Coronavirus Update
Framingham Public Schools
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Update #4: March 19, 2020
Dear Framingham Families:
We have all come to the realization that we are living in extraordinarily challenging times, and we completely understand that families and students are eager to continue their learning through virtual means during this time of isolation.
Our district believes in the ability of ALL children to achieve at a high level with proper support, but there are significant factors that challenge our ability to achieve this goal through remote means. Students with disabilities, for example, may require accommodations, modifications, specialized services, and, at times, 1:1 direct support. English Learners, similarly, need support and coaching that is individualized to match their level of language acquisition. We are committed to all of our learners and to all of our families who are working tirelessly to fill the educational void that happened overnight.
While these and other challenges prevent us from making new content accessible to all students while we are not able to meet face-to-face, this does not mean that students will not receive support and guidance from their teachers; rather, it means teachers will be focusing this time on reinforcing skills that have been previously taught and providing enrichment opportunities.
Recognizing the many questions regarding the district’s plan for delivering instruction to our students while schools are closed due to the Coronavirus, we are pleased to share with you the exact language that was shared with all FPS staff today; this ensures a consistent and clear message throughout our community.
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Good afternoon,
We hope this email finds you well and that you are taking care of yourselves while we all navigate this unprecedented situation.
We recognize there has been a lot of confusion about what teachers should and should not do regarding communication with students and families while the schools are closed. Up until now, we have asked staff to hold off on engaging with students and families about educational matters because we needed the time to work through some of the many challenges facing our community. We have students in this district without access to devices and we have students in this district with very specific needs that we are bound by law to support if we are delivering instruction to the general student population. This means that if we continue to deliver new instruction to students virtually without providing these other services, then we are violating their right to Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). As a result, we had asked teachers to pause while we work through these incredibly complex issues.
We also know students’ contact with their teachers is a great source of comfort. We just need to be sure that communication is handled in a manner that does not create inequities. Consequently, at this time we would like to do our best to clarify that direction. Teachers can reach out to students to encourage them to engage in meaningful review or exploration but must do so without assigning specific work and without requiring anything be done. Please think about what this really means: If a teacher "recommends" work be done by students while schools are closed, the teacher cannot expect that all students in the class have done that work and then pick up instruction at that new place when schools reopen. This would perpetuate the opportunity and equity gap. On the other hand, teachers can encourage review of previously taught material as a way to keep that content fresh (as long as you don't cross the line and offer any incentives like extra credit). Teachers can encourage students to keep a journal, read a book (but not the next text in the curriculum), check out a website, review their skills in IXL, or access i-Ready, Imagine Learning, etc. Teachers can also remind students of their login information, refer them to the resources on the district website, and reach out to them just to say hello and check in. None of your guidance or communication should be so specific that it creates the appearance of continuing to move the curriculum forward. We cannot stress this enough.
We are grateful to all of you for your patience and commitment to the students of Framingham. This is a challenging time and one in which we are taking the time to make decisions carefully before taking steps forward. There is no playbook to help us maneuver through this. But this is a strong and amazing community, and we are confident we will be able to get through this together while keeping the various needs of all students at the forefront of our thoughts and decisions.
Sincerely,
Amy Bright and Anne Ludes
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Most importantly, we want to ensure that there is a human bond between our students and the teachers and adults in their school world. Relationships matter most and that connection is what will make the difference in these days away from traditional learning environments.
I hope this message has found all of our families in good health and taking good care of one another. We will continue to be in touch especially as we prepare to provide devices and expanded internet access to our students who cannot connect to their teachers and support staff at this critical time.
Very truly yours,
Bob Tremblay
Update #3: March 14, 2020
The information provided here is from Dr. Asaf Bitton at Brigham and Women's Hospital
So what does this enhanced form of social distancing mean on a daily basis, when schools are cancelled?
No Playdates, Parties, Sleepovers, or Families Visiting Each Other's Houses
This sounds extreme because it is. We are trying to create distance between family units and between individuals across those family units. It is uncomfortable, especially for families with small children or for kids who love to play with their friends. But even if you choose only one friend to have over, you are creating new links and possibilities for the type of transmission that all of our school/work/public event closures are trying to prevent. The symptoms of coronavirus take 4-5 days to manifest themselves. Someone who comes over looking well can transmit the virus. Sharing food is particularly risky - I definitely do not recommend that people do so outside of their family. We have already taken extreme social measures to address this serious disease - let's not actively co-opt our efforts by having high levels of social interaction at people's houses instead of the schools. Again - the wisdom of early and aggressive social distancing is that it can flatten the curve above, give our health system a chance to not be overwhlemed, and eventually may reduce the length and need for longer periods of extreme social distancing later (see what has transpired in Italy and Wuhan). We need to all do our part during these times, even if it means some discomfort.
Take Walks/Runs Outside, but Maintain Distance
Try not to use public facilities like playground structures as coronavirus can live on plastic and metal for up to 3 days, and these structures aren't getting regularly cleaned. Try not to have physical contact with people outside of your family. Going outside will be important during these strange times, and the weather is improving. Go outside every day if you can but stay physically away from others. Try not to have kids play with each other (even outside) if that means direct physical contact. Even basketball or soccer involve direct contact and cannot be recommended. If people wish to go outside and have a picnic with other families, I strongly recommend keeping distance of at least 6 feet, not sharing any food at all, and not having direct physical contact. Invariably, that is hard with kids, so these shared, "distant" picnics may be tricky. Do not visit nursing homes or other areas where large numbers of the elderly reside, as they are at highest risk for complications and mortality from coronavirus. We need to find alternate ways to reduce social isolation in these communities through virtual means instead of physical in-person visits.
Social distancing is hard and may negatively impact others, especially those who face vulnerabilities in our society. I recognize that there is structural and social inequity built in and around social distancing recommendations. We can and must take steps to bolster our community response to people who face food insecurity, domestic violence, and housing challenges, along with the many other social inequities.
I also realize that not everyone can do everything. But we have to try our absolute best as a community, starting today. It is a public health imperative. If we don't do this now voluntarily, it will become necessary later involuntarily, when the potential benefits will be much less than doing so right now.
Update #2: March 12, 2020
Update from Framingham Public Schools: School Closure Information
I am closing the Framingham Public Schools again tomorrow, Friday, March 13th. All school-based activities and events are cancelled through this weekend. I am working with our Mayor, our Department of Public Health, and local, state, and federal agencies as we determine next steps. I will follow up with the Framingham community as more information becomes available.
We are live on Facebook to answer questions and provide information to the community. Please join us: www.facebook.com/framinghamps.
Very truly yours,
Bob Tremblay
Superintendent of Framingham Public Schools
Update #1: March 12, 2020
Good Morning.
I hope this message finds you well. One of our district goals today is to keep communication open and frequent. Our district team has been meeting since 8:00am - we have been reflecting on the actions taken yesterday, ways in which we can improve communication today, and key decisions to be made that impact our school district and city as we move forward.
I will provide updates throughout the day. Updates will be quick, bulleted updates that I hope will keep you well-informed. We are working through a comprehensive list of questions to be addressed at our Facebook Live Broadcast at 12:00pm today.
Very truly yours,
Bob Tremblay, Superintendent
Framingham Public Schools