Fairfax County Public Schools parents have some decisions to make before school resumes in late August.
In a letter to parents, FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand explained a "general plan to reopen schools" that will provide either entirely virtual learning or part-time in-person instruction for students in school buildings.
"You will be receiving an enrollment letter later this week asking you to state your preference," Brabrand wrote.
Physical distancing requirements in schools, to protect the health and safety of students until a COVID-19 vaccine is created, means that it is not possible for all students to return to school in person full time this year.
The choices are:
A. Full-time online instruction. Virtual, interactive instruction will be provided four days a week.
B. At least two full days of instruction in your child’s school each week with students engaged in independent study and work on the days they are not in the school building. It’s possible we will be able to provide more than two days of instruction at school each week depending on the number of students who choose to go virtual, full time.
In either case, teacher planning and intervention support for students will be planned for one day per week. There will also be more in-person or "synchronous instruction" for special education students and English language learners.
One challenge facing parents is now knowing what days students will be in class. One parent wrote on Alexandria Living Magazine's Facebook page, "So, having 3 kids in elementary school, I am afraid of having their grades alternating days making it so I will always have at least 1 child home learning everyday. Making it so not every child is in school on the same day making it virtually impossible to even go back to work part time since I used to work during their school hours."
What Educators Want
"Our first preference, of course, remains 100 percent in-person learning. However, based on current health data, that seems unlikely by Tuesday, August 25, the first day of the 2020-21 school year. Even as Virginia moves into Phase 3 of its reopening plan, we will want to comply with the guidance provided by the state and the CDC for the safe reopening of schools. In developing this plan, our first priority is the health and well-being of our students and staff," Brabrand wrote.
"At some point in the future, we expect to move beyond Phase 3 which may allow us to bring everyone back into the school buildings on a full-time, pre-COVID basis. But until that time, we believe the back to school model described in this letter – while not a perfect solution - best addresses the concerns and desires we have heard in surveys, town halls, online comments, and other feedback from our families, students, community members, teachers, and staff about reopening schools in a safe and responsible manner," he continued.
The Fairfax Education Association, which represents teachers, education specialists and support staff in Fairfax County Public Schools, released a statement Wednesday afternoon that said, "Our members, FCPS employees, are eager to return to “normal,” but we must not rush to return in a way that puts our students, families and staff at risk. As such, it is the position of the Fairfax Education Association that FCPS should not return to in-person learning until a vaccine or approved treatment is widely available."
Further, FEA is concerned that teachers and other staff need more clarity before they decide whether to continuing to work for FCPS. "FEA is asking for additional clarity on how virtual telework positions will be prioritized and available to staff who must remain at home for medical reasons vs. those who desire to remain at home due to personal decision. We need to know how childcare will be handled for employees who must work three days longer than their own children attend school. We need answers on the potential operations for the School-Age Child Care (SACC) program through the County. We also need clarity about those who determine they must take a leave of absence for childcare or other family leave purposes. This is not a decision to be made lightly in the face of a pandemic. And we certainly understand that many families simply do not have the luxury of a choice," FEA President Kimberly Adams wrote for FEA.
Parents must decide what they want for their children by July 10.
Parents can learn more at www.fcps.edu/returntoschool.
