From Stamford Public School Superintendent Dr. Tamu Lucero
Dear Staff and Families,
In our continued work with the office of the Mayor, State Department of Public Health, and the Stamford Department of Health (DOH), it has been determined that due to the continued reductions in COVID-19 positivity rates in Stamford, students currently in the Hybrid Model may return to school for in-person learning 5 days a week. Please note that at this time our Distance Teaching & Learning students will remain in remote status.
Please know that health and safety remains at the forefront of our decision-making. My leadership team along with our health professionals are working with each school community to determine any necessary adjustments in mitigation strategies to ensure a safe and healthy return to school for in-person learning 5 days a week. The Reopening CORE Committee and Subcommittees will continue to meet to discuss and update this plan, as well as continue preparing for summer options and opening next fall.
Therefore, at this time, we are working with building principals, our Associate Superintendents and the Stamford Department of Health (DOH) to return our hybrid elementary students to school beginning March 8 and our hybrid middle school students to school beginning March 15. We continue to work on a plan for our high schools and APPLES Pre-K program that will be announced soon.
In order to bring back our hybrid students 5 days a week, please know that students will be less than six feet apart in most classrooms. We will follow all CDC recommendations, which include:
“K-12 schools open for full in-person instruction physical distancing of 6 feet or more to the greatest extent possible.”
We will also continue with the CDC recommended mitigation strategies: wearing masks, maintaining established social distancing to the greatest extent possible, using barriers as necessary, and focusing on proper hand hygiene. Our cleaning protocols will remain in place as well as guidelines on how to operate our ventilation systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. It should also be noted that contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine protocols will continue and will be adjusted as needed to reflect any necessary changes to accommodate full in-person learning. We will continue to work with our DOH to review our COVID-19 data regularly and are prepared to make adjustments in our educational model immediately.
School principals will provide more school-specific information to families and staff in the coming days and weeks, so please stay tuned. We are excited to welcome our hybrid students back for in-person learning 5 days a week.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tamu Lucero
Superintendent of Schools