|
Dear Families and Staff,
I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. As we approach Thanksgiving, it is more important than ever to reflect on all being grateful. Although the continued threat of Covid-19, recent increases in infections across the country and the resulting economic challenges makes this difficult. It is important for our own well being and that of our families. I am grateful for the incredible dedication of our teachers and staff, the supports our faith based and non-profit community provide to our families that are facing food and housing insecurity and the resilience that the Mount Vernon Community demonstrates every day.
I understand that the past few months may have caused frustration for many families and staff, whether you decided to send your student to school with the hybrid option, or chose the virtual option for returning to school. The FCPS school board has been meeting multiple times a week focusing on ensuring that our return to in-person learning is done in a manner that prioritizes safety and mitigates the risks of Covid-19 for students and staff. We recognize that a successful return to our school buildings is predicated on the availability of staff, professional development, availability of Personal Protective Equipment and cleaning supplies and the adherence to the CDC guidelines for mask wearing, social distancing, hygiene and health assessments.
The Board has been asking for clear metrics from the Superintendent for determining when it is safe to be in our buildings and when health conditions require us to dial back and relay on virtual instruction since last summer. The Superintendent briefed the Board on October 26th on his intent to bring our youngest learners back to our buildings in November and our older students back after the December break. The Board expressed concern about this timeline and requested that he come back with options to bring additional students back. As of November 2, our COVID dashboard has begun to publish data by school and case type. You can find more details about our Dashboard below.
This evening the Board will be receiving a briefing on the Superintendents plans for returning to school and the results of the pilots for concurrent learning. The pilots have modeled different approaches to instruction including concurrent instruction, a hybrid model with instruction in the classroom in the morning and virtual in the afternoon, and the utilization of stand-alone cohorts of students.
The briefing materials posted last night were surprising as they do not include recommendations on how to engage and provide in person opportunities for our older students (3-12th grades) prior to the originally planned dates in January 2021. Additionally, the Superintendent is recommending in school instruction for our younger learners be postponed until December 1 and does not include the requested metrics for dialing up and dialing down in school instruction. Please be assured that I will be asking for clarification as to 1) why this recommendation for delay has been put forth, 2) why we do not have the metrics requested and 3) how we will ensure that the defined mitigation measures (which are consistent with the CDC guidelines) are in place and adhered to in each of our buildings.
Once again, thank you for your patience and continued support for FCPS during this challenging time.
-Karen
Return to School Family Resource Guide
A Family Resource Guide has been created to help prepare families and students to return to in-person learning and to address frequently asked questions. The Resource Guide is available online and can be translated into multiple languages: Family Guide to Return to School
New FCPS COVID-19 Dashboard
FCPS has launched a COVID-19 dashboard to share weekly COVID-19 cases that have been self-reported to us. Data is updated weekly on Friday by 1 p.m. Any cases occurring after that time are reported for the following week.
This data should be interpreted with caution as it only reflects cases that have been shared with FCPS through self-reporting and may not be aligned to future epidemiological investigations. This data is currently being shared from a division level, as opposed to school or work site, so that it does not jeopardize sharing personally identifiable, confidential health information involving FCPS students and staff. Case reports indicate the total number of COVID-19 cases self-reported to principals, administrators, and program managers. Reports were shared with the Fairfax County Health Department to initiate contact tracing.
Updated information is available on the FCPS website.
Healthy Minds Podcast: Online All the Time; Finding Balance in Our Virtual World
In this week's Healthy Minds podcast, hear FCPS Instructional Technology Specialist Tammi Sisk, a 26-year FCPS veteran, for a conversation on how to create balance and well-being given our current virtual learning—and living—environment.
Tammi shares practical strategies for students, families, and educators, who are looking for ways to find balance and increase their knowledge of digital citizenship. Listen online.
|
SAT and ACT Testing
FCPS is aware that families of high school students, especially our rising seniors, are concerned about access to ACT and SAT testing in FCPS and surrounding areas. We offered SAT testing at several FCPS high schools in August and worked with the College Board to offer FCPS seniors an opportunity to take the SAT at their schools on September 23, through the SAT School Day testing program.
Any additional changes for weekend testing sites for the ACT or SAT in FCPS throughout the 2020-21 school year will depend on health conditions along with health and safety guidelines. Changes will be communicated directly to registered students by ACT or by the College Board for the SAT.
Free online test preparation is available at the following links: Khan Academy Official SAT Practice and ACT Academy. We encourage our rising seniors to carefully review the admissions criterion for the colleges on their lists, as many colleges are adjusting requirements for ACT or SAT. School counselors and career center specialists will be available in mid-August to discuss postsecondary planning with students and their families.
