Update December 3, 2020

Update: Message to the FCUSD Community

December 3, 2020

Dear FCUSD Community:

Today, Governor Newsom announced a Regional Stay at Home Order for three weeks that will go into effect within 48 hours in regions with less than 15% ICU availability. At this time, Sacramento County has not met this percentage, but this is a fluid situation.

The Regional Stay at Home Order allows certain segments of the community to stay open if they are following safety guidelines set forth by public health, including schools that have already opened for in-person learning.

Given this direction, and the many careful and significant steps we have taken to open our campuses, FCUSD will continue to keep those campuses open as long as we are in compliance with state orders, public health guidelines, and operational feasibility. Please keep reading for a recap of what we are doing now, and what has been done to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 spread on our campuses.

We are working with Sacramento County Public Health (SCPH) on a daily basis, as we monitor COVID-19 related cases for staff and students who are on site. To view numbers of positive COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday, December 1, please visit www.fcusd.org/COVID.

Prior to bringing back students to campus, all safety measures recommended by SCPH were put into place, such as sanitization stations, directional signage and markers for social distancing, and increased sanitization of classrooms. Out of an abundance of caution, we invited SCPH safety inspections to take place at six of our elementary schools. In addition to following SCHP safety guidelines, all HVAC units that serve classrooms and buildings in which students are present have been cleaned and disinfected and MERV 13 filters have been installed. To see what this looks like, please visit our Facilities Safety Measures video. To see safety measures in action for our students on campus, please visit our Elementary Hybrid Safety video.

We reopened our elementary schools in a Hybrid Model on November 9. Please see the attached letter from public health, providing an allowance to remain open for Elementary Hybrid instruction while in Purple Tier status. Previously, we brought back students to campus for Extended Day Learning and Student Care in September and students with special needs in small cohorts in October.

The threshold for closing a school or the district, based on the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, would be a decision made in conjunction with public health officials and per their guidelines. Please see the excerpt below from SCPH – November 10, 2020, COVID-19 Reopening Guidance For Schools – p.6.

"Confirmed COVID-19 cases among students, teachers, or staff may necessitate the closure of a cohort, multiple cohorts, or the entire school to limit the spread of COVID-19 within the school community.  Decisions about closure, which should be made with consultation from Sacramento County Public Health, are based on the number of cases and the percentage of school population that tests positive for COVID-19. Generally, a single confirmed case of COVID-19 will necessitate the closure of a cohort.  When multiple cohorts are affected or at least 5 percent of student, teachers, and staff test positive for COVID-19, full school closure may be warranted."

However, if many staff members are unable to have a presence on campus due to quarantine recommendations, whether they are COVID-19 positive or are a close contact of a COVID-19 positive individual, a school may not be able to operate with in-person instruction and may need to move to Distance Learning temporarily.

When 10% of staff are quarantined based on the attached A-D criteria, an audit/review will be triggered to engage HR, Facilities, Health Services, and the Principal to determine if it is operationally viable for the school to remain open for in-person Hybrid instruction. Human Resources will work directly with the Site Principal to measure this impact. The District Health Coordinator will work directly with SCPH. The combination of this data will be considered by the Superintendent to determine a temporary return of a school to full Distance Learning, and the measurement for reopening to Hybrid instruction.

FCUSD is committed to the safety and well-being of our staff and students. Providing a safe place to learn and work is our highest priority.  However, we need the help of our community.

Please continue to practice all safety precautions, for your health and safety and for the health and safety of others. Wear a mask, wash your hands frequently, and practice social distancing.

Thank you.