Hello Fairfax County Students, Families, and Staff,

It's been a busy few weeks since my last email to you all in mid-September. Although I know this is not the year any of us wanted, it is the year we all have, at least to start. I am so proud of our students for showing up to virtual school with smiles, to our teachers for working around the clock to learn an entirely new way to teach, for students who are trying hard to learn an entirely new way to learn, and to families who are trying to juggle way too much. 

For those of you who want to hear more, please watch my back to school message here.

I am grateful to see that this fall is much better than the spring and that our teachers are working so hard to have fun and engaging lessons and have gone above and beyond with individual calls and visits to students to connect. I am grateful to our principals, technology specialists, and central office staff working around the clock to troubleshoot, support, engage, streamline curriculum, answer questions, provide support, and much more. I am grateful to our counselors, psychologists, and all who are creating podcasts, providing resources, and helping our students cope. And I am grateful to our foodservice and bus drivers ensuring our students are fed and supplies are delivered. I am also grateful for our families for partnering in this work and supporting their students while they are having to juggle their jobs and other family obligations. Our attendance numbers have been amazing, but I also know that attendance is only one piece of it. Engagement is key, and I continue to press to ensure we are measuring engagement and academic growth. 

We have all pitched in to make lemonade out of these sour lemons. And that in itself is an amazing thing. I hope we don’t lose this sense of community when we get to the other side of this.

I continue to value engaging with our community to share updates and hear your concerns. In the last couple of months I have received well over 15,000 emails, and am doing my best to respond. Rest assured I do read all of them, reflect on them, and they are helpful in informing my advocacy. I appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns.

In that vein, I will be holding a town hall with my colleague Stella Pekarsky on Monday, October, 19th to share updates and hear your thoughts and concerns. See below for more information.

Upcoming Town Hall - Monday, October, 19th - 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. 

with School Board Vice-Chair Stella Pekarsky and me.

The Town hall will be limited to 500 people 

Join the town hall here.

I am not saying all this to pretend everything is rosy and just fine. I have heard from many families about their student’s increased stress, anxiety, meltdowns, and the rise of negative behaviors. I have heard from many teachers and administrators that they too are at the breaking point, overwhelmed at having to figure out an entirely new way to teach, of the sheer number of hours it takes to prep, of the number of teachers understandably in tears each week. I know the impossible situation many families are working while also figuring out how to support their students in distance learning.

I have heard from many parents of their students’ struggles to manage the workload, keep up with assignments, of the many battles to keep their student learning online. I have heard from students of headaches, eye strain, stress at managing links, emails, organizing assignments, and the workload. I know while distance learning is not ideal for many students, it is much more challenging for some students, especially our younger students and our special education and English language learners. I hear of loneliness. I hear of sorrow.

I have witnessed this in my own house, as my son has regressed in many ways, and I see his stress mount. During my seven-plus hour school board meetings, sometimes I hear him in his room, next door to my office. I hear him yell at himself, call himself stupid for missing an assignment, and my heart breaks. 

My heart breaks for all of us.

I hear that everyone is at their breaking point. I get it. I am too.

So where does that leave us?

I want our students back in school like yesterday. But I also want our students and teachers to be safe. Finding that balance in this world of uncertainty is difficult. I am grateful we finally have detailed health metrics and thresholds from the Virginia Department of Health and the CDC. I am grateful our threshold in this region is “low” so we can begin to phase students back into our buildings, slowly and deliberately. As much as I want our all students back in school yesterday, it has to be done safely, ensuring our principals have time to implement it safely, in a way we can make sure our health protocols are working, and in a way that makes sure our teachers feel safe, supported, and comfortable in that process. After all, it is our teachers who make our schools what they are. It is important to remember that we have asked them to completely change the way they educate their students, and to do it well, and to do it under the pressure of knowing parents are watching. We have asked our parents to be their children’s aides in the process. This is HARD. We needed to learn to do it well. So thank you for that grace of letting us all learn to first learn to do virtual learning as well as possible. 

Our students miss their friends and teachers and our teachers miss their students and co-workers. I promise we have begun safely and slowly reuniting our students and teachers in buildings, even when safety means very different things to many different people. And even when we are still doing it during an unpredictable pandemic. More information on Return to School will be presented to the School Board at our October 15th Return to School Work Session.

And even as we phase in students, it will not be like it was last year. Nothing is perfect this year, much is not good, but it doesn’t have to be bad. 

I know many are angry we didn’t go faster and many wish we wouldn’t start in-person learning at all. 

Finding the balance between those two polar opposites requires time, patience, grace, and understanding. We need to make sure we get this right.

Finding a way to survive a 100-year pandemic requires us to come together as a community, with patience, grace, and understanding. 

We are in this together, even though many times it may not seem like it. 

