Dear Sully District Families,
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a chance to relax and enjoy the holidays with family, despite the pandemic.
2020 was quite an unexpected year in many ways; not only did we experience a lockdown and lasting effects from the coronavirus pandemic, we also saw a summer of protests for racial justice, a historical presidential election and its unsettling aftermath, and so much more. Through all the ups and downs, I have been thankful for the extra time I have spent with my family and engagement with our FCPS community. With the COVID vaccine approved and being distributed now, I am very hopeful that 2021 will be much improved!
Last month was incredibly busy for all of us on the School Board and this newsletter includes a host of essential updates on the various issues we have been working on including:
- Revised FCPS Grading Policy
- Return to School Updates
- TJ Admissions Reform
- Restraint and Seclusion Policy Approval
In the coming weeks, my priority is to continue to work with Superintendent Brabrand and his team on timelines for Return to School. I will be carefully evaluating all the health metrics, data and results being presented, to make the most informed decision regarding phasing students back into the buildings safely.
At this time, due to the alarming rise in COVID rates, coupled with the new ultra-contagious viral strain in the UK and its impact on students, the evidence available does not support the Superintendent’s proposed plan to send thousands of students to school in an accelerated manner. As always, however, I DO believe we should be targeted in our approach to provide in-person instruction to smaller groups that can continue to remain safe. FCPS continues to work through staffing and capacity issues to support in-person instruction.
I am grateful for all the concerns and feedback you have shared with me. Your advocacy and opinions matter to me. I am doing my best to respond to all your emails, however due to the high volume, I may not be able to respond to each one individually. Please note, I do read them and consider the feedback in all policy decisions.
I will also be a hosting a joint virtual Town Hall with School Board Member-at-Large Rachna Sizemore Heizer this month to directly address some of your concerns during these unprecedented and stressful times for our families. Details of this are listed below in this newsletter.
Lastly, I would like to warmly welcome my new staff aide, Shaheen Khurana, to the Sully District School Board team! She has a rich background in STEM education and community advocacy to help us continue to foster student success and champion the needs of our school communities! A short bio and contact info for Shaheen is listed below in this newsletter.
The path ahead is challenging, but I am hopeful 2021 will bring opportunities for us to move past the challenges of 2020 and start a new chapter.
In partnership,
Stella Pekarsky
Dr. Brabrand presented a Return to School update at the School Board January 5th Work session. The presentation can be found here (please scroll to bottom of page to find RTS attachment).
During the work session, Dr. Brabrand heard concerns from board members, principals, teachers and educators’ unions that bringing students and staff back into school buildings during current high numbers of COVID-19 cases was unsafe.
Dr. Brabrand and the county school board agreed that as of January 6, 2021, FCPS will continue to pause the plan to bring students and staff back into school buildings for in-person instruction. Schools will continue to follow their current bell schedules.
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Virtual Town Hall
Please join School Board Member-at-Large Rachna Sizemore Heizer and me, Stella Pekarsky for a virtual town hall conversation to discuss any concerns or questions you might have. The conversation and Q&A will last for an hour. You can submit questions ahead of time via email to skhurana@fcps.edu with "Virtual Town Hall" in the subject line.
When: Monday, January 25th, 2021 @ 7:00 PM EST
Where: Blackboard Collaborate - Use this link
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Revised FCPS Grading Policy Supports Student Wellness
FCPS has heard from many students that they are concerned about the impact of grades on their future, they are exhausted from online school, and they do not feel that academic expectations have been modified to fit the current learning circumstances. In response, the grading policies have been revised and will take effect January 4, 2021.
The most significant change is to the 100-point grading scale. When using a 100-point grading scale, 50 percent of an assignment’s value will be the lowest possible score, including the score for work that is not submitted. Four-point scales are also appropriate.
Other steps being implemented to support students with workload and wellness include:
- Dropping the minimum number of assignments per quarter from nine to six.
- Accepting late work on major assignments with minimal penalty.
- Capping the maximum weight of an assignment or assessment at 20%.
These policy changes will be in place the remainder of the school year.
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New Admissions Policy Changes at TJHSST
After hearing from many community advocates and much Board discussion, on December 17th, 2020, the School Board voted to change the admissions policy for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) to maintain a holistic review to improve diversity at the school, but will eliminate the admission test and application fee. The process will no longer require a teacher recommendation and will instead implement experience factors as part of the application. The top 1.5 percent of the eighth grade class at each public middle school meeting the minimum standards will be eligible for admission. The new process will be used to select the class of 2025 at TJHSST.
Established in 1985, TJHSST is a governor’s school offering a comprehensive college preparatory program emphasizing the sciences, mathematics, and technology. For more information please refer to FCPS press release.
