LEXINGTON, Ky. — Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) is planning to begin its graduated return to in-person learning the week of Feb. 16-19. Acting Superintendent Marlene Helm announced the decision in a letter sent to families Tuesday evening.
What You Need To Know
- FCPS plans to begin graduated return to in-person learning the week of Feb. 16-19
- Students in grades K-2 will return to school Feb. 16, while all other grade levels will continue with NTI: 2DL until their return date is determined
- Remote learning will continue to be an option for those who chose it
- Acting Superintendent Helm said the district will review conditions on Feb. 9 to affirm the decision
"Efforts to curtail infection rates appear to be working, and we are excited to share that the 7-day average of COVID-19 cases is 168 today, trending down from a high of 264 in January," Helm wrote. "Although Fayette County remains in the purple range of the FCPS In-Person Learning Matrix, we are optimistic – as are our partners with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department – that cases will continue to decrease."
Students in grades K-2 whose families chose in-person learning will return to school on Tuesday, Feb. 16, while all other grade levels will continue with NTI: 2DL until their return date is determined. Remote learning will continue to be an option for those who chose it.
Helm said the district will review conditions on Feb. 9 to affirm the decision since it was based on current and anticipated data.
"As we have shared previously, the FCPS In-Person Learning Matrix is not based on a single number. When making decisions about the appropriate mode of instruction, we also consider orders from the governor, student and staff absences, isolations and quarantines, operations and support considerations, community vs. institutional spread, community trends, and vaccine uptake," she added.
Helm said the announcement was based on other factors, such as:
- Decreased community spread of COVID-19
- FCPS employees' level of immunity after receiving their first vaccine dose
- FCPS employees will be eligible to receive their second COVID-19 vaccination the week of Feb. 8-12, 2021, and Feb. 16-19, 2021
- The number of students and staff testing positive for COVID-19 is lower than the first half of January
"Again, we appreciate all our community is doing to help limit the spread and we are excited about welcoming our students back to campus," Helm wrote.
FCPS schools and offices will be closed Feb. 15 for President's Day.