FUHSD gives update on reopening plans

On the same day that California’s two largest school districts announced they would be online-only in the fall, Fallbrook Union High School District’s superintendent presented the district’s plan on how to safely resume in-person classes, though she acknowledged there was no guarantee of what the situation will actually be when classes are set to begin again next month.

“What’s in place today may change next week, may change in August, may change again in October,” Fallbrook Union High School District Superintendent Ilsa Garza-Gonzalez, said at FUHSD’s July 13 Board of Trustees meeting.

Garza-Gonzalez said the information she was presenting at the meeting “will facilitate either our ability to open traditionally once it is safe and we’re allowed to do so, or the ability to smoothly move into 100% online learning while still maintaining instruction,” Garza-Gonzalez said.

The superintendent said district staff had created a framework that she called “the big four,” that is based on guidance from the California Department of Public Health as well as the California Department of Education’s “guidebook” on reopening schools.

The “big four,” she said, are four pillars that must be adhered to for in-person education to safely resume: temperature and symptoms screening; physical distancing; face-coverings; and increased sanitation.

Temperature and symptom screening

Temperature and symptom screening will be required for all staff and students entering classrooms, Garza-Gonzalez said. The district is currently planning for temperature screenings to take place at parent drop-off zones, at the bus stop drop off at the Fallbrook Union High School campus, and before the start of the first period of the day with a no-touch thermometer.

She said a symptom questionnaire will also be sent electronically, on a daily basis, to all staff and students.

Physical Distancing

Current guidance is to provide room for 6 feet of physical distancing between individuals whenever possible. Garza-Gonazalez said FUHSD is currently conducting classroom walk-throughs, and staff so far believe they can guarantee 6 feet of distance in most programs.

Face Coverings

Garza-Gonzalez said given that guidance recommends face coverings for staff and students, the district has ensured that staff will have both face shields and masks. Students will be required to wear masks and face coverings if they return to classrooms, she said.

Increased Sanitation

Guidance calls for schools to intensify cleaning, disinfection and ventilation; limit the use of shared objects and equipment; and reinforce the practices of frequent hand washing, covering coughs, and avoiding contact with one’s eyes, nose and mouth.

According to Garza-Gonzalez, FUHSD has lessons in place on these subjects for both students and parents, as well as signage that they are preparing to post around the FUHS school site.

Learning plans

With Oasis High School, the schedule and learning model will remain the same; Oasis had the least amount of trouble moving to an online program, since it is an online high school.

FUHSD is currently looking at implementing minor changes to the physical layout of Oasis classrooms to allow 6 feet of distance between students, and students and staff. There will be minor changes to science labs, which may result in a lower number of students in the labs at any given time; and the amount of students that can stay in the building.

Students in Oasis are required to meet with their instructor for one hour once a week; students have been allowed to stay longer if they need a quiet place to learn; in order to guarantee 6 feet that may not always be allowed.

When it comes to temperature and symptoms check at Oasis, this will happen outside of the building before they come in, or in the lobby if they are able to install a barrier between the lobby and the classrooms.

Ivy High School’s learning model is still being developed — a complicating factor is that Ivy depends on the transportation schedule for Fallbrook Union High School.

FUHSD is looking to provide daily face-to-face instruction for Ivy, Monday through Thursday. The class sizes at Ivy are considerably smaller, allowing them to do this.

Current plans call for online support and advisory on Fridays with no one physically present on the campus; a reduced instructional day; possible a.m. and p.m. sessions; and a possible online independent study option.

Temperature and symptom checks will happen at school gates before a student enters the campus for Ivy High School.

FUHSD also needs a separate online study model for FUHS.

District staff currently don’t see schools headed in the direction of a traditional learning model that will keep everyone safe and healthy.

They are looking to offer two options to families; parents will be asked to choose during registration between a hybrid online/in-person schedule and an online independent study.

When parents choose, they should commit to a semester at a time. If a parent chooses online independent studies in August, there will be another opportunity before the start of second semester to reevaluate.

As soon as they can open up their campuses to a traditional model, all students in the hybrid schedule will transition; students in online independent studies will have the option of transitioning to the traditional schedule as soon as it is allowed, or to remain in the independent study for the rest of the semester.

For information on the hybrid schedule, the online independent studies or to stay up-to-date on the information presented during the July 13 board meeting, as the situation is fluid and may change, visit https://www.fuhsd.net/.

Lexington Howe can be reached at [email protected].