Dear Sully District Families,
I hope you all had a restful Thanksgiving holiday. It was difficult this year to be far from extended family and friends, but I am more thankful than ever for my many blessings and good health.
It has been a very busy time for both FCPS and the School Board. The uncertainty surrounding COVID, in-person instruction, long screen time, and mental health concerns for students is frustrating and weighs heavily on me daily. I want our kids in school and I want the pandemic to be over. I hope for the day my kindergartner does not wake up every morning and ask “Is this a short school day or a long one?” because she cannot engage well with a laptop. I see our teachers jumping through hoops to creatively connect with kids. I know parents and staff are scared to attend school in-person in fear of their lives. I hear from other parents that point to medical experts and countries that have students in-person and believe we are failing them.
FCPS is working hard daily to meet everyone’s needs with the staffing and resources unique to our system. We can do better. We MUST do better. I will continue to push this system to do everything possible to serve our students and their needs. I will continue to center our students first and advocate for them in every discussion. This work is personal to me. I am not only your School Board member, but an FCPS parent, as well.
Dr. Brabrand will be presenting a Return to School update in our December 10th meeting and we will also work on TJ Admissions on December 7th. I know both are topics of great importance to Sully District families and I am looking forward to the discussions.
The Board also recently reviewed the Restraint and Seclusion policy and had many suggestions and direction for the Superintendent to better serve our students. We will be holding a public hearing on December 11th, 6-9:45pm. If you would like to sign up to offer comments about the Restraint and Seclusion Policy, you can sign up at https://www.fcps.edu/school-board/citizen-participation.
If you would like to schedule a phone call appointment to discuss any concerns, please reach out to Kathy Bull at klbull@fcps.edu .
In partnership,
Stella Pekarsky
FCPS is monitoring COVID-19 health data every day to make decisions on when students and staff can return for in-person learning. The school division posts the regional health data collected by the Virginia Department of Health on the COVID-19 Health Metrics webpage and monitors two core indicators related to coronavirus infections: the number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people and the percentage of people who test positive for COVID-19. Both indicators are increasing in Northern Virginia.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has set thresholds to help school communities understand the risk of introduction and transmission of COVID-19 in schools. View thresholds for Groups 1-6.
Grab and Go Meal Delivery Times and Some Bus Stop Locations Have Changed
Fairfax County Public Schools is offering no-cost nutritious meals to ALL students through June 30, 2021. Meals are available at school sites and along bus routes.
Grab and go bus delivery times and some bus stop locations have recently changed. The updated bus schedule is now available online. Bus delivery times were changed to accommodate the need for more buses to transport students returning to school buildings for in-person learning.
Breakfast and lunch meals are offered Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). Breakfast and lunch are served at the same time. Breakfast and lunch are also offered at no cost to any student who attends in-person instruction at a school Monday-Friday. Meals for Saturday and Sunday are offered at sites and on bus routes every Friday.
More information is available online, or by calling the Office of Food and Nutrition Services at 703-813-4800.
Special Education Parent Newsletter
The Department of Special Services (DSS) publishes a regular electronic newsletter for parents of special education students to provide updated DSS information, and tips and ideas to support you and your family during distance learning. The latest issue is available online.
Virtual Workshop on December 9: Postsecondary Education Options for Students with Disabilities
Join FCPS Career and Transition Services for a parent workshop to learn about postsecondary concerns for students transitioning to college. The virtual session will be held Wednesday, December 9, from 10 a.m. to noon. Registration is available online
New Employment Opportunities in Fairfax County Public Schools: Classroom Monitors
FCPS schools and centers are hiring classroom monitors to provide in-person classroom assistance for students when some staff members continue to work virtually. If you would like more information about the position, review the job description online and apply if interested. Please share information about this opportunity with anyone else you think may be interested.
FCPS Is Seeking Individuals to Serve as Substitute Teachers
Are you or somebody you know interested in substitute teaching with FCPS? Apply online or attend one of our Friday information sessions to learn more. To sign up for a session, visit the FCPS substitute teacher information page
Upcoming Board Meetings
December 7, 2020 - WORK SESSION
December 8, 2020 - WORK SESSION
December 10, 2020 - WORK SESSION
December 11, 2020 - PUBLIC HEARING
December 15, 2020 - WORK SESSION
December 17, 2020 - REGULAR 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
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