All F-M schools to shift to remote instruction Dec. 21-23
Out of an abundance of concern for the health and safety of students and teachers leading up to the district’s winter recess, all Fayetteville-Manlius School District schools will shift to remote instruction only Monday, Dec. 21, through Wednesday, Dec. 23, which is the last day of instruction before the district’s break.
District officials determined the shift is necessary due to the significant number of students and staff who have been placed in isolation and/or quarantine, which is at its highest level since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the substitute teacher shortage that is anticipated prior to the school break.
Teachers will provide synchronous instruction on Monday and Tuesday in accordance with the typical school bell schedule, and Wednesday, Dec. 23, will follow a similar schedule and routine to what has been in place on Wednesdays since the start of the school year.
“Due to the significant number of staff members who have been placed either in isolation or quarantine, it became increasingly apparent this past week that the district was facing challenges in staffing and securing substitutes for those positions,” Superintendent Craig J. Tice said. “I understand this shift to remote instruction only may pose an inconvenience for some families, and I appreciate everyone’s flexibility and patience as we work through this challenge,”
The district office and all school building main offices will remain open and operational, and food service will continue to provide breakfast and lunch with meals available for pick up on Mondays and Wednesdays. In addition, the district’s transportation department will continue to transport students to programs outside of the school district as long as those programs remain open.
The district’s winter recess is Dec. 24 to Jan. 1. At this point in time, the district plans to return to its regular in-person hybrid learning model on Monday, Jan. 4.