Return to School Update
February 19, 2021
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WELCOME BACK STUDENTS: PHASE I, II, AND III RETURN
We hope everyone had a great February break! We look forward to welcoming our Phase I and II students back into our buildings on Monday, February 22nd.
We are excited to welcome our Phase III (Cohort “S'') students back to in-person learning next week! Phase III students will be attending school every day each week starting next Wednesday, February 24, 2021.
REVISED COVID PROTOCOLS
Families and Staff received an email outlining the COVID Protocols and Processes that go into effect next week. This can be found as a recent News Item on the District Website: Revised COVID Protocols and Processes as of February 22, 2021
COHORTS, HYBRID SCHEDULE, AND UNIVERSAL LUNCH
Last week we announced the return dates and the Hybrid Schedule. If you have any questions on your child’s Cohort, please contact your principal. If you are seeing this and chose to have your child return to school in-person but DID NOT receive an email, please contact your child's principal. Due to scheduling logistics and required physical/social distancing in classes, changes will not be made to cohort assignments.
Wednesday, March 3, 20201 (B-Week/Cohort B Returns): Students in Cohort B will attend in-person on “B-Week” and learn remotely during “A-Week.”
Monday, March 8, 2021 (A-Week/Cohort A Returns): Students in Cohort A will attend in person on “A-Week” and learn remotely during “B-Week.”
The last day of “Universal Lunch” at the Elementary Schools is Tuesday, February 23, 2021.
FOOD SERVICES UPDATES
Monday 2/22 and Tuesday 2/23: All food distribution sites will be open except for Thayer Campus and Blocks.
Starting Wednesday 2/24: Food distribution will only be open at Barbieri, Brophy, Cameron, Fuller, Hemenway and Wilson.
The District is looking into centralized delivery options - more information will be provided!
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please make sure your school has updated contact information, including cell phone numbers, for all Primary and Emergency contacts associated with your child(ren). At least 4 contacts should be listed. It is extremely important that we’re able to reach you with important operational communication as well as part of a contact tracing effort.
CURRENT PUBLIC HEALTH CONDITIONS
Below are important informational links that highlight the current COVID-related public health conditions in Framingham:
Click to see the FPS COVID Dashboard
Click to review the City of Framingham Weekly Data Analysis (PDF)
Click to access the City of Framingham COVID Resource Page
RETURN-TO-SCHOOL DASHBOARD
The District will continue to work closely with the Framingham Department of Public Health to constantly assess both the risk (e.g., in-school transmission and upward data trends) and risk mitigation efforts (e.g., weekly testing, vaccinations, and downward data trends), which may also impact the target return dates for Phase III & IV.
(Text from the table above)
Return-to-School Target
City Positivity: 4% (or less)
New Cases (Daily): 10 (or less)
Current Status (Latest Report)
February 18, 2021
City Positivity: 3.79%
New Cases (Daily): 26.17
↘︎ Lower than last week
Current Trend
↘︎ Lowest in 6 weeks
Historical Trends
February 8, 2021
City Positivity: 4.58%
New Cases (Daily): 27.74
↘︎ Lower than the previous week
February 1, 2021
City Positivity: 5.25%
New Cases (Daily): 38.29
↘︎ Lower than the previous week
January 29, 2021
City Positivity: 6.33%
New Cases (Daily): 46.89
↘︎ Lower than the previous week
FHS ATHLETICS UPDATE
The FHS Athletics Department previously shared the Registration Deadlines, Practice Schedules, and Contact Information for Fall II Athletics.
