Distance Learning Updates and more.....


Distance Learning Updates and more...

Dranesville Families,

As you are probably aware at this point, our Fairfax County Public Schools along with all VA schools will be closed at least through the end of this school year as per the announcement from Governor Northam on Monday, March 23, 2020.  I know this is disappointing for many reasons—we are missing our friends, the robustness of face-to-face classroom instruction, the laughter and chatter that groups of children bring, and the general hubbub of the school day. The weeks ahead will be different and challenging, and we will each have our own difficulties and triumphs dealing with all of this change. Above all, we will work together to get through this. We all need to be patient with each other and as helpful as possible to our fellow learners—school staff and administration, parents, and students alike. We are all learning as we move forward.  

I’ve had my own feelings of sadness and disappointment as my postponed shadowing of students at our middle schools comes up on my calendar along with all of the other school and community events I had planned to attend. I’m so looking forward to continuing to shadow our amazing students and staff in the Fall.

We have all been anxious to see what the longer term plan is for our students to continue their academic progress. Dr. Scott Brabrand issued the outline of that plan today. Please see below. Stay connected to the latest COVID-19 information through the FCPS website and the Fairfax County website.

Please see additional information below and do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions or concerns. I will do what I can to help you get some answers. Your family’s health and security and the education of your children are important to me, and I will do my best to keep you up to speed on what FCPS is doing. I am trying to post resources on my twitter feed @elainetholen daily.  Please encourage your friends and neighbors to subscribe to my newsletter.

I will hold my first virtual office hours using video conferencing technology. I have scheduled this for March 31 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Here is the link to join the meeting, or join by phone:  1-413-893-3322, PIN: 328 145 866#.  Let’s experiment to see how this works. I’ll also look to do some Facebook Live sessions at various times, etc. as we navigate these new experiences.

Virtual Office Hours Link:   https://meet.google.com/pqh-scyx-bim

Join by phone: 1-413-893-3322, PIN: 328 145 866#

Take Care,

Elaine

 

So Where Are We Now?....

The upcoming weeks, the FCPS Distance Learning Plan

I know many of you have been waiting to hear a longer term plan for student learning. Staff have been working hard to prepare materials for the long run.

Please see the letter just issued by Dr. Scott Brabrand on March 26. Here's the link to it: 

Economics and Personal Finance Course:

  • Self-directed Economics and Personal Finance. Students who are currently registered for one of the summer courses will receive an email through the summer school registration system to their fcpsschools.net email address with the information about beginning the course.
  • All students, regardless of which summer session they registered for, will have until July 31, 2020, to complete the course.
  • Beginning on Monday, March 30, 2020, those students who were registered for the self-directed Economics and Personal Finance course as of March 19, 2020, for either summer session 1 or summer session 2, will have the ability to begin the course online through Virtual Virginia.

Academic Resources Available Now

FCPS has developed a plan for continuity of learning while school is closed. Our goal is for students to read, write, communicate, and engage in continued learning experiences during this period. These materials are not designed to introduce new content. Students can partake in optional, self-directed learning activities posted on FCPS 24-7 Blackboard. This work will be neither required nor graded.

Additionally, our FCPS cable television channels are now broadcasting learning activities. New instructional videos are currently being recorded and will be added to the programming lineup shortly. Channel 21 includes elementary school programmingChannel 25 includes middle school programming, and Channel 99 includes high school programming.

The Cooper PTO website has a curated list of resources for your homeschooling plans: https://cooperpto.org/?p=7813.Thank you Cooper MS PTO! Stay connected through Facebook or other social media with your school and your parent organizations.

Questions About Graduation Requirements

Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane announced today that high school seniors who were on track to earn a diploma later this spring will be able to graduate.

High school seniors in the following categories will be able to graduate on time:

  • Seniors currently enrolled in a course for which they need a standard or verified credit in order to graduate (verified credits are earned by passing a required course and also passing the associated Standards of Learning test);
  • Seniors who have successfully completed a course required for graduation, but have not earned the associated verified credit; and
  • Seniors who have not passed a required student-selected SOL test;

Flexibility also is available for seniors who have not earned a required career and technical education credential, seniors who have not completed a fine or performing arts course or CTE course, seniors who were unable to complete sequential course requirements, and seniors who have not completed a course in economics and personal finance.