The Office for Children- A Childcare Resource
The Office for Children (OFC) provides information about childcare programs serving children from birth through school-age and supports families in choosing quality care in Fairfax County. Their online resource allows you to search by zip code, elementary school and languages spoken in the center. For information on school aged childcare call 703 449-8989 or OFCSACCInfo@fairfaxcounty.gov. They are available to answer your questions at 703 324-8000 or officeforchildren@fairfaxcounty.gov in English and Spanish.
VHSL high school sports updates
The changes made by Governor Northam allow the VHSL Championship + 1 schedule to begin playing in December as scheduled. The amended Executive Order did not change the number of attendees permitted at a sporting event, which cannot exceed the lesser of these two numbers: 50% of the occupancy load or 250 individuals. For sports played on a field, attendees are limited to 250 individuals per field.
The modifications outlined in “Guidelines for Return to Participation” are meant to maximize safety. Recommendations include cleaning and disinfecting; mask protocols; transportation; and how to run activities safely for individual sports and activities. Teams conducting out-of-season workouts will continue to abide by Phase 3 Guidelines as established by the VHSL and the Virginia Department of Health.
High School Graduation updates
Here is the 2021 High School Graduation schedule. We will be adding center program and alternative program promotion and graduations plans in the near future. Please be aware that we are working with the two major venues (Eagle Bank Arena and Constitution Hall) regarding plans as related to the pandemic. Currently both venues are making plans related to cleaning and logistics. It is anticipated that there may be limitations regarding attendance that range from 50% of capacity to full capacity. We will provide additional updates as more details become available.
Community Use Updates
Beginning 10/30/20, FCPS will permit activities sponsored by PTA, PTO, PTSA, and Booster Clubs to occur outdoors, on school grounds. This initial phase-in of community use does not include other school vendors. Principals have received this information and will be sharing with their PTA/PTO/ PTSA presidents. The Student Activities Office will be sharing the guidance with Booster presidents. We look forward to supporting our students and schools as they gather safely for school activities!
Community Use Guidelines for PTA PTO PTSA and Boosters
CDC Guidelines
School Board Votes to Make Changes to 2020-21 Calendar
The Fairfax County School Board has voted to make Inauguration Day–Wednesday, January 20, 2021–a holiday for FCPS students and employees, and Juneteenth–June 19, 2021–a holiday for employees that will be observed on Friday, June 18, 2021. Read the news release.
Staff Aide to School Board Members
Currently, each School Board Member shares one assistant with a colleague, while each Board of Supervisor has multiple full-time staff aides to help with constituent services, research, and policy analysis. Using budget savings from last year, School Board Members will now have one full-time person each to enhance our public service to the community, as well as strengthen accountability and transparency of FCPS operations.
Staff Aide Job Description
Performs the full range of professional and administrative duties required to support activities, projects, and initiatives related to the School Board; researches, analyzes, and informs on issues brought to the board member’s office, in line with regulations, policies, and procedures; serves as a liaison on behalf of individual Board members in communications between external constituents, community organizations, Division leadership, and various elected officials.
If hired for this salaried position, the individual reports solely to the School Board Member and has telework capabilities. The position is renewed annually for as long as the incumbent School Board Member holds the office.
If you are interested in this position, please submit an application as soon as possible.
You can find out more about the position and submit an application by CLICKING HERE.
Information for Prospective Substitute Teachers
In response to the state of Virginia’s mandated closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Human Resources, Office of Substitute Employment, is holding virtual orientation sessions until further notice.
Given the unique nature of the closures related to COVID-19, Fairfax County Public Schools have made the following adjustments:
- To become a substitute teacher, a minimum of 30 college credits is required. An exception may be provided for applicants who do not have a minimum of 30 college credits but are enrolled in an approved teacher education preparatory program or participated in a teacher introduction course in high school.
- FCPS will suspend, for this school year, its requirement that substitutes sub a minimum of ten days per school year in order to remain active.
The substitute hiring team will provide information around the benefits of substituting, application and procedural instructions, as well as information on technology resources. Information sessions are held weekly on Fridays, are informal, and are not required. You do not have to participate in an information session to sub this school year. Register online for an information session.
TJ Admissions
On November 17, the Superintendent will be bringing to the Board refinements to the TJ Admissions Process. The Board has been required to address the admissions process to the Governor’s School because of language attached to the budget adopted by the state legislature requiring the board to provide a diversity plan to the state. A preliminary draft was provided to the state on October 8th. The preliminary plan eliminated the standardized admissions test and the application fee. On November 17th, the Superintendent will provide options to the board on the wholistic review of applications, regional representation in admissions and the possibility of a lottery. His recommendations will be posted on Board docs in advance of the meeting.
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
|
