FUESD returning with face-to-face classes

Rick Monroe

Special to the Village News

Nearly 5,000 students in the Fallbrook Elementary School district are expected to begin classes on Monday, Aug. 16 at the district’s six elementary schools and Potter Jr. High School.

District administrators are monitoring the spike in COVID 9 cases in the county but remain committed to face-to-face instruction in classrooms for five days a week. That’s the pre-pandemic protocol, except face covering and social distancing will continue to be mandated.

The district’s position on facemasks and social distancing applies to students and staff, based on direction from the California Department of Public Health and the federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDPH had required face-coverings for all students indoors. Now, with the growing number of COVID 19 cases nationwide, the CDPH and CDC require that all individuals in the K-12 school setting wear face coverings while indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

“The health and wellbeing of our students, staff, and community members is our highest priority and we believe that following these guidelines set by the CDPH and CDC will be the best way to do so,” said Seth Trench, director of communications for the district.

Gators or bandanas are not an acceptable alternative to facemasks, he added. The district has an adequate supply of facemasks for students if needed.

About 100 parents have opted to have their students go back to online classes through the Fallbrook Virtual Academy, Trench said. The academy provides a state-of-the-art online learning experience as an alternative to classroom learning during the season of COVID-19 through a tailored home-based learning.

The district’s elementary schools are La Paloma, Live Oak, Maie Ellis, William H. Frazier, and two on Camp Pendleton, San Onofre and Mary Fay Pendleton.

With concern for the COVID-19 spread, the administrators have decided to return to its board meetings being held without physical visitors. The district web page explains the teleconference option, https://www.fuesd.org/board/.

The next school board meeting is on Monday at 6 p.m. Board meetings are scheduled once a month through the calendar year on the first or second Monday of the month.