Dear Families, 

This week was an incredibly successful start to the school year. We have much to be grateful for having this time together in person. Thank you to all the families who were able to follow through with the Social Responsibility Commitment. By doing so we are all giving our students the best chance to keep learning at school. 

With the holiday weekend on our doorstep, I would like to share the words of Dr. Ian Hoffman, the Humboldt County Health Officer who said, “In light of record hospitalizations in our county and the urgent need to help reduce exposures to COVID-19 in our schools, we ask all who are unvaccinated, including unvaccinated children, to stay home this holiday weekend. The last thing we want to see in our community is another spike in cases like we saw following the winter holidays.”

Thank you for all your support and patience as we learn how to be together on campus with the new guidelines. The feeling on the campus this week was joyful with lots of learning going on in all directions. We could not do this without your support. 

Take good care and enjoy your three day weekend. We will see everyone here on Tuesday! 

Take care, 

BethRemember to sign up for the Extended Day Program by Tuesday 9/7 4pm.

Dear Families, 

We are excited to share that we have hired a team for the Extended Day Program. We will open the program on September 13, 2021. Care will be provided both before and after school with a limited capacity. If we have more interest than slots we will hold a lottery with priority tiers. More information can be found in the Extended Day Policy and Procedures. 

We will collect student interest in the Extended Day Program, through this form. The deadline to complete the form is by Tuesday 9/7 at 4pm. Should interest be greater than capacity we will hold a lottery on Wednesday 9/8 at 9am. Families will be notified via email of their Extended Day enrollment status by 4pm on 9/8. If a family has interest at a later date they will be placed on the waitlist or enrolled according to availability. 

As a school we have always prided ourselves on not capping enrollment in the extended day program and serving ALL interested students. This year due to the challenges of the pandemic and limited staffing we may not be able to serve all interested students. If this occurs, we are committed to pursuing options so that we can once again serve all students who need care in our Extended Day program. 

If you have any questions, please reach out. I look forward to welcoming students to the Extended Day program. 

All the best, 

Directora Beth

Dear Families, 

The first day of school is just around the corner and we are happily preparing for your students’ arrival. This year will bring opportunities for us to joyfully connect and learn as we navigate the continued pandemic. While there are challenges, we have learned a lot over the past two years that brings me confidence and when we work together we can do great for the students and families of Fuente Nueva. 

At last night’s charter council meeting (the FNCC is the Board of Directors for our school), the council reviewed the safety plans that have been developed based on the latest guidance from California Department of Public Health. The robust safety procedures that we had in place last year will change very little. Below is a short list of what safety protocols will be in place. The full plans may be viewed on our website or obtained through our main office. 

• Universal masking at all times for students and staff during the school day with the exception of when eating. 
  • Students will be regularly instructed in proper masking hygiene. For example, no touching your mouth or nose under the mask and washing the masks regularly 
  • Students and staff will follow the CDPH Guidance for Face Coverings 
  • If students do not have a mask or have one that is not secure on their face allowing regular unmasked air flow to move freely through gaps or the fabric, we will supply them with a cloth or surgical mask to use. 
• During eating times there will be assigned seating with maximum space between students
• Daily health screenings completed by all students and staff  that will mandate that: 
  • Community members stay home when they are sick 
  • Cases of COVID-19 are reported to the school and proper quarantine process will be followed. 
  • Student and staff exposures to COVID-19 are reported to the main office and proper quarantine process will be followed. 
• Regular hand washing throughout the school day. Students will be instructed on proper hand washing. 
• We will follow the Covid-19 Response in a School Setting guidelines developed by the Humboldt County Office of Education in consultation with Humboldt County Public Health. 
• When practical, physical distancing of three feet when seated and six feet when eating will be used both indoors and outdoors. 
• Students will be dropped off by parents at specific locations. Parents will be able be able to leave their child at the drop off location once it has been verified that the health screening is complete: 
  • Kindergarten will walk students around the back of leavey hall to the classroom
  • First and third grade students will be walked to the south wing entrance
  • Second, fourth and fifth grade students will be walked to the main entrance
• Visitors on the campus will be restricted to the main office walk up window 
• Outdoor classrooms and learning areas will be utilized to their full potential
• Enhanced cleaning and sanitizing procedures will followed
• Vaccination verification for all employees – weekly testing mandated for those who are unvaccinated and encouraged for all staff

Fuente Nueva has opted to offer a long term independent study program for students whose health would be put at risk by in-person instruction, as determined by their parent or guardian. This option has been created through State Assembly Bill 130 which was adopted in June. Fuente Nueva has gone above and beyond the state mandates and created a long term independent study program for our students. We ask that families who choose to opt-in to independent study do so one trimester at a time. 

