Fairfield Community and Parents,

This information was released yesterday...

"Gov. Greg Gianforte said Wednesday he would lift a statewide mask requirement later this week after signing a bill that is intended to protect businesses and health care providers from coronavirus-related lawsuits."

Please note this did not refer to public entities like schools in regard to the announcement that will occur tomorrow. Nevertheless, I understand this has created some questions and caused some concern. Please be at ease. Schools primarily operate day to day under local control and board policy, which was adopted even before the governor's mask mandate was put in place. Our board adopted 1900 Policies are very comprehensive and currently provide the health related guidance for the school and covid protocols. We are still under the statewide "state of emergency" and also have to adhere to our adopted "Return to School Plan," which includes face coverings and quarantines. School policy is driven by guidance from county health, so regardless of what the governor says tomorrow, schools still adhere to board policy. The current mask policy is no different than school dress code, local grade and graduation requirements or not driving at lunch time.

Once the Governor makes his announcement tomorrow, we will work with the Board to determine if any other discussion regarding changes in our processes need to occur. If there are changes that are needed, the staff will be included in that discussion. For now, the important thing to note is that our students and staff are required to continue following the same processes that we have been following all year with regards to face-coverings. The legislation regarding litigation currently does not include schools so we are also still under the "standard of care" laws which are based on negligence. Also, if the MHSA continues to require masks to be worn by athletes and coaches, it is very likely schools will all continue to follow suit and support whatever is necessary for the students to play.

Our last outbreak and shift to remote learning coincided with the conclusion of fall post-season activities. We are once again closing in on the winter post-season and I am not sure any schools will jeopardize participation in those events, and at the same time do what we can to keep the school open.
We are having a North Central Montana Administrators meeting tomorrow after the press conference, where we plan to discuss and collaborate about how the governor's new information will impact schools and where we go from here. The tone coming out of today's state-wide administrator conversations was pretty universal and reflected, "we are finally getting into a regular routine with everything and would simply like to continue down the safest path to get to the end without having to go backwards."

Again, the ultimate goal for schools is quite simply, to keep kids here in person and avoid further closure, particularly in the elementary. If masks, seating charts and assigned lunch tables help make that happen, schools will continue to honor all the work that has been done to get to this point. We are all looking forward to the day we do not wear masks and look through plastic, but I am not sure that day is tomorrow.

SCOLARSHIP INFORMATION
2nd Semester Scholarship Deadline is March 15, 2021.
Please submit an unofficial transcript along with your spring registration to: bevans@fairfield.k12.mt.us

Reapplication Deadline for those who qualify is April 1st, 2021
Reapplication forms were included with your scholarship. Anyone needing a new form may contact the school office.

Teton County law enforcement officials are inviting the public to attend an informative assembly about recent dealings with a sexual predator. Please come to the north doors of the gym and sit in the north bleachers.

When: Wednesday, January 27, 2021
Time: 6:15 PM
Where: Fairfield School Big Gym. North doors, north bleachers

Please wear a mask and physically distance.