FUESD has new tools to combat COVID-19

Rick Monroe

Special to the Village News

Parents and anyone interested have a new tool to check if there are COVID-19 cases at any school in the Fallbrook Union Elementary School District. A web page, fuesd.org/coviddashboard, shows cases in the district, school-by-school, with the number of both students and staff.

For example, the dashboard report dated Aug. 19, said there were 775 employees and 4,375 students, with one active case of an employee and two active cases of in-person students. The three cases were at La Paloma, Mary Fay Pendleton, and William H. Frazier elementary schools.

Reported cases on Monday, Aug. 23, increased to two employees and six students. There were two cases each at Live Oak and Mae Ellis elementary schools, and one each at Fallbrook STEM Academy, Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary, San Onofre School, and William H. Frazier Elementary School.

These numbers are much lower than COVID-9 cases from the last school year, which peaked last winter.

The dashboard site lists only confirmed cases and not students or staff that are quarantining.

The Village News received inquiries asking about a COVID 19 outbreak at Frazier school with entire classes being sent home. That has not occurred at any school in the district, said a FUESD spokesman. The school is currently quarantining certain students from five classrooms who have been identified as close contacts with COVID-19 positive individuals. Citing privacy policy, the district would not say how many students were quarantining.

A student who was in close contact with a positive-tested individual can remain in school if the student does not exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms and provides evidence of a negative COVID-19 test two times per week over a 10-day period.

FUESD is now offering free, rapid COVID-19 testing at school sites and is performing these tests during the school day with parent permission. Results will be provided to parents shortly after the test. Parents may also choose to test with their own healthcare provider.

If a student has been identified as a COVID-19 close contact, parents have a choice to quarantine at home for 10 days from the last exposure with an option to return on Day 8. To return on Day 8, a child must be symptom-free and provide results of a negative COVID-19 test taken on Day 6.

The school district also has a new tool that administrators touted at the board meeting on Aug. 16. School nurses are now able to administer the rapid COVID-19 antigen test when students or staff have symptoms or contact tracing indicates a need to check. The district is working to obtain parent permission slips to allow their student(s) to be tested if needed. The test results would help determine if students would be sent home or allowed to stay on campus.

Individuals who test positive are excluded from participation in any in-person/on-site activity and are required to quarantine according to the protocol established by the San Diego County Department of Health. Once the case is cleared to return, the case will be removed from active status and the dashboard will be updated.

Students returned to their classes for the new school year on Monday, Aug. 16, with the mandate to wear masks. All district staff must be vaccinated, and other protocols are stressed, such as hand-washing and social distancing.

“It was a beautiful opening today,” said Superintendent Candace Singh at the board meeting the same evening. “Our number one priority is the safety and well-being of students.”

Two senior administrators then shared details about the schools opening with the emphasis of COVID-19 policies and protocol.

Julie Norby, associate superintendent of educational services, said the district’s focus is on in-person instruction. She added that the district was prepared for COVID-19, noting that FUESD schools were one of the first in the county to re-open this spring.

During the first several days of schools, Norby said teachers would focus on having students prepared should there be a need for home quarantining. If that occurred, students would use their Chromebook for home study, so teachers went through the procedures including the student web page, use of modems or hotspots, and other details.

Norby said maintaining small classes will help with contact tracing and that schools would maximize spacing. The district has a layered strategy to combat risks of COVID-19 including handwashing, masks and social distancing.

Safety starts at the home, Norby noted, saying parents need to keep children at home if there is any question about health or suspected contact with COVID-19. If in doubt, stay home and get tested, she added. Also, if a parent is sick or in contact with someone who has been infected, they are advised to keep their child home.

The rapid test ability should help reduce the number of lengthy quarantine periods that occurred last school year, Norby said.

Cindi Martin, assistant superintendent of business services, also reported to the board about numerous COVID-19 prevention details, including cleaning protocols.

She said major classroom cleaning is done once a day per government recommendations, but that high traffic areas are cleaned throughout the day. Disinfecting is done each evening.

Lower class size promotes physical distancing, Martin said, and the district has converted to improved MERV-13 air filters for the classrooms. She also noted that the district is following recommendations that outdoor ventilation is beneficial.

Sanitation cautions are also being followed as all students can have free breakfast and lunch meals, Martin told the board. Before and after school care is continuing, she added.

Non-essential visitors are not allowed on campus and when volunteers are allowed, they must be vaccinated and wear a mask.

The district includes Potter Jr. High School and six elementary schools: La Paloma, Live Oak, Maie Ellis, William H. Frazier, San Onofre and Mary Fay Pendleton. In addition, there are two options for home study – the Home School Academy and Virtual Academy.

“We are going to have a wonderful year, but we expect there will be some bumps,” Singh said.