The Success Academy Eagle's Nest
Student & Family Edition October 12, 2021
Electronic Copies
Make sure you scroll down to read the entire newsletter. New information is included.
The mission of this program is to graduate and transition every student with the skills to succeed in the classroom, workforce, and community through a nontraditional; personalized pathway.
Scheduled Route Cancellations & Delays
Although FCPS has hired new full-time bus drivers and additional substitute drivers since the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, the district continues to face staffing shortages each day. This ongoing challenge has left FCPS without enough drivers to cover the scheduled routes and forced the unprecedented step of canceling or delaying service for some students.
As of Oct. 4, FCPS follows a pre-announced schedule of bus cancellations and delays, which gives families more time to make alternate plans. This rotation also ensures that the same routes are not affected repeatedly. The week that your bus route does not run, families should try to find another way for their child to get to school. If they are unable to make other arrangements for transportation, the child’s absence will be excused. Note: If a morning bus route is canceled, it is canceled for that week only.
If an afternoon bus route is delayed, transportation will be available at 4:45 p.m. after other routes are completed and additional drivers are available. Families can choose to find a different way home for their children if they prefer.
The district sends reminder emails, calls, and text messages to the affected families.
Afternoon Buses Delayed This Month
Week of October 18-22 Bus #24
Week of October 25-29 Bus # 765
Group Messaging for Students
Funding Our Future is a community engagement campaign to seek input and authentically engage our school community and stakeholders to support FCPS as we reimagine resources to elevate equity for student success throughout our district. With the passing of the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP), our district has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a significant impact throughout our community. To do that, we need YOUR input and insight!
· Take the survey included on the FCPS website; www.fcps.net/future
· Duet the district TikTok @fcpskyTikTok; https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMREDSoHS/
· Opt-in via text message: Text “Student” to 844-974-4591
Funding Our Future Video
Course Completers
Top Students with the Most Hours in Odysseyware Last Week
Monae
Arianne
Emoniey
Landin
Jamaire
Charity
Daniel L.
Gabriel
Nicholas
Sariyah
School Hours of Operation
School Hours
9:00 a.m. - 2:50 P.M.
School doors open to students at 8:45 a.m.
Beginning in October students will not attend school on Friday, but will participate in job shadowing, internships, and virtual learning.
Health and Safety Measures
- Students will wear masks while being transported on FCPS school buses and vans.
- Desks and tables should be arranged so that all students are physically distanced to the greatest extent possible (preference of minimum of 3 feet and wearing masks).
- Masks must be worn at all times while in the building.
- Students and staff should avoid sharing items that are difficult to regularly clean. If items must be shared, consider cleaning between use or sharing within a cohort.
- School leaders will plan for lunches to be served in the cafeteria so students will be going through cafeteria lines. Students are not required to face the same direction when seated.
- Staff will attest they will not come to work if they have a fever or other symptoms.
COVID-19 VACCINATIONS
Fayette County Public Schools encourages everyone who is not yet vaccinated against COVID-19 or needs a second dose to sign up for a free shot through Wild Health or the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department.
Ages 12 and older are eligible for the vaccine. Fully vaccinated individuals might not have to quarantine if they are exposed to COVID-19 in the future. If a student is between the ages of 12 and 17, a parent/guardian must complete an online consent form or be present to provide consent.
Just a friendly reminder that you can sign up for a COVID-19 (PFIZER ONLY) shot clinic with Wild Health HERE.
Staff can get the booster 6 or more months after their second dose
Test To Stay In School
FCPS is committed to providing a safe in-person learning environment that maximizes the amount of time our students and staff are together on campus. As such, we have adopted layered prevention strategies designed to minimize the potential spread of COVID-19. Given the acceleration of COVID-19 cases in the greater Fayette County community, a growing number of FCPS students have been placed in quarantine because of potential exposures both on and off campus. Thankfully, we have found that it is very rare for students to develop COVID-19 because of an in-school exposure. Most cases are spread through household or community contacts.
To reduce the amount of school missed by students in quarantine, we will pilot an optional program that allows students who are exposed to the virus in school-related settings only to continue to attend school IF:
- They are not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, AND
- They test negative during free on-campus testing before school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
We call this program “Test to Stay in School,” and will pilot it in partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Kentucky Department of Health, and the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department. Participating schools are Breckinridge, Clays Mill, Dixie, James Lane Allen, and Julius Marks elementary schools, and Crawford, Jessie Clark, and Morton middle schools.
This program has worked safely and successfully in school districts across the country, and we are excited to give our children this opportunity. We know that in-person learning is best for our students, and we want to keep them in school as much as possible. The pandemic remains an evolving situation, and as health guidance has changed, FCPS has adapted our practice. We will continue to make decisions to safeguard the health and safety of our students and staff.
