March 18, 2020

Bobcat Family:

Fruitvale ISD will be closed the week of March 23-March 27, we will give further guidance as to the length of closure for the year after meetings tomorrow are completed with CDC, county superintendents, the commissioner and the school board. We are closing in order to support our community and health care professionals in the ongoing goal of containing the spread of the novel corona virus, or COVID-19. Additionally, all extracurricular activities, practices and athletic events are suspended while we are closed. School district facilities are closed to everyone outside of employees and deliveries.

We do not make this decision lightly. We fully realize it presents significant difficulties to working parents. However, we are hopeful that these measures will better ensure the long-term health and safety of children, staff, and the larger community. 

Fruitvale ISD will be planning next week for logistics on distance learning options for our students, and the distribution of food to address children’s nutritional needs while school is out. More information and guidance will be made available soon. We have applied for waivers for instructional days for the year, and will not be providing instruction home the first week, we will roll out instruction as needed after next week’s staff development with teachers.  Parents you have an additional week with kids to really teach life ready skills. We will also take this week to further clean schools and buses and restock custodial and nursing supplies. Our plan is to offer meals to students beginning next week, so be looking for phone calls from teachers on Monday, they will have several questions that will help us make decisions about how best to provide instruction to students in the following weeks, and they will inquire about meal pickup or delivery options for families if needed.

Additionally, Fruitvale ISD asks the broader community to take the following reasonable precautions to prevent the spread of the illness:

• Don’t shake hands
• Wash your hands regularly
• Limit movement within the community, especially avoiding crowded placed and maintaining 3 to 6 ft of distance between people (at least an arm’s length)
• If you are moving around in the community, don’t congregate in large groups, please keep it less than 10
• For those who have traveled to areas with known COVID-19 cases – both inside and outside of the country – we ask that you self-quarantine and monitor for symptoms. Students who have traveled should plan to stay home for two weeks after arriving home.
• If you suspect you have symptoms of COVID-19, call your health care provider for medical advice.
• Keep your child at home if he/she feels ill, even if you think it is just a cold.
• Do not leave the house if you are ill, except to access medical care

 

This is a quickly changing situation, and we will continue to monitor information, will assess conditions throughout the week, and will provide the next update via face book, our school website and school messenger.

Thank you for your support and cooperation as we ensure that all members of the community in Fruitvale stay safe and healthy. We appreciate the prayers and the support of our community, and we hope that all are safe and cared for during this time. Enjoy the rest of your spring break with your families, expect a call on Monday, and plan for an additional week at minimum home.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Bain

Superintendent