Return to School, Upcoming School Board Meetings, Ombudsman Services, Free COVID Testing and more ...

Dear Lee District Families,

I hope this week finds you well, and you and your family have been able to enjoy our beautiful fall weather!

For many years, I have worked with my colleagues, our various advisory committees, teachers and parents to develop strategies for equity in access to academic programming across FCPS. We have no shortage of excellent ideas; however, implementation has often been uneven or lacking. Last night, I put forward a motion addressing systemic issues that impact diversity not only at Thomas Jefferson High School, but also in our Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) across FCPS. While I believe AAP is a necessary form of special education for our advanced learners, I also know it is a best practice to strengthen the equity of access to advanced programming for all students- and this should begin when our students arrive at our doors. 

My colleagues unanimously supported this motion—but the true authors are those who have brought forward these recommendations to many School Boards over many years. These recommendations come from our Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC), our Advanced Academic Programs Advisory Committee (AAPAC), various consultants, our Instructional Services and AAP staff as well as teachers, parents and students. 

Other important Board actions this week included:

  • approval for the purchase of teacher replacement laptops;
  • additional laptops for students in 3rd and 4th grade and remaining 5th grade students. 
  • and directing the Superintendent to develop clearly defined COVID metrics so families can easily understand when schools will open or close.

To watch our Regular School Board meeting from last evening, go to: https://youtu.be/hB-ko9R4aN4.

To watch our Tuesday, October 20 all-day Work Session:

I hope that you and your families continue to stay well.

Tammy


Gradual Return to In-Person Instruction Continues

During the week of October 19, Preschool Autism Classrooms (PAC), Early Childhood Class-Based students (ECCB), and additional select specialized high school career preparatory programs returned to in-person instruction.

Students who attend Key Center and Kilmer Center, secondary and elementary students who access the adapted curriculum, elementary Comprehensive Services Sites, SLIFE students (English learners with limited or interrupted formal education in grades 3-12), English learner newcomers who entered the U.S. after June 2019, elementary-age students attending Burke School, and high school students enrolled in select specialized high school career preparatory programs will return the week of October 26. 

For the latest Return To School update, see the Superintendent's October 23 letter to FCPS families: https://www.fcps.edu/blog/superintendent-return-school-update-october-23.


Upcoming School Board Meetings

  • Work Session - Tuesday, October 27, 11:00 am
  • Work Session - Thursday, October 29, 4:00 pm
  • Work Session - Tuesday, November 3, 11:00 am
  • Regular Meeting - Thursday, November 5, 7:00 pm

Click here for meeting logistics, agendas and handouts. Meetings are live-streamed on the FCPS website and televised on FCPS Cable Channel 99. For more information about signing up to speak at a regular meeting, click here.


Free Testing for COVID-19 - Saturday, October 24

For people near those with symptoms or those who have tested positive for COVID in the last 10 days - you can get a free test.

Saturday, October 24 - 9:00 am - 1:00 p.m.
Garfield Elementary School
7101 Old Keene Mill Road
Springfield, VA 22150

For more details, click here.

covidtesting

October 19 Community Town Hall

Click on the image below to view the Superintendent's Community Town Hall.

SuperintendentsTownHall

Click on image above to play the video.


Dyslexia Awareness Month: A Webinar for Families

Join the FCPS Dyslexia Specialist, Carrie Leestma for an Update on FCPS Resources.

Wednesday, October 28, 2020 10 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Register for Dyslexia Awareness Month: A Webinar for Families


Healthy Minds Podcast: Activating Empathy in Children

HealthyMinds

Listen to this week’s Healthy Minds podcast to learn ways to activate empathy in children. Empathy is an essential component for all of us to build strong relationships and communities. Join Bethany Koszelak, FCPS’ mental health and wellness specialist, to hear about action strategies on how to model empathy and open caring dialogues with children, or anyone, during these challenging times.


Launching Your Adolescent into Adulthood

A recent survey of young adults in the US reported that nearly 45% of young adults between the ages of 18 and 34 now live with their parents - even though they are employed.

This session will provide:

  • 10 Tips to help launch your young adult successfully into adulthood
  • Strategies to teach your child “soft” employment, money management and communication/self-advocacy skills.

Presented by Dr. Amy Fortney Parks, LPC, ACS, Owner of The Wise Family Counseling & Assessment Services in Alexandria and Arlington

Friday, October 30, 2020 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Register for: Launching Your Adolescent into Adulthood


The 2021-22 FAFSA Form Is Now Available; College Access Fairfax Is Here to Help

Parents of high school seniors—did you know that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open? Parents are encouraged to work with their students to complete the FAFSA as early as possible and definitely before March 1, 2021, as you prepare for your child to begin college in the fall of 2021. Parents and students should start by creating an FSA ID and then begin the FAFSA.

Also, thanks to our partners at College Access Fairfax, there is an upcoming virtual workshop available—FAFSA Line-by-Line: October 24 at 10 a.m.—to help you plan and prepare.

Families may find more information and register for these presentations on the Calendar page of the College Access Fairfax website. Registration is required and closes 24 hours before the workshop. Space is limited. If you are unable to attend a workshop, you can visit the College Access Fairfax website to view the PowerPoint presentation for these and other programs on the Workshop Description page.

