Winding Down School Year 2019-2020 and Gearing Up for 2020-2021
First, Dranesville families, let me thank you for your continued communication and for your caring outreach. We have been through a tremendously rough spring and summer and must still work together to keep our community safe and healthy. Thank you to those who have reached out to ask about helping other families. I have some information at the end of this newsletter on organizations that are doing this work.
I end this school year with mixed emotions. Yes, I’m a bit weary and disappointed in this time of COVID as we are seeing clearly how it is limiting our opportunities. We were moving toward a situation where we thought we could really give families a choice for education this fall and then were not able to follow through. I know this is really hard for our families to adjust to this change, and everyone is working hard to figure out how the fall will work for their family. But, I am also buoyed by the determination of families, administrators, support staff, and teachers to do all we can to overcome the challenges COVID has thrown at us and to ensure a successful, meaningful new school year for our students.
When health data, staffing, and scheduling allows, I hope to honor the choices our families and teachers made earlier this summer for the learning environment they wanted to try. I asked Dr. Brabrand for a plan to open our schools as soon as we can, even if it is for select groups of students in the beginning. A number of our board members, including myself, have been asking for metrics to know when it is advisable to open schools from a health perspective. Dr. Brabrand mentioned during our worksession on July 21, he has been pushing the state for this along with other VA superintendents of suburban/urban school districts. Just this weekend, this article came out, so I am hopeful we will make progress in this direction.
I am also advocating to keep our principals, assistant principals, student services staff, and teachers at the table in planning our virtual start--they are on the ground and know how to make whatever we are doing work in the most creative way possible. I am happy to say my work to have a full time school based technology specialist (SBTS) at every school was successful. I have already heard from principals about their summer work with their SBTS to prepare training for staff and families to make fall virtual learning as successful as possible and to prepare for a return to in-person learning in as seamless a fashion as can be done.
Even with COVID-19, lots of other work is moving forward, and I am happy to finish out this school year with improvements to the Student Rights and Responsibilities document and procedures that support restorative justice; happy to have a new name for Lee HS that represents our values of equity and inclusion and honors the late Congressman John Lewis; happy we are setting the course for new audits of our system to include one for special education services and one for a business continuity plan; and pass a budget that will allow us to provide virtual learning and to prepare for safely moving students and staff into our schools even as we deal with the COVID virus.
Enjoy the rest of your summer.
Elaine
Outreach to the Community
Please Note the July 28 Town Hall mentioned in my last newsletter is being postponed. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
Monday August 31, 7 pm to 8:30 pm - Stella Pekarsky, the Sully District School Board Member, and I will hold a Back To School Town Hall to discuss what our fall opening will look like. I will share more information, including the link for the Back to School Town Hall meeting, soon.
Although the School Board currently does not have any public meetings scheduled for August, watch for the announcement of a public worksession on Return to School in mid-late August. I will be checking email so do not hesitate to reach out to me.
I also have office hours scheduled through August and into September, and you can sign up HERE for a 15 minute phone conversation. Students are encouraged to contact me.
Please watch my Facebook page and Twitter account for announcements regarding other public events through the month of August.
School Board Committee Work/Advisory Committees
For the 2020-2021 school year, I am happy to work on the following committees:
Comprehensive Planning Development Committee (CPDC): I am joining this committee, which designs and recommends a comprehensive planning process, monitors that process, and suggests improvements to the Board. The committee includes two other FCPS School Board members and a representative from Fairfax City.
Joint Environmental Task Force (JET): I will be continuing the work I am doing on green career and workforce development. This year I brought our Career and Technical Education staff to our work group and have connected with a national group doing analysis on green career markets and preparing materials to share with counselors. I also look forward to supporting the energy conservation, waste reduction, and transportation work groups.
Audit Committee: I am happy to continue work on this committee monitoring our usual audits of financial procedures and other mechanisms in our schools. In addition, we have very important work to do looking at our special education programs and our business continuity plans.
Fairfax County Park Authority Liaison: I will continue in this position and was happy this year to help facilitate FCPA and FCPS collaborations to develop virtual and in-person field trips that align to our curriculum. This work is an extension of the work I was doing when I was an employee of FCPS, and I am happy to see it continue. These field trips are oriented toward science and social studies content.
School Board Citizen Advisory Committees: Dranesville needs representation on the Human Resources, Minority Student Achievement Oversight, and the Career and Technical Education Committees. Thanks to those of you who have already submitted resumes. Expect to hear from me in August. If you are interested in applying, please send your resume to me asap.