By opting into the long term independent study program, families are agreeing to become their student’s primary educational provider. The school will provide guidance to the family and student through assignments and some synchronous instruction. This will be different from last year’s distance learning model where we had lower expectations of what the family was able to provide for their students at home. Another difference from last year is that students who are enrolled in the long term independent study program will have Maestra Olivia Obidah Dunn as their teacher of record. The regular grade level teacher will collaborate with Maestra Olivia to align instruction to the classroom when possible. 

As a Spanish immersion school we want to emphasize that the instruction in the independent Study program will be offered primarily in English with opportunities for students to engage in conversational Spanish during zoom lessons and through various online platforms. Students who have a higher level of Spanish proficiency already will be provided with more opportunities for instruction and independent work in Spanish. 

Before choosing independent study for your student, please review:

• Long Term Independent Study Program Description 
• Independent Study Policy
• Independent Study Contract 

To request long term independent study for your student, fill out this google form by Monday 8/23 at 10am. This will give us the necessary time to plan for the first day of school on 8/30. Please note that students who are served through an Individualized Education Plan must hold an IEP meeting for the team to discuss and decide if the program is appropriate for that student’s individual needs. 

As always if you have any questions, concerns, ideas, please feel free to reach out. My schedule is busy, but I find that making time to connect with families is an essential part of my success as a school leader. If you want to make an appointment contact me at 822-3348 or email me at bwylie@fuentenueva.org. 

Thank you families for being a part of the Fuente Nueva community. I look forward to working with you this school year and beyond. 

With warm regards, 

Directora Beth

Dear Families,

(Español abajo)

A Note from the Director – March 2021

Dear Families,
We are very excited to have students back on campus, and that official date is starting to come into focus. The latest board approved plan for reopening states that we will reopen once all staff had the opportunity for their vaccine shots to reach full efficacy (7-10 days post second shot or 5 weeks from first shot). This puts the target date for the start of the hybrid model in mid-March.

Knowing we have had target dates before; I suggest that you share this information with your child with the understanding that the date will be made final once all teachers have had the offer of the 2nd shot. We plan to share with kids that the date is coming but that it can still be impacted by vaccine availability.

As we move closer to this date, we know students will need to prepare emotionally and physically. Staff have worked hard to be ready and we are thrilled to feel the reality of what is to come. Teachers are crafting new strategies to meet the demands of the hybrid model. This will be yet another entirely new program. Communication and patience will be key as we learn this new normal together. Thank you for all your support and patience as we move forward!

Directora Beth

***

Una carta de la directora – marzo 2021

Estimadas familias,
Estamos muy emocionados de tener estudiantes de vuelta en el campus, y esa fecha oficial está comenzando a ser enfocada. El último plan para reabrir indica que reabriremos una vez que todo el personal haya tenido la oportunidad de que sus vacunas alcancen la máxima. Esto pone la fecha objetivo para el inicio del modelo híbrido a mediados de marzo.

Sabiendo que hemos tenido fechas objetivo antes; le sugiero que comparta esta información con su hijo con el entendimiento de que la fecha será final una vez que todos las maestras hayan tenido la oferta de la segunda inyección. Planeamos compartir con los niños que la fecha está llegando, pero que todavía puede verse afectada por la disponibilidad de vacunas.

A medida que nos acercamos a esta fecha, sabemos que los estudiantes tendrán que prepararse física y emocionalmente. El personal ha trabajado duro para estar listo. Las maestras están elaborando nuevas estrategias. La comunicación y la paciencia serán clave a medida que aprendamos esta nueva normalidad juntos. Gracias por todo su apoyo a medida que avanzamos!

Directora Beth

(Espanõl abajo)

Dear Families,

On Wednesday evening the charter council had their regular monthly meeting. The content of the meeting included a presentation about the layered safety precautions that FNCS has in place for in person learning as well as an update to our current status. As for readiness, the school physically has what we need, we have a plan and we are ready for when students are able to return.

A few parents attended and shared with grace and composure their life’s experience related to distance learning. Both the content of the presentations along with public input prompted the council to consider a restructure to the instructional model criteria for the start of the hybrid model (currently written to begin the hybrid model when the county is in the orange/yellow tier for two consecutive weeks). The idea was to change the reopening criteria to follow state guidance (begin the hybrid model when in the red tier for two consecutive weeks). We also had a discussion about the waivers available to allow schools to reopen while the county is in the purple tier. Not everyone was in favor of doing that, but there was support for me to explore the process of applying and bring information back to the council to consider.