In addition to physicals being uploaded to FamilyID, kids will also have to provide a negative PCR COVID test that has been conducted less than 72 hours before the official start date of the Fall II sports season, which is 2/24. This means a negative test from before Sunday 2/21 will not be accepted. If a student-athlete will be playing multiple sports, they will only have to provide a negative test for the sport that they attend FIRST. They will have to check in with the ATC before their 2nd sport to confirm. They can get tested anywhere (ProjectBeacon, Urgent Care, Walgreens, CVS etc.). Please note that if students choose to get tested at a doctor or urgent care facility, they need to request a PCR test. To find testing sites near you:
- https://www.framinghamma.gov/2952/COVID-19-Testing-Information
- https://www.mass.gov/info-details/find-a-covid-19-test
There will also be free testing in the FHS gym lobby from 7- 8 am and 3:30-4:30 pm on Monday 2/22. In order to participate in testing at FHS, parents/guardians must complete the attached consent form (English, Spanish, Portuguese). All students must present the completed and signed parental/guardian consent at the time of testing.
Negative test results should be emailed to: emakowski@framingham.k12.ma.us
In addition, student athletes will be required to participate in the district student pool testing program starting March 1, 2021. As part of this program, they will be regularly tested when they are at school for in person learning. It is also strongly encouraged that student-athletes continuing in the remote learning model participate in regular testing.
Please note that any person who has been positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days, is not eligible to participate in testing. They must provide a copy of their positive test result to me. After 90 days post COVID-19, they will begin the required pool testing. These students must also provide a separate clearance note for physical activity after COVID from their doctor.
Any positive test and close contact exposures to COVID-19 must quarantine and follow all MDPH, and Framingham Board of Health protocols. Athletes and coaches will need to provide written BOH/CTC clearance to return to practices and games. All coaches, parents and athletes are expected to cooperate fully with any contact tracing if necessary.
Student-athletes who are/have been diagnosed with COVID-19 infection must follow our Return to Play protocol based off of the American Academy of Pediatrics guidance for return to activity. Before beginning the return to play protocol, these students will need to provide a health care provider’s cardiac clearance.
COMMITMENT TO EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM MODEL
As a reminder, families who wish to shift from hybrid to remote learning may request to do so at any time. Requests should be directed to the building principal so that proper notice may be given to the teacher(s), transportation office, etc. Requests to shift from remote to hybrid learning will be considered on the following Family Decision Checkpoints:
March 19, 2021 for an April 5, 2021 return
May 10, 2021 for a May 24, 2021 return
The District is required to maintain 6-foot physical distancing when students return to school. Requests to shift from remote to hybrid may not be possible if 6-feet of distancing cannot be maintained.
RISK MITIGATION EFFORTS
We believe that a combination of facility safety upgrades, personal protective equipment (PPE), physical/social distancing, regular (weekly) COVID testing, and the introduction of a vaccine will be exactly what it is needed to confidently return to school.
Masks/Face Coverings
Masks/Face Coverings are among the most important single measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. Masks must cover both the nose and mouth. Masks must be worn by everyone at all times with rare exceptions. Families must ensure their child arrives at school wearing a face covering and ideally has an extra on hand. Time will be built throughout the day for mask breaks where students and staff don’t have to wear masks.
COVID-19 Pooled Testing for Students
We are pleased to report that the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) approved the district’s pooled testing application. We are currently working with our DESE assigned vendor on testing logistics and consent paperwork which we will be aligning with our scheduled return of students.
As part of this return, students will participate in weekly COVID-19 pooled testing. Pooled testing consent information will be provided to families as students return. We strongly encourage student participation.
Pooled testing involves mixing several respiratory test samples together in a “batch” or “pool” and then testing the pooled sample with a PCR test for detection of COVID-19. This approach increases the number of individuals that can be tested using the same amount of resources as a single PCR test. The test is performed at least once per week with anterior nasal swab. Test results are delivered within approximately 24-48 hours. If a pooled test result is negative, then all individuals within that pool are presumed negative and may continue to remain in school. If a pooled test result is positive, then all individuals in the pool must quarantine until they are retested individually with a PCR test.
COVID-19 PCR Testing for ALL FPS Staff
Testing has proven to be a key factor to getting students back to school in communities where percentages of positivity and daily new COVID cases are higher than recommended community targets. ALL FPS staff are encouraged to participate in weekly COVID-19 PCR testing that is provided at each of our schools.
