Superintendent's Newsletter
October 29, 2021
10/29/21 Superintendent's Newsletter | Mensaje del Superintendente | 總監的話
Hello FUSD Staff and Community,
I send my appreciation to our classified staff in FUSD for all they do, and after the recent rain and wind storm, I want to especially thank our custodians and entire Maintenance, Operations and Grounds team for their quick responses to resolve storm-related issues throughout FUSD, and the Transportation staff who navigated the wet roads to help students travel safely. Rainy days emphasize the importance of road safety; please continue to look out for all our community members on your travels.
I’ve visited 25 school sites this year, with many more to come. With each visit I am encouraged by the great work of our students and I am motivated by the excellence of our educators, administrators, and classified staff. This year is not without challenges, however, I remain grateful to all our staff, students, and families, who remain focused on solutions and share in the cooperative spirit of making progress.
The path forward, a path to continued progress, is best traveled together, where teamwork can thrive. I’d love to have your help and teamwork in support of FUSD’s staffing, health and safety measures, and continued involvement in FUSD - please find opportunities and information below!
Come Help FUSD Students and Staff
We are calling on our community to help address a critical need: hiring more substitute teachers. Across California, schools are being hit hard by a shortage of substitute teachers that disrupts school sites when a teacher needs to be out of the classroom. FUSD is seeing the impact at each of our schools.
The Bay Area is home to many skilled and dedicated professionals. We want to see our local wealth of experience translate into a strong pool of substitute educators who can turn their knowledge into inspiration for our amazing students. Find substitute teaching information and a variety of employment opportunities that support our students at www.fremont.k12.ca.us/career.
Public Health Updates
In education the only constant is change, and with that in mind, I want to share information about recent developments in vaccines and masking mandates.
Last week the California Department of Public Health affirmed that it will continue its current universal indoor mask mandate in K-12 schools. FUSD’s masking policy also remains in place, which requires all adults and students to wear a face covering at all times while on campus, except while actively eating or drinking, or while in a private office or alone in a classroom.
A statewide order went into effect earlier this month that requires all FUSD staff and contractors who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or who have not submitted proof of vaccination, to be tested weekly. I thank each of our employees for their commitment to keeping our school community safe.
Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced a pending statewide vaccine mandate for all students and staff in public and private schools once a COVID-19 vaccine is fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration; this mandate is not applicable while a vaccine is available under an emergency use authorization. Once there is full approval for a range of grades (7th-12th along with staff, and TK-6th), the mandate will go into effect for that range at the following term (either January 1 or July 1). Please note, the timeline and requirements of this mandate are beyond the control of FUSD. We will provide updates as they become available.
As I write this message, emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5-11 is moving through the approval process. We are watching this process closely, and preparing to support our community to access appointments for vaccinations when available.
FUSD is hosting vaccination clinics on two of our campuses in the coming weeks, they will be able to serve all individuals eligible for vaccination at the time of the clinic:
American High School Clinic with Haller's Pharmacy and Alameda County Public Health
Dates: November 12 and December 3
Time: 4:00 - 7:00pm
Address: 36300 Fremont Blvd, Fremont
Appointments: https://my.primary.health/l/hallersvaccineclinic
Irvington High School Clinic with Safeway
Dates: November 13 & 14, and December 4 & 5
Time: 9:00am - 4:00pm
Address: 41800 Blacow Rd, Fremont
Appointments: Information will be posted on school and District websites when available.
I encourage all eligible individuals to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible. Contact your healthcare provider or visit myturn.ca.gov for appointments.
Coming Up
I don’t know where the time has gone, but the holiday season is coming fast. Many of us are celebrating Halloween, Día de los Muertos and Diwali in the coming days, with Thanksgiving right around the corner - and the calendar stays busy through 2022.
Alameda County Public Health has issued recommendations for safely celebrating Halloween and Día de los Muertos, including: stay home if you feel sick, wear a face mask, gather outdoors, wash hands or use hand sanitizer frequently, keep gatherings small. Please also monitor yourself for symptoms for 14 days after participating in celebrations and activities.
View the recommendations: English | Spanish | Chinese (Simplified) | Arabic | Cambodian | Farsi | Korean | Vietnamese
Get Involved in FUSD
Select teachers in grades 6-8 are piloting two publisher curricula for World History (grades 6 & 7) and US History (grade 8). The public is encouraged to review the materials under pilot review posted on the C&I Initiatives Dashboard, and provide feedback via this form through December 17, 2021.
This pilot was made possible through the work of FUSD’s Curriculum & Instruction Advisory Committee, one of many committees and advisory groups in FUSD. Whether you're a parent, alumni, student, teacher, or simply someone who cares about the future of Fremont and California, you can help support FUSD and our students by serving on a committee.
We are currently recruiting parent/guardian and/or community member representatives for the following:
Thank you for your consideration.
CJ Cammack
District Events, Information, and Committees
Fremont Unified School District
Website: https://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/
Location: 4210 Technology Drive, Fremont, CA, USA
Phone: 510-657-2350
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USDFremont/
Twitter: @USDFremont