Christine Schieferle, Superintendent, Fillmore Unified School District

Dear Families,

Welcome to the 2021-22 school year. I am honored to serve as the Superintendent for the Fillmore Unified School District and look forward to meeting with staff, students, families and the community to acknowledge and listen to what you love most about our school district and to identify areas of growth and improvement.

I am excited to share that we are preparing for a full in-person return to school on August 19, 2021. Our goal is to return our schools to as close as pre-COVID normal as possible. This includes scheduling Back-to-School Nights, parent trainings, in-person meetings, and bringing back the after-school Bridges program for students in grades K-8. In addition, students will participate in before and after school activities, athletics, clubs, and extracurricular activities on our campuses. In order to do this, the District is required to follow COVID guidelines from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Ventura County Public Health (VCPH). Our district nurses and administrative staff are in frequent contact with both agencies and the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE). We will adjust our protocols accordingly as guidance changes. Updated information will be shared with students, staff, families, and the community through our district communication system, district and school websites, and social media. We will always prioritize the safety of our staff and students and are working diligently to ensure all schools are ready for the first day of school.

Below are some of the changes for the upcoming school year:

• Per CDPH guidelines, masks are required to be worn indoors by employees and students at all school sites, with exceptions per the CDPH face mask guidance.
• Outdoors, employees and students are not required to wear masks.
• Students and staff will self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before coming to school.
• Students who test positive for COVID-19, exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, or have been in contact with a positive COVID-19 case should stay home and contact their child’s school. School staff will work with District nurses and with the family to identify the level of contact, quarantine timelines, if necessary, and any additional return-to-school requirements and support the family may need.
• Physical distancing is no longer necessary indoors or outdoors unless the District determines there is a hazard for a particular person or during a major outbreak.
• Disposable face coverings will be provided to employees and students, if needed.
• Classrooms, restrooms, playground equipment, buses, and common areas will be cleaned and disinfected by custodians daily with an emphasis on high-touch surfaces.
• Handwashing stations will be available at all school sites, and students will be encouraged to wash their hands regularly and practice good hygiene behaviors.
• Water fountains will remain closed and water bottles will be provided to students. Students may also bring their own filled water bottle from home.
• Students may bring their own backpacks to school.
• Non-essential visitors and volunteers will not be allowed on school campuses during the school day. All essential visitors (contractors, parents/guardians invited for parent meetings) must wear masks and sign-in.
o Parents and families will not be permitted to walk their students to class, except for the first two days of school, August 19-20 for elementary students only. Masks will be required outdoors for these two days.
• We encourage all who can receive the COVID-19 vaccinations to do so, but vaccinations are not mandatory for employees or students.
• An Independent Study program is an option for students who do not wish to attend school in person. Please contact the Educational Services Department at (805) 524-6036.

For more information, please see the FUSD 2021-2022 COVID-19 Return to School Protocols document located on our district website.

We know the last 16 months of school closures and distance learning programs have been challenging for our students and their families. We look forward to providing additional academic and social and emotional supports to make this return to school experience as smooth as possible and will take measures to respond to the needs of our students. To begin, all schools will have full-time counselors and additional tutoring and credit recovery opportunities for students. Additional teachers have been hired at all elementary schools to provide intervention support and to address learning gaps. A new Wellness Center at Fillmore High School will provide counseling support for students and serve as a resource for families. Family workshops will be provided in English and Spanish to share strategies to support students at home. We look forward to hearing from all our families on how we can best meet your child’s needs and work together as partners in learning.

I realize there are still many uncertainties and questions as we return to school. However, we do celebrate bringing students back into our schools and classrooms. We are confident that, working together, we can make this school year a safe and positive experience for our students. This is what we do best in Fillmore: we take care of our kids!

Proud to be a part of FUSD,
Christine Schieferle
Superintendent