Alexandria City Public Schools may consider putting students back into school buildings as soon as Nov. 3.
In a note to parents, Superintendent Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr. wrote, that the school system will be starting "preliminary discussions around the phased reentry of students to our school buildings for in-person learning. Families, staff and students will be surveyed starting Sept. 25. Along with guidance from the Alexandria Health Department and analysis compiled by our staff, we will use that survey data to help us make informed decisions about our next steps. These next steps are currently scheduled for an announcement in mid-October."
There would be a transition and planning period until the next quarter starts on Nov. 3, which is the earliest students would return to buildings.
Some students are already in school buildings, in a physically-distanced model providing care to parents who are essential workers or cannot be home to supervise children during the day. In addition, some organizations like the Alexandria Soccer Association and Campagna Center are providing child care.
The school system's Virtual+ learning reached 93 percent of all students who are engaged in at least half of their classes in the first week. September attendance is always slightly lower than October, as parents who moved over the summer forgot to unenroll their children and, this year, as schools ensure equitable Internet access to all students.
Doctors across the nation are already sounding an alarm about "twin pandemics" as the United States heads into what is traditionally flu season. The combination of coronavirus and the flu could put a strain on hospitals again. As temperatures get colder and more people spend time indoors, health experts are concerned that coronavirus illness rates will increase again and some predict a peak right after Election Day, which is when students could return to school buildings.
The Health Department is still encouraging people to stay home unless it is absolutely necessary to leave home, and masks are required both indoors and outdoors when physical distancing is difficult.
The Virginia Department of Health reported an increase of 45 new cases in the past three days in the City of Alexandria; bringing the total to 3,716 cases, including 68 fatalities, according to a City of Alexandria release. Most of the people infected have recovered or are recovering.
This does not include many cases where people were sick with COVID-19 but did not have symptoms, and the Health Department remains concerned about asymptomatic spread, which is why masks and physical distancing are required.
