Dear Fairbanks Families,
Tomorrow is our first Remote Learning day. We are excited to start this journey with our students. While it is not how we intended to deliver instruction, we will continue to focus on connecting with students while delivering quality experiences. Everyone is trying new things this week. For example, our Board of Education held a teleconference that was live-streamed on YouTube. There were some hiccups, but we learned and we were able to conduct a successful meeting. As we learn Remote Learning together, please reach out to teachers, principals, or our technology support team when you need support. As always, we will do this together!
Please read our daily updates over the coming days. If you have questions, please call our district offices at (937) 349-3731.
District and Public Information
For all information related to COVID-19 and Fairbanks Local Schools please reference our district website at https://www.fairbanks.k12.oh.us/o/district/page/covid-19--12
We will continue to follow the recommendations and orders from the Governor of the State of Ohio, the Ohio Department of Education, and our partner Health Departments. Please continue to reference the resources here: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Union County Health Department, and theOhio Department of Education (ODE).
Calendar Updates
The Governor’s Office has closed all school activities across the State of Ohio. We have ceased all student activities as of the conclusion of the Friday, March 13th school day. Below is our calendar for the next three weeks:
Wednesday, March 18th - Friday, March 20th: Remote Learning Days
Monday, March 23rd - Friday, March 27th: Spring Break
Monday, March 30th - Friday, April 3rd: Remote Learning Days
Food Services Plan
Tomorrow is our first serving day!!
We realize having food at home to feed children for these extra meals was not necessarily planned or possible, and we can help. We will offer meals to students for pick up in our communities. Pick up of food will be available on Wednesday, March 18th, Friday, March 20th, Monday, March 30th, Wednesday, April 1st and Friday, April 3rd. Times for food pick up will be 8:30 am through 10:30 am. Please drive to the back of the elementary school for food pick up; there will be directional signs posted.
If you are unable to pick up food, please call our district offices to make alternative arrangements. Our district office phone number is (937) 349-3731 ext 1200.
Remote Learning Plan
Teachers shared remote learning plans with students on Friday. Please look for communication on our webpage, materials sent home from teachers, emails, or phone calls. Remote learning will begin on Wednesday, March 18th.
Parent Resources - Remote Learning
We will begin our remote learning plan on Wednesday of this week. Our teachers and principals will use this as a new opportunity to connect with students. However, there will be challenges that we did not anticipate. One of those challenges is continuing education outside of a traditional school. Our teachers and instructional team will continue to post resources on our COVID-19 web page with resources that will help support student learning during this time.
Two resources making their rounds online are this sample remote learning schedule and remote learning environment. We recognize that each individual family’s situation is different with work schedules and child care, but by providing options for all families, we will be better equipped to continue educational services. Please check out the sample schedule: Remote Learning Sample Schedule and Education Spaces.
Technology Supports
Our Technology Support Hotline dedicated to serving our students, families, and staff during our extended closure is now open. Please call (937) 349-3731 ext 8000 between the hours of 8:00am - 6:00pm. Email support is also available at techsupport@fairbankspanthers.org.
All 5th - 12th grade students have Chromebooks that will allow access to remote learning resources.
If a Kindergarten through 4th grade student does not have access to a family or Fairbanks issued sibling device, please call our Technology Hotline to make arrangements. Please call (937) 349-3731 ext 8000 between the hours of 8:00am - 6:00pm.
If your family or household does not have reliable internet access, Wi-Fi will be available in our parking lot behind the middle school. If you plan to come on campus, please stay near your vehicle and follow previously sent health safety guidelines. Please call our offices if you need assistance or need to make alternative arrangements.
All Student Activities Are Cancelled
We want to provide clarity since there have been questions about campus use. Our campus is closed for student activities. There should not be gatherings of students on campus for any reason. This includes athlete-organized practices or club meetings. By practicing the measures implemented by the Governor, we hope we will be able to return to normal practices in the near future. We are operating with an abundance of caution for the duration of the extended closure.
OHSAA
On Friday, the OHSAA issued directives about spring sports. A MANDATORY no-contact period is in effect for all school-sponsored sports and there will be a mandatory shut down of facilities used for the purpose of conducting athletics activities until April 5. If this guidance shifts, we will update our coaches and athletes.
Medication
If your student had medication at school and you will need it over the next three weeks, please call our board office at (937) 349-3731. We will schedule times with families to pick this up. Please remember, the reason why we are closed is to maximize social distancing. Allowing us to plan pick-up times provides safer conditions for our staff, families, and community. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we navigate this together.
Illness, Absence, and Attendance
Fairbanks Local Schools have plans in place to continue the educational mission; however, the health of our staff and students is what’s most important. If someone is symptomatic or has contracted the disease, their focus should be on getting better. Please continue to follow the safety and health guidelines provided by the CDC. As a parent or guardian, if you or your student is sick, please contact your building principal. Our schools will work directly with families to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of all.
A general expectation for our 5th through 12th graders is to login everyday on our Remote Education Days listed above. For Kindergarten through 4th grade students and parents, please follow the directions sent by your teachers last week. We will continue to evolve and reshape our plans as we pivot to this new instructional platform.
Communication
Our district office is planning regular video communications and email updates to our parents and staff. Our district webpage will be updated frequently. Our district office will be available by phone and email Monday through Friday from 7:30am - 4:00pm by calling (937) 349-3731 ext. 1200 or emailing kheiss@fairbankspanthers.org. Our technology support will be available Monday - Friday from 8:00am - 6:00pm by phone at (937) 349-3731 ext. 8000 and email at techsupport@fairbankspanthers.org.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we navigate this uncharted territory together. Fairbanks will continue to make decisions based on the guidance and information received by our governor, the Ohio Department of Health and local health partners. We will continue to provide regular updates as guidance and planning shifts to support our families.
For Fairbanks,
Adham Schirg
Fairbanks Local Schools
Superintendent