The vast majority of high school seniors have already met most graduation requirements. 

VDOE Guidance Memo

Standardized Testing:

  • SOLs: U.S. DOE announced last week that students impacted by school closures due to the coronavirus pandemic can bypass standardized testing for the 2019-2020 school year. Virginia is planning to submit a waiver request.
  • IB PROGRAM: The May 2020 IB examinations for Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme students are canceled. Depending on what they registered for, the student will be awarded a Diploma or a Course Certificate which reflects their standard of work.
  • AP Update: Traditional face-to-face exam administrations will not take place. Students will take a 45-minute online free-response exam at home. For each AP subject, there will be 2 different testing dates. College Board timeline for next steps:
    • March 23 – an update sent to students directly from the College Board.
    • March 25 – students will have access to College Board’s free, live AP review lessons, delivered by AP teachers from across the country. These optional, mobile-friendly classes are designed to be used alongside work that may be given by schools. Students can find the classes at youtube.com/advancedplacement
    • April 3 – the full exam schedule including the specific free-response question types that will comprise each AP exam will be published by the College Board.

First Public Virtual School Board Meeting

The school board will resume meeting this Friday at 11:00 am at Luther Jackson Middle School. Information is on our website. The agenda is below:

  • Pledge of Allegiance
  • Review/Overview of VDOE Guidance on School Closure including impact on graduation and promotion of students
  • Distance Learning Plans including supports for our most vulnerable populations
  • Grading Policy During the School Closure
  • FCPS On
  • Board Matters where board members will each have time to address constituents concerns on Covid

Really Good News

Forestville ES Supports its Sister School

Thank you, Forestville Families for your amazing generosity!

They donated $6,200 worth of grocery gift cards to the Dranesville Elementary principal this week. Principal Rae Mitchell of Dranesville ES was amazed and completely appreciative of the generosity. She will be providing the cards to Dranesville families when they are able to distribute laptops. Thank you, Mr. Washington and the Forestville Cardinals, for making this happen!

Principal Rae Mitchell

Principal Rae Mitchell of Dranesville ES

 

Staying Healthy Resources

For the most up-to-date information from the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD), visit their website and be sure to sign-up for text message alerts by texting FFXCOVID to 888-777. FCHD has a wealth of information, including details on how to stay healthy, COVID-19 symptoms, and what to do if you are sick.

Three Inova Respiratory Illness Clinics have opened to evaluate persons with respiratory illness symptoms. The three clinics will also be able to collect COVID-19 vehicle-side samples that have been ordered by physicians. Please click on the link below for more details and clinic locations.   

https://fairfaxcountyemergency.wpcomstaging.com/2020/03/25/three-inova-respiratory-illness-clinics-open-today/

Proactive measures, including social distancing such as limiting large gatherings, teleworking, and reducing travel, can slow the spread of disease and reduce the burden on medical providers by "flattening the curve." Together we can lower and delay the peak of this public health crisis.

Mental Health and Community Resources

To take care of your child(ren) during the COVID-19 outbreak: 

Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource available in Korean, Chinese, Amharic, and Spanish

To take care of yourself during COVID-19 outbreak:

Manage Anxiety & Stress

To access DFS services remotely:

Fairfax County Department of Family Services

When schools are in session, each school has a school counselor, psychologist, and social worker available to provide consultation, mental health services, and/or referrals to community services. While schools are closed, please use the resources below to secure mental health service for you or your child(ren).

Related Resources:

Assistance from a Distance - How to Access Fairfax County Department of Family Services Remotely (PDF)

Food Resources

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) buses are delivering grab and go meals along several additional bus routes to now include Herndon. FCPS is also offering curbside pickup service at two schools. Please check the Bus Route Meal Service web page for location of intersections and times. 

  • For a complete list of distribution sites and times, please click here.

Broader Resources

John Foust has a newsletter that comes out regularly with COVID-19 county and area resources for health, food access, working with neighbors, budget, child care, etc.    

Click here to subscribe to the Dranesville Dispatch e-Newsletter, the e-Bulletin “Dranesville Happenings” and important community notices.

 


The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.

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