October 9, 2020

Dear Clipper Families,

I hope everyone is as happy as I am about beginning school full time on Tuesday. We have successfully navigated our transition weeks and are ready to fully set sail next week. I realize only grade 5-12 Week A students will begin on Tuesday, but we have progressed to the regular model schedule. Remember no remote Wednesday next week; grades 5-12.   Remote Wednesdays begin on October 21, 2020.  

The principals have done a wonderful job creating successful traffic patterns for parent pick up and drop off. Just remember, we will have a higher volume of cars beginning next week with double the students and therefore double the lines. We thank you in advance for your continued patience and partnership in making opening and closing school each day smooth sailing. 

I want to assure you we have strong protocols in place for addressing a COVID-19 positive case should we have one in our schools. You will be notified if your child needs to be tested and/or quarantined. Our Public Health Nurse is competent in COVID-19 decisions and contact tracing. Our plans are designed to keep us safe. Please note we must comply with HIPAA privacy laws and cannot discuss positive cases with anyone. If you have questions, our Public Health Nurse, Jennifer Reissfelder, would be happy to talk with you. Her contact information is jreissfelder@famouth.k12.ma.us or 774-392-6477.

Please do not worry if your child sees a teacher working remotely from home. There could be any number of reasons. With the connectivity we now have and plans for working remotely for all staff and students, we have the opportunity, if necessary, to keep classroom teachers and students connected remotely.

Please remember, you must follow the model you selected, either In-Person or 100% Remote. If your child participates in In-Person learning and needs to be remote because they are sick or need to quarantine, then connecting to the classroom teacher remoting is a good option, if your child is well enough to do so. Otherwise, your child is expected to participate In-Person. It is not acceptable for In-Person learners to make day-to-day decisions for being remote. Please discuss any exceptions to this expectation with your principal. Also, remember if your child is 100% Remote, and you wish to have them begin the In-Person model, please contact your principal. We will make arrangements and have your child begin the In-Person model within two weeks of notification.

The number of positive cases remain low in Falmouth. Our plans are working. Our goal is to remain in the current model for as long as possible. We need the entire community to practice safe behaviors at all times so we can keep our students in school. Thank you again for your kind support and cooperation as we open schools. 

The Farmers to Families program is offered on Saturdays in October from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or until they run out) at Cape Cod Community College on Route 132. You may pick up a 32lb box of food which includes meat, produce, cheese, and milk. The Farmers to Families program is available to all who need it. There is no paperwork or income eligibility.

I will leave you with this video. Our Outdoor Learning Committee has done amazing work at our schools to provide opportunities for students to be outdoors, safely distanced with a mask break, and learn in the fresh air and beautiful environment.  Many thanks to our Outdoor Learning Committee, Amy Leonardi for championing this cause, and to our entire community for your support, time, and donations.

Have a great weekend. We look forward to seeing our Clippers on Tuesday.

Sincerely,

Lori Duerr, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Falmouth Public Schools