The following day, all of the guidelines for schools to reopen were changed. There is no longer a waiver process available to schools. In addition, the state criteria for reopening has shifted to allow schools to reopen a hybrid model when the county is in the purple tier with an adjusted case rate below 25 cases per 100,000 population. Currently Humboldt County has a case rate of 25.2, which means currently there is no path to reopening until local conditions change.

The council will meet in the coming weeks to further discuss the options available and consider target dates for reopening. When this date is chosen, please remember that local conditions will impact our ability to reopen on that date. Family input at meetings cannot be underestimated. The council truly appreciates hearing your experience, needs and ideas for moving forward.

It goes without saying that the staff at Fuente Nueva miss “normal” school and are so eager to have students back on campus. We also want to do that safely and in a trauma sensitive way. I look forward to when that day arrives. My door is always open, so please feel free to reach out if you want to discuss this with me personally.

All the best,

Beth

***

Estimadas familias,

El miércoles por la noche el consejo de la escuela tuvo su reunión mensual regular. El contenido de la reunión incluyó una presentación sobre las precauciones de seguridad en capas que Fuente Nueva tiene en su lugar para el aprendizaje en persona, así como una actualización de nuestro estado actual. En cuanto a la preparación, la escuela físicamente tiene lo que necesitamos, tenemos un plan y estamos listos para cuando los estudiantes puedan regresar.

Algunos padres asistieron y compartieron con gracia y con compostura la experiencia de sus vidas relacionada con el aprendizaje a distancia. Tanto el contenido de las presentaciones como la opinión pública llevaron al consejo a considerar una reestructuración de los criterios del modelo instructivo para el inicio del modelo híbrido de aprendizaje (actualmente escrito para comenzar el modelo híbrido cuando el condado está en el nivel naranja/amarillo durante dos semanas consecutivas). La idea era cambiar los criterios de reapertura para seguir las instrucciones estatales (comenzar el modelo híbrido cuando está en el nivel rojo durante dos semanas consecutivas). También tuvimos una discusión sobre las exenciones disponibles para permitir que las escuelas reabrieron mientras el condado está en el nivel púrpura. No todo el mundo estaba a favor de hacerlo, pero me apoyó que explorara el proceso de aplicación y que el consejo examinará la información.

Al día siguiente – ayer – se cambiaron todas las pautas para que las escuelas reabran. Ya no hay un proceso de exención disponible para las escuelas. Además, el criterio estatal para reabrir ha cambiado para permitir que las escuelas reabran un modelo híbrido cuando el condado está en el nivel púrpura con una tasa de casos ajustada por debajo de 25 casos por 100,000 habitantes. Actualmente el condado de Humboldt tiene una tasa de casos de 25.2, lo que significa que actualmente no hay camino para reabrir hasta que cambien las condiciones locales.

El consejo se reunirá en las próximas semanas para seguir discutiendo las opciones disponibles y considerar las fechas previstas para la reapertura. Cuando se elija esta fecha, recuerde que las condiciones locales afectarán nuestra capacidad de reabrir en esa fecha. No se puede subestimar la aportación de la familia en las reuniones. El consejo realmente aprecia escuchar su experiencia, necesidades e ideas para seguir adelante.

No hace falta decir que el personal de Fuente Nueva falta en la escuela “normal” y están tan ansiosos de tener estudiantes de vuelta en el campus. También queremos hacerlo de forma segura y sensible a los traumas. Espero con ansias cuando llegue ese día. Mi puerta siempre está abierta, así que no dude en comunicarse si desea hablar conmigo personalmente.

Atentamente,

Beth

(Español abajo)

Dear Fuente Nueva Families, 

As a community we recognize that this is a very anxious time for students, staff and families alike. The violence that occurred last week in our nation’s capital and the continued attack on our democracy may create additional stress in our daily lives. Stress that the students are sure to also be experiencing. This letter is in an effort to provide some encouragement for us all to support one another as we navigate this moment in our nation’s history. 

With images circulating and words such as riots, insurrection, and coup being used in our news cycles it is no doubt that some are experiencing big emotions in response. Using our words to share our feelings with those around us can be grounding and provide a space for deeper understanding. It is common for some parents to wonder if we should talk to our young children about big events like this. The answer is yes. They know way more than you think and if we don’t talk to them, they will fill in their gaps of knowledge on their own. 

This letter is to support families in having conversations at home. A great place to start is just asking your child what they know as often it is more than you think. For our youngest children we don’t have to feel pressured to fill in all the facts, just tell them what they want to know and the big ideas of what happened in age appropriate language. A recent article by NPR offers a few resources along with this list of resources that is being shared with teachers of students TK-12. 