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New FCPS Policy on Restraint and Seclusion Prohibits All Seclusion starting in 2022-23 School Year
On December 17th, 2020, the Fairfax County School Board approved a new policy on Restraint and Seclusion, effective immediately. The policy was developed using Virginia regulation 8VAC20-750, Regulations Governing the Use of Seclusion and Restraint in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools in Virginia, as a baseline, and was created to address the use of physical restraint and seclusion in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) in instances where there is imminent risk of serious physical harm to self or others.
- The policy was created to address the use of physical restraint and seclusion to prevent a student from harming themself or others.
- The policy includes strategies that incorporate positive behavioral interventions and support consistent with the student's rights to be treated with dignity and to be free from abuse, including alternatives to physical restraint and seclusion.
- Seclusion is prohibited in all Fairfax County public schools with the exception of Burke School, Key Center, and Kilmer Center.
- Seclusion will be prohibited in all Fairfax County Public Schools, including Burke, Key, and Kilmer Center, starting at the beginning of the school year 2022-2023.
- Only personnel who have completed advanced training will be permitted to engage in seclusion.
More Information Here.
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Sully District Happenings
Successful Winter Coat Drive
Through the holidays, our community held a coat drive, in which we asked for new and used coats to provide our neighbors who needed something warm to wear for the winter. The Sant Nirankari Spiritual Center answered the call by providing more than half of the one hundred and fifteen coats that were donated. These coats and jackets were then distributed on Dec. 19th at Western Fairfax Christian Ministries’ Holiday Food Distribution, hosted in the parking lot of Grace Covenant Church.
USDA "Farms to Families" Program
In collaboration with the USDA’s “Farms To Families” program Sully District Supervisor's office lead the charge on a massive community effort to feed the hungry in our district. From June through December 2020, over 9000 food boxes were supplied directly to various families, communities and food pantries throughout the district.
Connecting Pyramid PTAs
I will be hosting discussions among our Pyramid PTA/PTO/PTSA executive board members and booster club representatives to share challenges, successes, and helpful resources.
I will be scheduling first meetings for elementary and middle schools in our pyramids this year.
If you fit into these categories and want to participate please email my staff at skhurana@fcps.edu!
Welcome Shaheen Khurana!
Shaheen joins the Sully District School Board team as Staff Aide to Sully District Representative and Vice-Chair of School Board Stella Pekarsky. She brings a wealth of experience in technology, STEM education outreach to Title 1 schools & underserved communities and advocacy working with local nonprofit and grassroots organizations. Shaheen loves to do yoga and run...she belongs to the local Vienna/Oakton chapter of the running group Moms RUN This Town (MRTT)! You can reach her directly for any questions or concerns you might have at skhurana@fcps.edu.
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Resources and Helpful Links for Families
Parent Resource Center
The Parent Resource Center provides a wealth of resources and phone or email support to families, students, staff, and community members. They host many free webinars that are available to view on the FCPS Parent Resource Center YouTube Page .
Sign up for their email listserve to receive emails about upcoming webinars and events
Mental Health and Medical Care Resources
To take care of your child(ren) during the COVID-19 outbreak:
To take care of yourself during COVID-19 outbreak:
Free Student Bus Pass Program
The Fairfax County School Board has joined the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors by passing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Free Student Bus Pass Program that provides free bus passes to all Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) middle and high school students to ride local buses at no cost.
Interested students should contact their school for an application.
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Fairfax County Department of Health and Virginia Department of Health Resources
Vaccines: Here is some information about the Covid-19 vaccine.
COVID-19: Here is some information about Covid testing and case data.
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Employment Opportunities in FCPS
FCPS schools and centers are hiring classroom monitors for in-person classroom assistance with students when some staff members continue to work virtually. [Additional details here]
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. [Additional details here]
Upcoming Board Meetings and Topics to be Covered
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Tuesday, January 12 at 4 pm: Work Session. FY22 Budget discussion.
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Tuesday, January 19, 11am: Work Session. Topics to be discussed are Program Budget Review - ISD, School Improvement and Supports and ACSD Committee Report.
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Thursday, January 21 at 7pm: Regular Meeting. Topic to be discussed is McLean Boundary Change (tentative).
Accessing Board Meetings
View this link for a comprehensive list of upcoming meetings and associated information.
Click here for meeting logistics, agendas and handouts (to view the slides and materials, scroll down to the bottom of the page). 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.
Contacting Me
At this time, with an overflowing inbox, I am prioritizing responses to Sully District constituents. If you are unsure of your county magisterial district, you can look that information up here.
To contact me, it is most helpful if you can please use the official School Board contact form. This form prioritizes emails to me from constituents, and helps me track communication so I can be sure you receive a response.
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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