Welcome New Principals
Hutchison ES Welcomes Ms. Sarah Aiello!
Ms. Aiello has had diverse leadership experience in multiple school settings within FCPS, most recently as principal of Spring Hill Elementary School. She is familiar with the Hutchison Elementary School staff, parents and community as Ms. Aiello was an assistant principal at Hutchison Elementary School prior to becoming principal at Spring Hill Elementary School. She is a skilled administrator who is capable of increasing student achievement while maintaining a positive school culture. She understands the importance of engagement in supporting students and their families and attaining the aspirational tenets of Portrait of a Graduate. Ms. Aiello’s previous work with family engagement and partnerships will serve her well in this new role.
We thank Sharamaine Williams for her work as Interim Principal over the past year. She saw Hutchison through our period of COVID-19, and we cannot thank her enough for her dedicated work for this community.
Longfellow Middle School Welcomes Dr. Jim Patrick!
Dr. Jim Patrick is an ideal match for the principal position at Longfellow Middle School. He comes to us from Lake Braddock SS. Dr. Patrick brings a holistic approach to the education of the ‘middle school’ child. As a former Social Studies teacher, he brings a deep understanding of Portrait of a Graduate skills through the lens of equity. His time at Lake Braddock has given him the opportunity to work with middle school teachers and students, supervising several departments across the entire school as well as overseeing the middle school after school program. He is a champion for the arts and believes in educating the whole child. He works to raise all student voices and has a track record at Lake Braddock of instituting platforms for students to be heard. He has proven during his time at Lake Braddock that he listens thoughtfully to all stakeholders and builds strong relationships. Dr. Patrick perfectly matches what the Longfellow community wants in its next principal, and his experiences in his previous positions are evidence that he can build on the success that Longfellow has experienced and work to ensure it is a great school for every child.
We thank Wendy Eaton for stepping up to fill the interim principal position this summer and are so happy to have her back in her role as assistant principal at Longfellow.
Haycock ES principal selection process is underway.
The first community meeting for selection of a new principal at Haycock ES was held July 21. Please watch for the timeline for this process.
A huge thank you to Mr. Augie Fratalli for continuing in his role as Interim Principal as this search moves forward. Mr. Fratalli has been a huge support to our community through several transitions and through our spring and summer experience with COVID-19.
New Principal for Spring Hill ES
With Sarah Aiello moving to Hutchison ES, a search for a new principal for Spring Hill ES will begin soon. Mr. Sal Rivera will serve as the interim principal until a new principal is selected.
McLean High School Overcrowding
The modular at McLean High School is in the process of being installed, and we are still aiming for occupancy for the second semester of the school year.
Work on the boundary study between McLean HS and Langley HS will continue in the 2020-2021 school year in a virtual manner. Please watch for notices for our first public meetings. The middle schools, Longfellow MS and Cooper MS, are now also included.
With FCPS staff, I am collaborating with Supervisor John Foust's office and the McLean Citizen Association to look at the McLean/Tysons Development analysis that needs to be done to project capacity for McLean and Langley HS pyramid schools.
FCPSOn/Schoology/Technology for this Fall
There are lots of technology upgrades happening this fall for our students. Many student laptops will be issued before school starts. Families, please stay in close touch with your school for announcements and information on when to pick up your computer.
Middle Schools will start FCPSOn this fall. Every middle school student will have an FCPS issued laptop. See the FCPSOn webpage for basic information on this program.
Rising Freshmen, please stay in contact with your high school for information on picking up your FCPSOn computer before school begins.
Elementary School students will be issued the old MS laptops and the additional laptops FCPS budgeted for this year. Sixth grade students and 5th graders in Title One schools will be issued new laptops.
Langley High School, Cooper Middle School, and Churchill Road ES will be pilot schools for Schoology this year. This new Learning Management System will replace Blackboard Learn after the next school year. Your school administrators will help you understand how this will work as school gets started.
VHSL News Release About Sports and Activities for 2020-21 School Year
The VHSL Executive Committee meeting in special session today voted (34-1-0) to move forward with Model 3 in its re-opening of sports and activities for the 2020-21 school year. Model 3 delays all VHSL sports and activities until December 14 and adopts the Condensed Interscholastic Plan. This model leaves all sports in the season where they are currently aligned.
Model 3 – Condensed Interscholastic Plan.