We have bad choices. We have imperfect solutions. It is up to us, with grace, patience, and understanding, to make the best of the bad choices, to implement our imperfect solutions in the best way possible.

It is up to us, with grace, patience, and understanding, to make lemonade, together.

And to the Class of 2021, please know you are not forgotten. We know this is your last year with us, that there were many things you were waiting four years for, many “lasts” big and small you have already missed and others you are worried about missing. I know it is not enough to talk about prom and graduation when you are missing your chance to be the lead in the play or musical, or the captain of the Color Guard, or your last homecoming dance, or the starting quarterback, or paint the benches or eat outside in the “senior lounge” or just one last year to hang out casually with the friends you only see at school and won’t see after this year….the list goes on. I know some people may tell you those things shouldn’t matter in the middle of a global pandemic but they DO matter and they SHOULD matter and I know that. No one has the right to judge the losses we grieve, regarding the size of loss. I know how hard college and career planning must be right now. It's always hard but now it must feel impossible without in-class chances to build relationships with teachers, uncertainty around SATs, and applications on the computer when all you want to do is get away from the computer. This is hard for those of you building career and technical skills and counting on certificates to launch your career. I promise you, Class of 2021, that I and others are advocating fiercely for you to have some of these experiences or others, so at the end of this year, you do not have a “blank yearbook” but rather memories you can cherish as you leave FCPS.

To all of our students who are the glue that is holding this all together, I know this at times does not feel fair or fun. I know you want to see your friends and be with your teachers. Hang in there. I promise you many of us recognize the need for socialization for all our students and for the need for you to have the experiences you want to have and need to have from school. We are working on it. 

I thank you all for your grace, patience, and understanding. 

Stay safe. And please wear your mask.

Rachna

PS For other news ...

In addition to Return to School, the regular work of our school board continues. This year, I am the chair of the Public Engagement Committee and a member of the Audit Committee. I am also the liaison to the Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities. Our Public Engagement Committee is focused initially on coordinating with FCPS Office of Community Relations, updating the School Board governance manual around public comment at School Board meetings, and looking at the processes and protocols of our School Board advisory committees. The Audit Committee oversees the Office of the Auditor-General. Each of these committees meets monthly, with the meetings live-streamed on www.fcps.edu/tv/ch99.

In this email you will find:

Section 1: School Board Meetings

• Recent and Upcoming School Board Meetings, How to Watch, How to Find Handouts

Section 2: Return to School Updates

• Return to School Plan Update

• FCPS, VDH and CDC Metrics and Current Plans

• Virginia Department of Health Pandemic Dashboard 

• CDC School Decision Making Guidelines

Section 3: What’s New in FCPS

• New Assistant Superintendent for Special Services

• September Issue of Audit Buzz 

• TJHSST Merit Lottery Admissions Proposal

• Opening of Schools Report

• Monday, October 12th Student Holiday

• Advanced Academic Program (AAP) Level IV Screening Updates

Section 4: Resources, Supports, and Celebrations

• College and Career Resources

• Parent/Student Supports (Online Learning Tips, Support Programs for Parents and Students During COVID-19, Where to go with Questions, Free Student Meals, Technology Supports, Mental Health Resources and Healthy Minds Podcast, Teen Alcohol, Drug, and Vaping Webinar, Library Resources, COVIDWISE app, and Voting Information)

• Celebrations (Blue Ribbon Schools, Virginia’s Region 4 Teacher of the Year, Hispanic Heritage Month, On-Time Graduation Rate, and Lake Braddock Secondary Student Names new Mars Rover)

Section 1: School Board Meetings

Recent School Board Meetings

Tuesday, October, 6th - Electronic Work Session

Topic: TJ Admissions 

TJ Admissions Revised Merit Lottery Proposal

Revised Merit Lottery Proposal Additional Next Step Responses

Wednesday, October, 7th - Public Engagement Committee Meeting

Office of Communication and Community Relations Public Engagement Committee Presentation

Wednesday, October 7th - Renaming Mosby Woods Elementary Virtual Public Hearing

Upcoming School Board Meetings

Thursday October, 8th: Regular Meeting - 7:00 pm

Topic: TJ Admissions, FCPS Legislative Program, Renaming Mosby Woods Virtual Public Hearing, Governance Committee Recommended Revisions to ACSD Composition, Advisory Committee Additional Appointments, Contract Awards and Policy Revision recommendations

State and Federal Legislative Program Development

Wednesday, October, 14th: Audit Committee Meeting - 4:30 p.m.

FY20 OAG Internal Audit Status

More detailed documents can be found here.

Thursday, October, 15th: School Board Work Session on Return to School - 6:00 p.m.  There will be a follow up presentation from FCPS to the School Board on Oct 15th at 6:00 p.m. to discuss additional phase in plans for remaining students. 

