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Farwell Schools Administration Office Hours
7am-5am Mon-Thursday
Closed Fridays
The Eagle Update - From Superintendent Steve Scoville - July 2nd, 2020
COVID 19 Preparedness and Response Plan
The Farwell Area Schools are using the Governor’s Return to Learn Plan as a starting point. We are working closely with our local Health Department, the CG-RESD, and the schools in our region to develop a plan that focuses on the safety of students and staff as our first priority. Education and Flexibility will also be key tenants to our plan. We hope to have our plan approved by our Board of Education and published by early August. I am attaching a link of a survey for parents, I welcome your input regarding your child’s education in the 2020-2021 school year
( https://forms.gle/UtWr9FPgAybM7uer9 ).
Bond Update
The work on the Farwell Area Schools Bond Project continues despite the cancelation of in person instruction. Some projects like the boiler/heating/ventilation projects for all three schools are well ahead of schedule. The two new boilers in the elementary replace 11 boilers that were 32 years of age. The two new boilers in the high school replace 8 aged boilers. All of the piping and wiring for these system have been completed in the hallways. The new boilers are far more efficient and much easier to maintain and operate. The individual room unit ventilators are being replaced as they arrive. Due to COVID -19, we are experiencing some delays in their arrival.
Our Administrative team and board committees have meet several times to review plans for secure entrances of all buildings, work that is planned for the summer of 2021. The roof projects for the high school and middle school are also started and progressing on schedule.
The project at our athletic complex that were scheduled for the summer of 2020 remain in question. Due to Michigan’s restrictive polices related to COVID-19, the contractors who were lined up to repair and resurface the track have moved on to projects in other states. This has moved our project that was scheduled for early May to the back of the list. We will know by early August if this project will be able to be done yet this summer.
Budget Uncertainty
The Farwell Area Schools continue to operate with major questions regarding our school funding. Although progress continues, it is slow and way overdue. The Leadership in Lansing is still wrestling with the funding for the 2019-2020 school year, while we are trying to determine our staffing needs for the 2020-2021 school year. Decisions that were made at the end of June could have and should have been made prior to the end of May.
Boards of Education are required to pass budgets by the end of June. The FAS BOE did this while they had many unknown details for the coming year. We are being told that the cost to educate a student in the new COVID-19 norm will increase by $500 per student / per year. Meanwhile, we are being told to anticipate funding cuts of $600 to $1000 per student for the 2020-2021 school year. The Farwell Area Schools were on track to end the 2019-2020 School year with a 10% fund balance prior to the COVID-19 Shutdown. We will continue to keep the focus on educating our students and providing them a safe and quality learning opportunity.
Schools can only make good plans if they have good facts on which to base these plans. We know the COVID-19 Pandemic will cause us to remain flexible on how we educate our students going forward. The unknowns of this virus do not excuse the leaders in Lansing and Washington from making budget decisions by the deadlines. Schools need answers regarding funding and pupil accounting. Without these details we cannot make good plans. Stakeholders of the Farwell Area Schools are encouraged to communicate your concerns to the leadership in Lansing and Washington. Schools and families need to make plans for the fall.
Schools of choice applications for 2020-2021 school year
Under the Schools of Choice legislation (Section 105 and Section 105(c) of the School Aid Act), kindergarten through twelfth grade students residing within Clare Gladwin Regional Education Service District (RESD) and contiguous intermediate school districts, may apply to Farwell Area Schools for enrollment for the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year. Application may be made for all grades (K-12) with unlimited openings.
Transportation for these students is the responsibility of the parents or guardians.
Application must be made to the school district no later than the end of the first week of school.
Wi-Fi Access
The Farwell Area Schools has wi-fi access available from the parking lots Please practice appropriate social distancing while using it.
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Bond Planning Updates
January Bond Planning Update
February Bond Planning Update
