Superintendent's Newsletter
February 23rd, 2021
Dear FUSD Community,
Greetings, I am hopeful this message finds you well. We are in a dynamic time for FUSD and there are many developments happening across the district and community. Our attention remains precisely focused on a safe return to campus for students and staff.
I want to begin by sharing my thanks and appreciation for the work of our staff, families, and students, throughout our distance learning program this year. As I’ve noted in prior messages, I have two children in distance learning (5th-grade and 8th-grade), and this is not easy from any perspective. I’m incredibly grateful for how much time and energy our staff has committed to making the best of distance learning. Similarly, I know from my own experience as a parent how much it takes to manage those efforts on behalf of students and in conjunction with other personal and professional demands, so thank you all for your continued support and perseverance.
A successful school district, even pre-pandemic, consists of many important groups working together to shape the best outcomes for all students. Returning to on-campus instruction for FUSD will require those same critically valuable groups to find collaboration and synergy of efforts. No single group can accomplish a safe return to campus without the others. Whether it is returning to campus or moving through any prior school year, our teachers, administrators, counselors, classified support staff, maintenance/operations and grounds, and parents all have parts to play in the successful outcomes for FUSD.
Unique to our current challenge is the many viewpoints surrounding what members of our school district (all the groups mentioned above) want for our students. In our recent parent/guardian survey, just over 63% of our respondents wanted to remain in distance learning. The remaining respondents wanted to either return later this spring (17.31%), or as soon as possible (19.47%).
I’ve certainly heard from many parents/guardians who would like us to be open already, just as I’ve heard from many parents who don’t feel comfortable returning to campus at this time. These viewpoints are not isolated to just parents and guardians, in fact, I’ve heard from staff and students in FUSD who also share those various viewpoints. As I’ve shared previously, FUSD’s return to campus will be too fast for some individuals, and not soon enough for others. However, we are, without question, working hard to return safely to campus for in-person instruction. Please review the important information below about that process.
Return to Campus Frequently Asked Questions:
Is FUSD going to return students to campus this year?
Yes, FUSD is opening Learning Hubs in the beginning of March and we are working hard to return our youngest students to campus as the next step in our reopening process. This would include our Preschool programs, Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade students for both our general education and special education programs. Following right behind these groups will be the remaining grades for elementary schools grades 3-6, for both general education and special education programs. Due to the complex nature of our secondary schedules and changing classes, that return to campus may take a bit longer but it is something we are certainly working towards.
What is a Learning Hub?
A Learning Hub is a program that will take place at nearly all FUSD schools and will consist of students who may need stable access to the internet, technology, or other unique needs that are currently preventing them from fully participating in distance learning. Learning Hubs are not in-person classroom instruction. Students attending Learning Hubs will be participating in distance learning instruction just like all other FUSD students. Students will be identified by each school site for participation in Learning Hubs.
Does FUSD have a plan for how to safely return everyone to campus, what will happen when there is a COVID-19 case, what are the mask requirements, and what may cause the schools to return to distance learning?
Yes, FUSD has a comprehensive COVID-19 Safety Plan that complies with state mandates for a return to campus, including all CalOSHA guidelines as well. This plan has been published since February 1, 2021, and I thank all the staff and community members for their feedback on the posted draft in early February. The plan includes information about our return to campus safety precautions and mitigation strategies.
Does FUSD have a dashboard where staff, students, and the community can keep up with what is happening?
Yes, we recently published our Readiness Dashboard. We look forward to turning all the markers to “Complete” in the very near future. Until then, please be sure to check back regularly for more updates and information. The webpage can be found through our FUSD website.
Did the Governor provide incentive money for reopening?
On December 30, 2020, the Governor announced his Safe Schools for All Plan. This plan did include incentive money for districts to reopen schools by February 15th, but the plan was never passed by the state legislature. In fact, just at the end of last week, the legislature released its own plan which included new deadlines for reopening schools, and related incentive funding. Thus far, the Governor has already said he is not in favor of the new plan from the legislature. While there may be a lot of discussion at the state level, FUSD remains focused on what we can do locally to return students and staff safely to campus.
Are FUSD staff members getting access to the COVID-19 vaccine?
Yes, thanks to an incredible effort and partnership from Haller’s Pharmacy and the Fremont Fire Department! Because of Haller’s focus on Fremont and the Fremont Fire Department’s commitment to our community, this weekend, we had nearly 800 employees have access to the vaccine. We are so grateful for Haller’s and Fremont Fire! In addition, many FUSD staff members have also been able to access the vaccine from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) site at the Oakland Coliseum. We are hopeful the supply levels remain high and we can continue to get more and more FUSD employees to access to the vaccine.
What is Hybrid Instruction and why do we think that is the answer?
All return to campus instruction will happen in a hybrid model based on the current state and local mandates to ensure 6-feet of distance in and out of the classroom whenever possible. We have to use a hybrid model to ensure that all students in a classroom are able to keep that distance while seated in the classroom. Hybrid means that through a rotation schedule, your student(s) will be on campus at some points of the week and at other times will be off-campus and learning via distance learning modalities.
Will I have to make a choice to send my student(s) back to campus or keep them full in distance learning?
Starting with our youngest students first, FUSD will soon be reaching out to parents/guardians for this information. We will be asking that families make a determination for their student(s) regarding their willingness to return to campus in a hybrid model, or remain in distance learning with no in-person instruction. This determination is needed to assess the staffing levels needed for how many students and staff will be part of a hybrid model versus a full-distance learning model. I am sure many of you have thought about this a great deal already, but if not, please spend some time reflecting on what may be the best option for your family for the rest of this school year. Thank you in advance for your consideration on this topic. Please keep your eyes out for future communication seeking your decision.
What’s happening with negotiations?
As noted above, FUSD has a comprehensive safety plan for helping to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our schools. While the plan outlines much of the “how” we return safely, there remain many other important details that understandably need to be negotiated with our employee unions. As discussed in the opening of this message, a safe return to campus will require our teachers, classified support staff, administrators, parents, and students to find common ground on how to best meet the diverse needs of this moment. I am confident that all members involved in our negotiation process will continue to work toward a safe return to campus for in-person instruction.
How can I find out more and stay current with developments?
You can continue to visit our Return to Campus and Readiness Page for FUSD. Additionally, at each of our Board of Education meetings, staff will provide updates on progress, information on any new state and local developments related to COVID-19 rules and regulations, as well as any pertinent information regarding the criteria by which we will return to campus, or the related timing of such a return.
May the arrival of spring bring a new hope, the beginning of a return to campus, and the foundation of a brighter tomorrow. I thank you for your continued support.
CJ Cammack
Superintendent
District Events, Information, and Committees
Fremont Unified School District
Website: https://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/
Location: 4210 Technology Drive, Fremont, CA, USA
Phone: 510-659-2542
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USDFremont/
Twitter: @USDFremont