Recordings of each of the workshops will be available soon. College Access Fairfax is also available for virtual one-on-one help to complete the FAFSA. Interested families should email appointments@collegeaccessfairfax.org to make an appointment. It’s never too early to start learning about how to pay for college.

Get more information at the College Access Fairfax website


"Leaders & Learners: A Community Celebration" November 23, 2020

LLImage

Join us as we mix things up this year at the 2020 virtual Leaders & Learners event on Monday, November 23, 2020 from 12:00 - 1:00 pm!

This has been a year like no other. Join us to celebrate the community's support of the Foundation and FCPS during remote learning and this pandemic. We have great stories to share about how the Fairfax County community came together to help students, teachers and families.

This event is free to attend but registration is required through this link

Interested in sponsoring this event? You can find more information on the Foundation's website. Thank you!


Ombudsman Provides Confidential Resource for Students, Families, Employees, and the Public

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) provides the Office of the Ombudsman as an independent, confidential resource to help resolve problems, complaints, and other student-related issues. Ombuds Day is recognized on October 8 and sponsored by the American Bar Association. 

The Office of the Ombudsman has dedicated staff members who listen to concerns and complaints, review available information, and supply resources for information and referral. Staff members are neutral advocates for fairness, equity, inclusion, and consistency, and they work to foster positive working relationships. 

FCPS also provides an assistant ombudsman for special education, who serves as a resource for families and students regarding special education services. The assistant ombudsman helps parents and students understand and navigate special education processes, works neutrally to ensure a fair process is followed, and serves as a resource for disability-related information.

FCPS’s Office of the Ombudsman follows the four principals of the International Ombudsman Association:  confidentiality, independence, impartiality, and informality.

More information is available online.

For assistance from the Office of the Ombudsman, contact them at 571-423-4014 or ombudsman@fcps.edu


FCPS Is Providing Free Meals for Students 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that FCPS and other school districts can continue serving free meals to all children through December 31. FCPS has distributed more than 3.1 million grab and go meals since schools closed in March. The goal is to provide every FCPS student daily access to a nutritious breakfast and lunch.

Buses are delivering grab and go meals throughout the county. Several new bus routes have been added and some bus stop locations have changed. Any changes to bus routes are posted on the website by 5 p.m. each day. Meals on buses will be distributed Monday through Friday beginning at 6:30 a.m. Information about bus routes for food distribution is available online.

If there are bus delays while distributing grab and go meals, the information will be posted on the FCPS Bus Delay website. FCPS will also send a message to the affected school communities if a bus route is delayed.
Grab and go service hours at school sites have been extended to 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) with both breakfast and lunch being served at the same time. 

Please Note: Breakfast and lunch meals for Saturdays and Sundays are now being distributed at all sites and bus routes each Friday.  


Dominion Energy Electric School Bus Update

As a result of the September, 2019, application to Dominion Energy, FCPS was awarded eight electric school buses. These buses are designed to provide environmental and health benefits as well as reduce operation and maintenance costs.  In addition, the vehicle-to-grid technology on the buses allows Dominion Energy to use the buses, when they are not in operation, to supply the grid.

A comprehensive agreement was executed this month between FCPS and Dominion Energy. The ordering process for purchase of the school buses is underway and delivery of the first four 77-passenger seatbelt-equipped buses is expected by the end October 2020. The remaining four buses are scheduled to arrive in late November.  The Office of Transportation Services plans to have the buses routed and on the road by the end of the first semester of the 2020-21 school year.  This will occur as soon as the charging infrastructure is completed, and driver and technician trainings are completed.

Construction of the electric bus charging infrastructure is expected to begin soon with an estimated completion date of late October. The construction of the charging infrastructure is completely funded and handled by Dominion Energy.

Throughout the 2020-2021 school year, OTS will consider and evaluate the expansion of the electric vehicle program for FCPS.


Conversion of FCPS Vehicle Fleet to Electric by 2030 Update

In response to the school board directive, on December 13, 2019, an RFI was issued requesting information on transitioning the current fleet of school buses, box trucks, cargo vans, passenger vans, sedans, pickup trucks, and SUVs to fully electric by the year 2030.

Eight responses were received to the RFI and were reviewed.  Of these, four were related to conversion of the fleet (1 for total conversion; 3 for phased conversion); 3 were for consulting services related to conversion; and one was for conversion of non-bus vehicles only.

The Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia has proposed to designate $20 million from the VW Environmental Mitigation Trust to reimburse school districts up to $265,000 for the purchase of an all-electric school bus including charging infrastructure.


Video: Virtual Learning Tech Tips—Printing at Home

If you would like to be able to use your home wifi printer with your student’s FCPS laptop, check out this video for instructions on how to do so. Watch the video

Virtual Learning Playlist

The virtual learning playlist includes several videos about digital citizenship, technology tips, and how to keep your FCPS laptop and other features ready for student success. Go to the virtual learning playlist


Safely Dispose of Unused or Expired Medication

Take advantage of a free, confidential, and safe disposal of unused or expired medications during Operation Medicine Cabinet Cleanout. This event will be held on Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at one of eight drop-off locations. Visit Fairfax County Government's website for details.


Upcoming School Calendar Events

  • Student Holiday (School Planning Day) - Monday, November 2
  • Student Holiday | Election Day - Tuesday, November 3
  • Veteran's Day | 2-Hour Early Release Day - Wednesday, November 11

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