FAIRBORN — As the COVID-19 pandemic leaves school districts, students and parents making the best of the chaos, Fairborn schools are making an effort to keep certain traditions as normal as possible.
Fairborn City Schools is looking to personalize the start to the school year by introducing students to their remote teachers and holding virtual open houses.
“With the pandemic, we know that our families have been struggling as well with decision making and the ever-changing flow of information,” district officials said in a statement. “We are with you and ready to begin this school year.”
This year, Fairborn Primary School and Fairborn Intermediate School teachers are taking a more personal approach to introduce traditional school students to their teachers. Between Friday, Aug. 28 and Tuesday, Sept. 1, each family will receive a personal phone call or email from their new teacher.
Families will be reached based on their OneView contact information, which the district asks that parents keep updated. The software will serve as the primary method of contact for both remote and in-person families throughout the upcoming semester.
Virtual open house videos will replace the usual in-person open house. These videos will be posted in each teacher’s Google Classroom, as well as on district social media, and the FCS YouTube by Thursday, Sept. 3.
Fairborn released vaccination guidelines in addition to its COVID-19 health and attendance policies, in line with those required by the State of Ohio. Students will be required to stay home if they have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in contact with someone with the virus. They may only return to school after at least 24 hours of no symptoms.
Fairborn also sent out a survey to parents of remote education students, gauging interest and need in providing those students with school lunches. Parents have the option to choose between cold entrees and frozen entrees, as the district decides how best to disseminate the meals.
School starts Tuesday, Sept. 8 for preschool and grades 1-12. Kindergarten students start Friday, Sept. 11.