FUESD tentatively plans to reopen Oct. 5

Fallbrook Union Elementary School District administrators gave details on their tentative plans for restarting in-person instruction next month, should San Diego County keep new coronavirus cases low enough to remain in the public health tier that will allow such a move.

Officials at FUESD’s Sept. 14 Governing Board meeting provided a look at a hybrid reopening plan that will provide in-person learning two days a week and virtual learning the other three, with both elementary and middle school students divided into two cohorts.

Superintendent Candace Singh said while the learning model might not necessarily be ideal for everyone, it was the best and safest option the district could come up with.

“We are doing our best to create a plan that is thoughtful and careful,” Singh said. “I would ask our parents to stick with us. I want everyone to be patient and know that we are doing our best. We are responsible for many, many lives, and we are taking this seriously.”

Singh said the district was planning to reopen in its hybrid format Oct. 5, although she reminded those watching the meeting virtually that its plans will always be subject to changing circumstances as San Diego County and California continue to deal with the coronavirus pandemic – a point underscored by news on Sept. 16 that a surge in cases at San Diego State University could send the county back into the state’s most restrictive “purple” public health tier, which would prohibit in-person learning.

Parents who do not feel comfortable sending their students to in-person classes do have the option to sign up for five-day-a-week online learning, Singh said.

Julie Norby, FUESD’s assistant superintendent of educational services, said students will be divided into “A” and “B” cohorts.

At the elementary level, “A” students will come to their school sites on Mondays and Wednesdays, while “B” students will be on-campus Tuesdays and Thursdays.

All students will be home on Fridays.

The plan, Norby said, is for students to have staggered drop-off times to maximize social distancing, and begin classes at 8:30 a.m.

Elementary students will all have separate recesses, she said. While plans are still being hammered out, school will end early, she said.

“The reason for that is that we are finding it’s very challenging to create a lunchtime opportunity for students and maintain social distancing,” Norby said.

The cohorts will look similar for middle school students, with the addition of class periods to implement into the scheduling.

“A” students will attend periods 1,3 and 5 on Mondays and periods 2,4 and 6 on Wednesdays, while “B” students will attend those class periods on Tuesdays and Thursdays, respectively, according to Norby.

Middle school students will get an approximately-20-minute nutrition break, Norby said, and while there will be passing periods, the students will not be the ones passing – teachers will instead move from class to class to minimize the potential for virus spread.

For both elementary and middle school students, there will be a final period of online learning after attending school in-person, so all students will attend classes for a full day, although they will only be on campus for approximately five hours.

Norby said the district is working to ensure that families with multiple children enrolled in FUESD will all attend school on the same days.

“I do want to just remind our families out there listening to us tonight that we recognize that this is not ideal,” Norby said. “We would love to have our students back five days a week and all go back to normal again.”

Cindi Martin, FUESD’s director of accounting, also provided information on health screening – parents will be asked to screen their children prior to arrival on campus, and faculty will conduct visual checks when students arrive.

“I think where we have landed with this is not temperature checking every child, but visually checking – that visual health screening which is very powerful,” Singh said. “When a kid looks like he has a runny nose, that's an immediate ‘you’re going to the health clerk and you’re getting a temperature check’ as opposed to checking every single child every day, but visually screening every child every day when they come and then immediately providing that kind of supplemental checking should we see a child who looks like they might be having a little cough or something.”

Singh again reiterated that the plan is only tentative.

“We have a plan at a given time and then if public health data changes, the plan changes,” she said.

Will Fritz can be reached by email at [email protected].