COVID-19 PCR Testing for Returning Students
We have extended COVID-19 PCR testing to all students who returned in Phases I and II. We intend to shift student PCR testing to pooled testing. More information about the testing will be forthcoming as soon as we have more detailed information to share.
Attestation App
The Framingham Public Schools are beginning to expand the use of the MyMedBot App which allows staff and families the ability to engage in a daily attestation of health with regard to COVID symptoms. Students, families and staff will answer a series of COVID-19 related questions each school day via the mobile app (accessible on both mobile phones and computers). Staff are actively using the app and we are rolling out the use with Phase I and II students next Monday, followed by Phase III students on Wednesday. Families with children returning to school buildings will receive instructions and special invitation codes when the application is ready. We are currently building out a website with more information. You can see that here: https://www.framingham.k12.ma.us/mymedbot
COVID Call Center
Framingham Public Schools has launched a trilingual COVID Call Center to help families with the MyMedBot App questions. Families can reach the Call Center by email COVID@framingham.k12.ma.us or by calling 508-782-6633. Beginning Monday, February 22nd they are available between 6am to 6pm Monday through Friday. For more information, visit: https://www.framingham.k12.ma.us/domain/3121.
Staff who have MyMedBot App questions should continue to reach out to the Help Desk.
Vaccination
We continue to monitor the Governor’s phased COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan and the availability of vaccines. We remain committed to advocating for the prioritization of school staff, including bus drivers for receipt of the vaccine in the very near future. We strongly encourage all staff to receive the vaccine if/when the opportunity arises.
KEY TERMS
Phase I: Students and staff who attended school, in-person, starting in October.
Phase II: Students and staff who attended school, in-person, starting in November.
Phase III: Students and staff who were scheduled to return to school in December, but who did not return due to the shift to remote in consideration of the community public health conditions.
Phase IV: All remaining FPS students and staff not included in Phases I, II, and III.
In Person (Schedule): A schedule where students are receiving instruction in person in a classroom setting from the school.
Remote (Schedule): A schedule where students are receiving instruction from a location outside the school setting via the computer (virtually).
Hybrid (Schedule): A schedule where students are receiving instruction on a rotating schedule that includes both in person and remote experiences.
Concurrent Classroom Model: A model in which students attend class in person and others attend virtually. The teacher in a concurrent classroom attempts to meet the needs of the students in class and online simultaneously.
Synchronous Instruction (live):
Synchronous Instruction
Occurs in real-time, with participants doing something together or “in sync” with others;
May include Zoom/Google Meets meetings or be streamed; live video is not required for synchronous learning;
May include scheduled learning experiences, assessments, or collaboration to be completed at the same time as others; and/or
May provide additional structure, accountability, and opportunities to engage with others in the learning community.
Asynchronous Instruction (not live):
Asynchronous Instruction
Occurs on one’s own time or pace, with no requirements to be in lock-step with others;
Allows students to work independently, or potentially with others, at a flexible pace that meets their individual needs;
May include experiences, assessments, or collaboration to be completed within a window of time, but not necessarily in real-time with others; and/or
Allows teachers to work synchronously with one or more students while others are engaged in asynchronous learning tasks.
Asynchronous instruction does NOT mean that a student is “offline”, as in not engaging virtually with content.
PREVIOUS / RECENT UPDATES
Previously Shared
- For Updates on Athletics, Fine and Performing Arts, and Extracurricular Activities, please look at the Return to School Smore from January 29th.
- This is a reminder that, in most instances, travel outside of Massachusetts will require COVID PCR testing and quarantine until a negative PCR test is received. Read the communication from Friday, February 5th for answers to some common questions on this topic: Travel Advisory Reminder and Questions
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Framingham Public Schools
Website: www.framingham.k12.ma.us
Location: 31 Flagg Drive, Framingham, MA 01702, USA
Phone: 508-626-9117
Facebook: facebook.com/framinghamps
Twitter: @framinghamps