- Season 1 (Winter) December 14 – February 20 (First Contest Date – December 28)
- basketball, gymnastics, indoor track, swim/dive, wrestling
- Season 2 (Fall) February 15 – May 1 (First Contest Date – March 1)
- cheer, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, volleyball
- Season 3 (Spring) April 12 – June 26 (First Contest Date – April 26)
- baseball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field
“We all understand the physical and mental health benefits of getting our students back to a level of participation. The Condensed Interscholastic Plan Leaves open the opportunity to play all sports in all three seasons if Virginia moves beyond Phase III and/or Phase III guidelines are revised and High Risk Activities are allowed,” said VHSL Executive Director Dr. John W. “Billy” Haun. “This plan also allows schools the opportunity to open the year and get school started and deal with issues such as schedules, academic plans, transportation, dealing with possible outbreaks of COVID in the school."
“The VHSL will continue to work closely with the best available information and directives provided by the Governor, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).” Haun said.
Where to Help:
2020 Collect for Kids School Supply Drive to be Online-Only
As we look forward to a virtual start to our new school year, students need school supplies to be prepared to learn. Once again, Fairfax County Public Schools and the Foundation for FCPS are leading the Collect for Kids effort, a consortium of not-for-profit, for-profit, and government entities promoting, coordinating, and providing school supply drives to benefit FCPS students that otherwise might go without them.
This year, to help keep staff, students, and volunteers safe, the Collect for Kids effort is moving exclusively to a virtual, online-only campaign. All donated funds will be used to purchase assembled grade-level appropriate kits for students in need. Get more information about Collect for Kids.
GrandInvolve - Changing the World, One Child at a Time
GrandInvolve has been working to update their program with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic. See below from the latest GrandInvolve newsletter.
Navigating Uncertainty for the Upcoming School Year
We are living through unprecedented times, with everyone practicing social distancing and isolating ourselves from our usual daily routines. In mid-March, our classroom volunteers had to leave their volunteer positions, as students began their online learning experience. Our volunteers are missing their students and worrying that they are slipping behind their grade level expectations. Since GrandInvolve is the only large-scale tutoring program currently serving Fairfax County Public Schools, we are hoping that we will be able to continue tutoring FCPS students, supporting the education of our most vulnerable populations through in-person and/or virtual tutoring.
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Our COVID-19 Response
The recent pandemic and closure of school buildings has created an unexpected opportunity for GrandInvolve to pivot to provide virtual tutoring. Going forward, we will invest in our capacity to serve additional vulnerable students where they are – at home as well as at school. This new opportunity will allow our volunteers to tutor after school, weekends, during holiday breaks, and over the summer.
We are currently collaborating with Cornerstones, a local nonprofit community service organization serving northwest Fairfax County, for its summer tutoring program in Herndon. For this pilot, experienced GrandInvolve volunteers have been matched with about a dozen children. Using Zoom, they're each working with individual students who have been identified by their parents as at risk of falling behind academically. Parents give their permission for the children to meet with their tutors, and volunteers receive a curriculum to use in the lessons. The summer program started on July 9, with online meetings two times a week for five weeks. Stay tuned for future updates!
Link to the latest GrandInvolve Newsletter. For more information visit: https://www.grandinvolve.org/
FCPS Summer Meal Service
Grab and go meal service is taking place this summer Monday-Friday at 52 sites and on 13 bus routes. Meals are available at no cost to students. Adults may pay $2. See distribution sites and schedules.
Total Meals Served Since March 14: 1,894,730 (through July 22)
Tips for Dealing with COVID-19 and Kids
Tips for Helping Children Wear Masks
Now our tips for parents on helping children wear masks is a one pager in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese! As we prepare for the fall, these are excellent tools to help parents get their child comfortable with wearing masks. Please share! #TogetherWeRise
https://twitter.com/FCPSPsychs/status/1284239244865789952
Managing Difficult Behaviors at Home
Many children are experiencing anxiety, boredom, and almost unlimited time cooped up with family due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is an extremely challenging and uncertain time impacting our children. In response, many children may be showing an increase in difficult behaviors.
Here are some behavioral strategies that parents can use to manage problem behaviors that have shown up at home.
NOVA Webinar: Navigating College Options for You and Your High School Graduate
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is inviting FCPS alumni, rising seniors, and their parents and/or guardians to an informational webinar on Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. Join Dr. Annette Haggray, Provost, Alexandria Campus, and Dr. Pamela Hilbert, Provost, Annandale Campus, as they speak about “The Changing Higher Education Landscape” and its shifting plans.
Topics will include:
- Program Options at NOVA
- NOVA’s Six Options for the Fall
- Financial Aid and Payment Plans
- Transfer from NOVA to the College of Your Choice
- Advance registration is required.
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.
© 2020 Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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