not offering in-school learning to students, such as depression, self harm, loneliness, and even increases in cases of abuse.

Also, there are long lasting risks for students who fail to learn or experience “learning loss.” When students don’t get the learning they need, there are real risks of higher rates of poverty, imprisonment, and even adverse health effects later in life. While some students are thriving in a distance learning environment, other students find the limitations of distance learning detrimental to their growth both academically and social-emotionally.

Only the hindsight of history will tell what the ideal pathway was through this pandemic. However, we do know the risks to our children can be devastating when they don’t get the needed academic support, sense of belonging, and social-emotional development that in-school learning offers to many children. We are immensely thankful for our staff and community for their courage and service for the sake of our children’s well being.

With much gratitude to our supportive staff and community,

Dr. Bob Pletka

Superintendent
November 18, 2020
Date: November 18, 2020

To: FSD Parents and Community

From: Dr. Chad Hammitt, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel Services

Re: Traveling through the Holidays and Family Gatherings

Thank you parents and staff for continuing to follow our District’s Safety Plan for COVID-19. We know that everyone’s efforts are making a difference and we appreciate your support during this unprecedented time.

As you anticipate making holiday plans in the upcoming weeks, which may include travel, we ask for you to continue to be diligent by following CDC guidelines for family gatherings and public transportation.

We also want to ensure that you are aware of the latest travel advisory released this week by the California Department of Public Health which states that anyone arriving in California from other states or countries, including returning California residents, should practice self-quarantine for 14-days after arrival. This is a recommendation and a personal choice, but not a mandate imposed on families by either the State or the District. Additionally, there are circumstances in which out of state or country travel involves no close contact with others, and in these limited cases a family may choose not to voluntarily self-quarantine.

If you will be traveling, please consider the additional factors listed below and how they will impact your safe return to campus:
- Did you travel to an area that has a high rate of COVID-19 infections?
- Did you spend time on an airplane, boat, or other form of transportation with a larger number of people closer together than 6 feet?
- Did you go into any public areas without wearing a mask or where many others were not wearing masks and were closer together than 6 feet?
- Did you attend any large social gatherings or events with large crowds closer together than 6 feet?
- Did you have any exposure to people who were COVID-19 positive or symptomatic during your travel or gathering?
If the answer is YES to any of these questions, you should consider making the personal choice to self-quarantine for a 14-day period upon your return and contact your school office to let them know your child will be temporarily attending distance learning during this quarantine.

We sincerely hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday season, and we also want to avoid any unnecessary increases in COVID-19 cases.

California Department of Public Health Travel Advisory - 11/13/2020

CDC - Family Gathering and COVID-19

CDC - Traveling During COVID-19

CDPH – Gathering and Prevention of COVID-19
November 16, 2020
November 3, 2020
Student Return to School - Important Parent Information - DAILY MONITORING
September 25, 2020

Hello Fullerton School District Parents and Guardians,

We hope this message finds you and your family well. We are excited to bring students back to campus, and have been implementing safety protocols and equipment as well as additional technology needed to ensure students in class and at home will have a great educational experience.

As our school and District leaders work diligently to prepare for our in-person opening on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, sites are working to place students into Hybrid and Five-Day learning groups on Mon/Thu or Tue/Fri (with alternating Wednesdays) cohort for in-class attendance. In order to ensure safety protocols are followed, principals need to know exactly who is in each group. To ensure a timely opening of on-site instruction and sufficient notification to families, all learning options will be final as of the close of school on Wednesday, September 30th. Any change requests for a child to move into either Hybrid or Five-Day that are submitted after that date will not be considered until October 26th. Change requests to move into Hybrid or Five-Day may take up to 10 days to complete. Students choosing to move from Hybrid or Five-Day into Distance Learning may do so at any time as long as the site principal and teacher are notified. A move back to any on-campus learning option would only be considered after October 26th and will be subject to the 10-day implementation period.

Parents who have chosen Five-Day or Hybrid will receive their Mon/Thu or Tue/Fri (with alternating Wednesdays) cohort schedule from their school during the week of October 5th. We are currently working to ensure that junior high school principals can place students based on course offerings. They will subsequently work with elementary school principals who will work to coordinate sibling cohort assignments when possible. Elementary principals are also working on ensuring combination classes are split on days by grade level, when possible.

As you may be aware, the State announced that in-person cohorts can be no more than 14 students. This announcement only applied to counties who were still in the “Purple” or “Tier I” status for COVID infection rates, and was meant to help begin bringing back small groups of special needs students. This does not apply to our return to school on October 13th, as currently Orange County is in the “Red” or “Tier II.” We will continue to follow state and local guidelines in order to bring students back safely and limit class sizes according to COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.

Thank you for your continued understanding as we work through this trying time together.

Dr. Bob Pletka

Superintendent