Friday, February 19, 2021

Dear Fillmore USD Families,

The purpose of this communication is to provide information to District families about current actions to support District students and the status of future reopening of Fillmore USD schools.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES PROVIDES' DIRECTION

During the school Board meeting on February 16, 2021, the Board was given an update about the effects of COVID-19 on the District and deliberated regarding potential options for our schools. Asa result, the Fillmore Unified School
District Board of Trustees directed that:

- Transitional Kindergarten (TK) — 5th grade SDC and Moderate/Severe (small group cohorts) will continue in-person learning.

- For students in TK — 5th grade, an in-person learning option will be made available for those families who select in-person instruction if the County of Ventura reaches an adjusted Coronavirus infection rate at or below 25 per 100,000 population per day for at least five consecutive days.

- Students in 6th – 12th grades will remain in distance learning through March 26, 2021. District administration will continue to explore potential for return to in-person learning option if, and only if, the County of Ventura reaches the red tier. The County of Ventura has not provided a timetable as to when the red tier could be attained.

District staff will continue to monitor the case rates in the County of Ventura and provide information to the Board. Updates on the dates for the return to in-person learning, including health and safety requirements, will be provided to families in a future communication.

TK — 5th GRADE SPECIAL DAY CLASS AND MODERATE/SEVERE STUDENTS CONTINUE IN-PERSON LEARNING
Fillmore Unified continues to support in-person learning for six cohorts of students at three of our District’s elementary schools: Mountain Vista Elementary School, Rio Vista Elementary School, and San Cayetano Elementary School. Our staff and students are adhering to the health and safety requirements, which include a face mask being always worn, physical distancing in the classrooms, daily screening for symptoms, and other necessary requirements.

FILLMORE USD TK — 5th GRADE STUDENTS COULD RESUME IN-PERSON LEARNING
If the adjusted case rates in Ventura County drop below 25 per 100,000 for a five-day period, then schools providing instruction to students in grades TK to 5th grade will be permitted to return to in-person learning.

Public school districts in Ventura County will have the ability to open schools for in-person learning if they are in full compliance with guidance provided by the California Department of Public Health.

The Fillmore Unified School District has been preparing for the potential to return to in-person learning. The District is providing information in a future communication to District families regarding the requirements to participate in in-person learning, process to confirm for your child(ren) to participate in in-person learning, and the potential return date for in-person instruction.

SECONDARY STUDENTS IN GRADES 6th – 12th STAY IN DISTANCE LEARNING

The Board of Trustees provided direction to District staff for students in 6th – 12th grades to remain in a distance learning model through March 26, 2021. Students and teachers will continue to work through the Microsoft Teams platform in synchronous learning, as well as utilize multiple curriculum and content providers to work during asynchronous time. The County of Ventura is reporting a decrease in the COVID-19 adjusted case rate which could potentially accelerate the county to transition from the purple (widespread) tier to the red (substantial) tier. District administration will continue to explore the potential for a return to in-person learning for students in grades 6th – 12th grades if, and only if, the County of Ventura reaches the Red tier.

VENTURA COUNTY COVID-19 UPDATE

On Tuesday, February 16, 2021, the County of Ventura reported a seven-day average case rate per 100,000 of 26.2. Over the past 14 days the City of Fillmore has had 83 positive cases, and the community of Piru has had 14 cases of COVID-19 reported for the past 14 days. We are seeing significant declines in the number of positive cases and need your help to continue to stop the spread of COVID-19. District families are urged to use face coverings, not gather with individuals outside of your household, practice social distancing, and test for COVID-19 if you are experiencing symptoms.

On Thursday, February 25, 2021 the Ventura County Health Care Agency will be conducting COVID-19 testing at Fillmore Middle School from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The COVID-19 testing is provided at no cost and without an appointment. Our team is working with the health care agency to identify additional testing dates in the coming weeks for our community.

In closing, it is imperative that our District community continues to do their part to stop the spread of COVID 19. We remain optimistic that COVID-19 rates will continue to decline in Ventura County and provide greater opportunities for Fillmore Unified to offer in-person instruction. Our District will be providing additional information in the coming week to those families with students enrolled in TK- 5th grades.

Respectfully,
Adrian E. Palazuelos, Ph.D., FUSD Superintendent