Freire Charter School Wilmington

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information and Resources

Updated July 22, 2021

Resources for Families

Full In-Person Learning Will Resume for the 2021-22 School Year

When the new school year begins in August 2021, we are excited to announce that we plan to be 100% in-person, discontinuing our virtual learning programs. All students will learn in-person Monday through Friday following a regular full-day schedule.

Parents, students, and staff who have been learning and working in the building during hybrid these past two months have commented about how safe they feel. And, our entire Freire Schools team is committed to ensuring that the school day structure and our safety protocols support a safe return to school for all our kids this fall.

For example, we are monitoring the evolving CDC guidance around wearing masks indoors. For the remainder of this school year, everyone in the building will continue to be required to wear masks. If that precaution changes for summer school or next year based on state or federal guidance, we will communicate this to all families.

In the coming weeks, you will receive more information about the school calendar, daily schedule, and safety protocols. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns about our return to full in-person instruction in August, please reach out to me.

The COVID-19 Vaccine is Now Available for Children Age 12 and Up

On Monday, May 10, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer vaccine to include anyone ages 12 and older.

We know that children are not immune to COVID-19, but it is a vaccine-preventable disease just like measles, mumps and other childhood diseases. We strongly encourage you to consider vaccinating your child to protect them, your family, and our school community. In the vaccine trial for students aged 12-15, there was 100% efficacy and no reported serious side effects.

You can get more information and find vaccination opportunities by clicking here. Please note: written parental consent is required to vaccinate individuals younger than 18 years old in Delaware, however the parent is not required to be on site with the child during the vaccination.

Our Summer School Program is Exciting and In-Person

Summer school looks a lot different this year! We have designed a summer school program that provides students an opportunity to recharge their academics and reconnect with their peers in a variety of fun activities and field trips.

Kids will meet at the school for sessions that will help them accelerate their academic growth and will be able to participate in activities such as ballet, hip hop, fashion design, creative writing, drama, cheer/step/stomp, film production, entrepreneurship, barbershop lessons, etc. — either at the school or at partner sites. We will be forwarding sign-up information shortly. Please note that activities vary by campus. Some virtual activities will also be available.

Our summer school program is open to students needing to recover credits. Please look out for further communication about eligibility. This program will give kids a leg up for next year’s learning and help them come together as a community again.

Our hybrid learning program was an important first step toward resuming regular instruction. Our in-person summer school program is the next step in getting kids ready to Breathe Fire in full-time, in-person learning this fall.

We were able to rise to every challenge over the past 15 months because our families have been such supportive educational partners. Thank you. We are excited to partner with you in this next phase for Freire Schools.

Food Services

Freire Wilmington is excited to announce expanded meal delivery service. In conjunction with the CEB (Community Education Building) and Lehane’s Bus Services, we will now be able to provide meal deliveries directly to your home. Current hub meal stops will continue until further notice. All deliveries will need to be pre-ordered.  Place your order by clicking here.

After signing up for meal service ONCE, families will continue to receive meals each week until a request to stop delivery is made by the family. Please click here for more information and detailed instructions on how to sign up. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Communication

It is critical that we are able to communicate easily with both students and parents in order to share important updates and information. We are committed to working in partnership with our families, as allies, to provide the best education possible to your students. If your contact information changes at any time during the school year, please notify Ms. Katie (katie.pollard@freirewilmington.org).

In addition to email and phone communications, please follow the directions below to receive class specific and schoolwide text messages and updates via the Remind app:

  • 8th Grade: Text “@fcsw2026” to the number 81010
  • 9th Grade: Text “@fcsw2025” to the number 81010
  • 10th Grade: Text “@fcsw2024” to the number 81010
  • 11th Grade: Text “@fcsw2023” to the number 81010
  • 12th Grade: Text “@fcsw2022” to the number 81010

You can also choose to download the Remind app on a mobile device and “join a class” by using the code for your student’s grade.

I need help accessing Google Classroom or my Chromebook!

COVID-19 Updates

You can find an active count of the reported cases in DE, as well as up-to-date information on how the Division of Public Health is responding to this health crisis here: https://coronavirus.delaware.gov/

Please check your email regularly for important updates and information from Freire Wilmington! If you are not currently signed up for Freire’s weekly newsletter emails, please click here to sign up.

Staying Safe

While your student(s) remains home, we encourage you to continue practicing good hygiene, which includes:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
  • Get vaccinated for the flu is you have not already
  • Don’t shake hands or high five – consider a friendly toe tap or elbow bump

If you feel for any reason your child may have or has been exposed to the novel coronavirus, please contact your doctor immediately. Virus symptoms can range from mild to severe and could include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear in a few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure.

We will remain in close contact with the State of Delaware and local public health officials throughout the duration of this closure and will provide updates to families as appropriate.

We encourage you to stay informed of the situation by regularly checking updates from Division of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

We understand this is a time of uncertainty and concern. We will work through this together to keep our students, families, and staff safe.

If you have health-related questions, please contact the Coronavirus hotline at 1-866-408-1899 OR your family physician. If you have questions about our school, please contact Mr. Paul. Thank you for your cooperation and support.

See below for more information about the virus and how you can prevent spreading illness:

What are the symptoms?

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath

How does it spread?

  • The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person:
    • Between people who are in close contact with one another (within 6 feet)
    • Via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes
    • These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possible be inhaled into the lungs
  • Spread from contact with infected surfaces or objects

How can you help protect yourself and others?

  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects (e.g. doorknobs, tables, light switches, cell phones, keyboards, etc.)
  • If you are sick, stay home until your fever is gone for 24 hours
  • Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds
  • Cover your nose and mouth with tissue when you cough or sneeze – and wash your hands after
  • Avoid putting fingers in your mouth, ears, or eyes

If you plan on traveling in the next few weeks, please refer to the CDC’s page on travel guidance and advice.

The Delaware Division of Public Health has opened a call center to take questions from the public, schools, medical providers, state agencies and community organizations. Hours of operation will be 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The call center number is 1-866-408-1899. Individuals can also submit email questions to DPHCall@delaware.gov

We remain hopeful that COVID-19 does not cause an emergency for the Freire Schools community. We will continue to monitor the recommendations from state and local authorities and will update you with any changes.

More Resources

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out.