How To Report A Positive Case
Under state law, families should notify their child’s school within 24 hours of learning the child has tested positive for COVID-19. FCPS employees who test positive must also inform the district. Fayette County Public Schools has established a COVID-19 Hotline for processing these notifications, which must be submitted to the Kentucky Department for Public Health.
Please choose one of these three ways to alert FCPS:
- Call (859) 381-FCPS (3277),
- Email the COVID-19 Hotline to request a follow-up phone call to report the details, or
- Submit your name and phone number via this online form.
Families and staff may also email the COVID-19 team for follow-up phone contact to gather additional information or to address any questions.
Voluntary COVID-19 Testing
Fayette County Public Schools has implemented robust health and safety protocols designed to minimize the potential spread of COVID-19 so that our students reap the benefits of in-person learning. For instance, our health care partners offer voluntary free COVID-19 testing for all interested FCPS students and employees on several of our campuses, district facilities, and community locations. Individuals can go to any of the testing sites regardless of where they work or attend school.
No sign-up needed, with drive-thru testing:
Gravity Diagnostics, for the week of Oct. 4
- Dixie Magnet Elementary, 1940 Eastland Pkwy., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday and Wednesday; (in the side car lane)
- Frederick Douglass High School, 2000 Winchester Road, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday; (by the athletic fields, in the gated parking lot off Meeting Street)
Bluewater Diagnostic Laboratory, for the week of Oct. 4
- Leestown Middle School, 2010 Leestown Rd., from 7 to 9 a.m. Wednesday
- Winburn Middle School, 1060 Winburn Drive, from 7 to 9 a.m. Monday
Appointments required:
From Wild Health and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, these walk-up testing sites operate from 2 to 6 p.m.:
- Fayette County Public Schools, 100 Midland Ave. (former Herald-Leader building), seven days a week.
- Immanuel Baptist Church, 2261 Armstrong Mill Road, on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
- Lexington Legends Ballpark, 2017 Legends Lane, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Chromebooks and Chargers
Thanksgiving Break Extended
Superintendent Demetrus Liggins has decided to extend this year’s Thanksgiving break to a full week (Nov. 22-26) instead of the usual Wednesday through Friday, giving students and staff additional time off. Schools will not have to make up these two class days.
“Providing in-person learning for our students has been a heavy lift for all of us, requiring flexibility and patience in the face of uncertainty,” Liggins said in his Sept. 28 weekly COVID-19 update. “In spite of transportation cancellations and delays, staffing shortages, and expected illness or quarantines, our students, families, and staff have pulled together and made the most of our first seven weeks of school.”
Emails and comments on social media had suggested expanding fall break (Oct. 7-8), but Liggins said the short notice would not give families time to make arrangements. In addition, the health department said the longer break would not help in terms of COVID-19 containment. Liggins has directed the FCPS calendar committee to examine the possibility of a weeklong fall break for the 2022-23 school year.
DISTRICT MOVING TO PRE-ANNOUNCED CHANGES OF BUS ROUTES
Although Fayette County Public Schools has hired 19 new full-time bus drivers and five additional substitute drivers since the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, the district continues to face staffing shortages each day. This ongoing challenge has left FCPS without enough drivers to cover the scheduled routes and forced the unprecedented step of canceling or delaying service for some students.
Beginning in October, FCPS will follow a pre-announced schedule of bus cancellations and delays, which should give families more time to make alternate plans for getting their children to school. This rotation will also ensure that the same routes are not affected repeatedly. The week that your bus route does not run, families should try to find another way for their child to get to school. If they are unable to make other arrangements for transportation, the child’s absence will be excused.
FCPS will send reminder emails, calls, and text messages to affected families the week before. Web visitors can also find the schedules online.
Please note:
- If a morning bus route is canceled, it is canceled for that week only.
- If an afternoon bus route is delayed, transportation will be available at 4:45 p.m. after other routes are completed and additional drivers are available. Families can choose to find a different way home for their children if they prefer.
Contact: District spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall, (859) 699-1441
Bus Route Information
PM SHUTTLES to High Schools - Depart STEAM & SUCCESS ACADEMY AT 2:50
At the the high school transfer to a neighborhood bus. Search the Bus Route Finder with your home address to find bus information for your districted high school bus and stop.
Contact Us
Email: successacademy@fayette.kyschools.us
Website: www.fcps.net/success
Location: 1555 Georgetown Road, Lexington, KY, USA
Phone: 859-381-3795
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAmSuccessLex
Twitter: @IAmSuccessLex