Click for complete information on Phase 1: Home Learning

Excerpt from the Superintendent:

Dear Boulder Valley Families and Staff,

I want to begin by first thanking everyone for their extraordinary patience and support over the past few weeks.

With a little less than a month before school begins, I know that everyone is yearning for stability. What I’m about to share, depending on your perspective, may or may not be the news you were hoping to hear.

After reviewing the data we have collected over the past couple weeks, we have decided to start the school year on Wednesday, August 26 in Phase 1 – Home Learning.

How did we come to this decision? Over the past few weeks we have been diligently working to gather the data needed to inform our next steps. We have been monitoring three key data sources.

Until now, our decisions (including our initial plan to start in Phase 3) were based primarily on the COVID-19 Health Data and the expert advice of our partners in public health. While they have been very supportive of our plan and the health-precautions within it, the situation is changing.

We are witnessing a sustained upward trend in cases in our area that has given us reason to pause.

Additionally, last Thursday, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued new guidelines that would prompt the closure of cohorts (groups of students) and schools for up to 14 days to quarantine, for probable COVID-19 symptoms, which are also widely seen during cold and flu season, as well as confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Finally, recent studies are raising concerns that some of our earlier thoughts on the impact of COVID-19 on children, including transmission and illness may need more time to understand. As more children begin to participate in activities outside their homes, we are learning more about these topics.

Student Opt-Out Data Based on the latest data we have, only about a quarter of our students have opted out of in-person learning. That, on face value, would mean that the majority of our families have been planning on sending their kids to school. The communication from our families, however, tells a different story. Many parents are indicating that they want ultimate flexibility, because while they want their students to attend in-person, they hope to switch back-and-forth day-to-day based on the latest news in the community or situation at their school. Some are also indicating that they’d like to see how the first weeks of school go. Then, if it is safe, they would send their students to in-person learning.

Teacher Exemptions We also now know that nearly 300 teachers have received exemptions from on-site work because they or their family members are at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 as specifically addressed in the Governor’s Order. With this number of exemptions, we are unable to fully staff in-person learning in our current Phase 3 model.

Conclusion: We are not prepared to start in Phase 3

After analyzing the data, we do not feel confident that we would be able to move forward with the hybrid model, nor would it be safe or stable to do so. The last thing we want to do is have students moving in and out of in-person learning because of confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 in our schools and community. It would be very disruptive, as we have seen in other school districts that have already returned.

As a result, we will begin the year in Phase 1.

Let’s start with remote learning

We will begin the school year on Wednesday, August 26 with Home Learning.

Starting remotely offers a number of benefits. First, it allows our educators to focus on ensuring that Home Learning is much improved from what our students and parents experienced last Spring. This is very important because, regardless of what phase we are in this school year, Home Learning will be the consistent baseline. We intend for it to be a firm foundation for students – something that ensures students continue to learn regardless of the situation.

This summer we have been diligently working at improving Home Learning. Our goal has been to go beyond simply addressing the concerns we heard from parents and students last Spring, to make remote learning more consistent and engaging across our entire system.

Our teachers will be returning over the next couple weeks and we have scheduled professional development to help support them in improving their instructional practices in this mode of learning, as well as sharing district-wide expectations regarding what this type of learning will look like.

What can students and families expect? While there will be some flexibility, we plan to have schedules at every level, so that everyone knows what they can expect on a weekly basis. This year, we intend to have students involved in educational activities for the length and hours of their normal school day, while also recognizing that there should be healthy limits for screen time.

Remote learning will include both synchronous (together at the same time) and asynchronous (individual) learning, students can expect to have more interactions with their teachers. Beyond having morning meetings or other social check-ins with their teacher and fellow classmates, teachers will be leading learning opportunities virtually on a regular and consistent basis.

Mondays will still be Learning Launch days. Teachers, who will be using the day to plan, will provide students with videos and exercises that will prepare them for the rest of the week’s learning. Additionally, students and parents will receive an overview of the learning plan for the week, as well as assignments and resources.

As we shared previously, we are working to get technology that will eventually allow teachers to bring students at home into their classrooms. This will be beneficial both for Home Learning and, eventually, any hybrid learning.

Rob Anderson Superintendent Boulder Valley School District

These sports will be tryouts only with very limited space this season. Please contact the coach ASAP if you would like the details.

Boys Tennis- start date 08/10/20- Coach Tsuda- [email protected] Softball- start date 08/10/20- Coach Christie- [email protected] Cross Country-start date 08/12/20- Coach Culpepper-  [email protected]

You can also reach out to the athletics department with any questions. Cathy Kakavas- [email protected]

Some classes have summer reading or homework requirements. The summer reading list for the 2020-2021 school year can be found here.

For your convenience and as a fundraiser for the FHS Library, you can purchase your summer reading through Boulder Book Store or through Barnes and Noble. The books will be available all summer at these two stores.

Please complete all requested information and be sure to print clearly. A fee of $2.00 is assessed for each transcript requested. Make the check or money order payable to: Fairview High School OR make your payment online at Fairviewhs.org, click online payments, click additional items/events, click transcripts and enter payment. Please mail this request with payment to the address provided on the form, or email the request with a copy of your online payment receipt to: [email protected] If necessary you may fax your request to: Fairview Counseling Office - 720.561.5333 (If faxing, please include an image of your online payment receipt) Find Alumni Transcript Request Form Here