Greetings Ferguson-Florissant Family,
Welcome back! I am excited to welcome each and every student back into our classrooms when school begins on Monday, Aug. 23. Last year was a year unlike any other, but the strength of our students, families, staff, and community helped us finish the year stronger than ever before. In preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, the District Reentry Task Force made preparations to ensure our classrooms are as safe as possible to provide five (5) day in-person instruction.
We have been monitoring transmission in our community. We will continue to review our protocols based on updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), St. Louis County Department of Public Health, and Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. There are still many health and safety protocols we need to follow to keep our students and staff healthy and in school. We will start the school year with the following mitigation measures in place for the support of in-person learning:
-
Universal masks: Masks are required indoors and on buses for all students (ages 2 +) and staff until further notice. Wearing masks will ensure we can keep the largest number of students in the classroom for in-person instruction while maintaining a safe environment for students and staff. This is based on recommendations from the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and St. Louis County Department of Public Health.
-
Employee vaccination requirement: All Ferguson-Florissant School District employees will be required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Any employee who is not vaccinated will be required to test for COVID-19 weekly.
-
Physical distancing: Social distancing will be implemented to the greatest extent possible of three (3) feet in classrooms and learning spaces.
-
Continue successful mitigation strategies: We will continue to encourage good handwashing hygiene practices and emphasize the importance of students and staff to self-monitor their health through daily screenings and stay home if they develop symptoms.
-
Quarantines: We will follow St. Louis County Department of Public Health’s guidelines on isolation for positive cases and quarantining of close contacts. Additionally, following new guidance from the CDC, asymptomatic, fully vaccinated individuals will not be required to quarantine if deemed a close contact.
-
Contact tracing and vaccine records: In an effort to assist with contact tracing, we are asking parents/guardians to inform us if their child has been vaccinated. We are also asking the same of District staff. This is voluntary for students, but it will help with the contact tracing process and may reduce the need for quarantine or modified quarantine even if an individual comes into direct contact with a positive exposure. More information will be coming soon with instructions on how to notify the District that your child has been vaccinated.
Ferguson-Florissant School District’s full Return to In-Person Instruction & Continuity of Services Plan is available on the District website. It provides thorough details about the procedures and mitigation requirements that have been created for the health and safety of students, staff, and our school community for the upcoming school year.
We will continue to monitor transmission in our community and review updated guidance from local and state health officials.
Thank you for your resilience and understanding as we have navigated this pandemic together. Even during these uncertain times, rest assured that our focus will always remain on doing what is best for our students, staff, and school community.
Onward Together,
Dr. Joseph Davis
Superintendent