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please feel free to contact me to set up a time to connect. Thank you for your continued partnership in educating our community’s youth. 

All the best, 

Beth

***

Estimadas familias de Fuente Nueva,

Como comunidad, reconocemos que este es un momento muy ansioso, tanto para los estudiantes como para el personal y las familias. La violencia que ocurrió la semana pasada en la capital de nuestra nación y el ataque continuado a nuestra democracia pueden crear estrés adicional en nuestra vida diaria. Un estrés que los estudiantes seguramente también experimentaron. Esta carta es un esfuerzo para proporcionar un poco de aliento para que todos nos apoyemos unos a otros, mientras navegamos este momento en la historia de nuestra nación.

Con imágenes que circulan y palabras como disturbios, insurrección y golpe de estado que se utilizan en nuestras noticias, no hay duda de que algunos de nosotros estamos sintiendo grandes emociones en respuesta. Usar nuestras palabras para compartir nuestros sentimientos con los que nos rodean puede ser la puesta a tierra y proporcionar un espacio para una comprensión más profunda. Es común que algunos padres y madres se preguntan si deberían hablar con los niños pequeños de un acontecimiento tan grande como este. La respuesta es sí. Los niños saben mucho más de lo que cree usted, y si no hablamos con ellos, llenarán sus vacíos de conocimiento por sí solos. 

Esta carta es para apoyar a las familias en tener conversaciones en casa. Un gran lugar para comenzar es simplemente preguntarle a su hijo lo que saben, como a menudo es más de lo que usted piensa. Para nuestros hijos más pequeños no tenemos que sentirnos presionados para llenar todos los hechos, simplemente decirles lo que quieren saber y las grandes ideas de lo que sucedió en un lenguaje apropiado para la edad. Un artículo reciente de NPR (en inglés) ofrece algunos recursos junto con esta lista de recursos (en inglés) que se comparte con los maestros de los estudiantes TK-12.

Si tiene alguna pregunta o desea hablar más sobre esto, no dude en ponerse en contacto conmigo para establecer una hora de conexión. Gracias por su continua colaboración en la educación de los jóvenes de nuestra comunidad.

Atentamente,

Beth

(Español abajo)

A Note from the Director – November 2020

Dear Families,

Safety of our students and staff has always been the top priority for Fuente Nueva. As we move towards reopening for in person instruction safety is a part of every discussion we have. Most of us have experienced the sensation of having to learn a lot of new information while living through a pandemic. In addition, the guidance continues to evolve as scientists discover more about actions we can take for our communities safety. It is all quite a lot.

With each step we have taken to educate ourselves on how to create the safest environment in the time of coronavirus, I can confidently say that Fuente Nueva is taking every precaution possible. At the same time, we are committed to being flexible and transparent as we move forward.

The on-campus instruction plan is now available for your review. I encourage you each to take the time to read through the material and understand your role in helping to contribute to the safety of our students, staff and families. It is only together that we can be most effective in our goals.

Please, if you have ideas, thoughts, questions or concerns, my door is always open, and I encourage you to never underestimate the power of collaboration. Together we rise to the challenge.

Directora Beth

***

Una carta de la directora – Noviembre de 2020

Estimadas familias,

La seguridad de nuestros estudiantes y personal siempre ha sido la máxima prioridad para Fuente Nueva. A medida que avanzamos hacia la reapertura de la instrucción en persona, la seguridad es parte de cada discusión que tenemos. La mayoría de nosotros hemos experimentado la sensación de tener que aprender mucha información nueva mientras vivimos una pandemia. Además, la guía continúa evolucionando a medida que los científicos descubren más sobre las acciones que podemos tomar para la seguridad de nuestras comunidades.

Con cada paso que hemos dado para educarnos sobre cómo crear el ambiente más seguro en el tiempo del coronavirus, puedo decir con confianza que Fuente Nueva está tomando todas las precauciones posibles. Al mismo tiempo, estamos comprometidos a ser flexibles y transparentes a medida que avancamos.

El plan de instrucción en el campus está ahora disponible para su revisión. Les animo a cada uno a tomarse el tiempo para leer el material y entender su papel en ayudar a contribuir a la seguridad de nuestros estudiantes, personal y familias. Solo juntos podemos ser más efectivos en nuestros objetivos.

Por favor, si tienes ideas o pensamientos, mi puerta siempre está abierta, y te animo a nunca subestimar el poder de la colaboración. Juntos estamos a la altura del desafío.

Directora Beth