• Livestream: Meetings are livestreamed here - https://www.fcps.edu/tv/ch99.
• Recordings of Meetings: Meetings will be recorded and available to view on the FCPS YouTube page here
• Agenda/Handouts: For school board meeting agenda, handouts and more click here

An individual may register to speak at a meeting beginning at 6:00 a.m. three business days prior to the meeting. A maximum of 10 speaker slots are available, first come, first served. The speakers list closes at 4:30 p.m. on the last business day prior to the meeting date.  Sign up to speak here. 

Section 2: Return to School Update

Return to School Presentation from the September 22nd School Board Work Session

Next Return to School Update: Thursday, October, 15th at 6:00 p.m.

Virtual Learning and Phase in Plan Update

While I know that virtual learning is not ideal for many of our students and more difficult for some than for others, I was pleased to see a successful launch of virtual learning that is markedly different than the spring. I am very proud of our hardworking teachers, principals, administrators, and staff for working around the clock to make virtual learning as good as it can be. I am so grateful that they have gone above and beyond to connect with families and students, completely changing how they educate our students and providing that safe space and excellent education for our students. I also appreciate how hard our families are doing to support their students’ learning at home. It takes a village to educate our students in a pandemic and I am grateful to everyone for being part of that village for our students. Most importantly, I am grateful to our students for their resilience and flexibility. I know many want to be back in school in person and we are working towards that. See below for more information on FCPS’ phase in plans. The School board will also be receiving an update from our Superintendent at our work session on October 15th.

Our virtual learning launch included distributing more than 162,000 laptops and 5,900 Wi-Fi devices to students, providing streamlined curriculum and enhanced resources for teachers, and continuing to provide breakfast and lunch for all FCPS students throughout the county at school sites and along bus routes. 

This week marks the beginning of phased in-person cohort learning at FCPS. By the end of October, FCPS plans to offer in-person instruction to approximately 3.5% of FCPS students. Learn more in this video message from Superintendent Brabrand. 

Message from the Superintendent

More Details on Phased Return to School Plan

Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott S. Brabrand presented a plan to the Fairfax County School Board to begin in-person instruction in a phased plan for small groups—or cohorts—of students who are likely to experience the greatest challenges with distance learning.  

Get more information about the Return to School plan.

Groups 1-4 will begin to be phased in starting in Mid-October

• Group 1 would be students enrolled in select high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses. 
• Group 2 would bring back preschool autism and preschool class-based students, Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE) students, and students enrolled in select high school CTE courses. 
• Group 3 includes students who attend Key Center and Kilmer Center, secondary and elementary students who access the adapted curriculum, elementary Comprehensive Services Sites, SLIFE students in grades 3-12, English learner newcomers who entered FCPS after July 2019, and students enrolled in select high school CTE courses. 
• Group 4 would include elementary age students attending Burke School and high school students enrolled in select CTE courses.

• Virtual Option for Students: There will still be an option for parents to choose to keep their students virtual
• October 15th 6 pm: School Board Work Session on Return to School. There will be a follow up presentation from FCPS to the School Board on Oct 15 at 6 pm to discuss additional phase in plans for remaining students.

FCPS, VDH and CDC Metrics and Current Plans

Many of you have asked for what metrics FCPS is using in making Return to School Decisions and where we are in our current plans.

Four types of metrics shared with the community in August will be used to determine FCPS readiness to phase students in. Please see information below from FCPS regarding these metrics and current plans and work around phasing in. Under the Return to School plan, the first group of students would return in early October with other small groups phased in during the month of October. As presented to the Board, the initial cohorts would include 3.5 percent of the total FCPS student population. 

The school system is preparing for students’ safe return to school as noted below:

1. VDH community transmission and disease trends will be used to determine if the level of community transmission will allow for face-to-face instruction. This includes new cases, positive tests, outbreaks, cases of COVID-19 among healthcare workers, and emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Data is shared with FCPS weekly. 
   • Current community-wide health conditions support in-person cohort instruction for FCPS Operational Level 2. Based on VDH data, Northern Virginia is currently experiencing low disease burden and a fluctuating trend. The overall calculated COVID-19 community transmission extent is low. 
2. FCPS operational metrics include the capacity of the district to support face-to-face instruction. Included will be the ability to staff a public health nurse or student health aide; classroom and substitute teachers; administrators; and transportation, food and nutrition services, and custodial employees. Also included is the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff and students, and adequate cleaning and sanitizing supplies.
   • System operational metrics are also being met to support in-person cohort instruction including available staff; procedures in place for safe bus travel and entrance into school; procedures for social distancing and hygiene practices including a face covering requirement; and available PPE for staff and students.
   • The Operational Level 2 plan targets groups of students having the greatest difficulty with distance learning in four groups:
   • Parents and caregivers in the initial groups that would return for in-person instruction are being provided the opportunity to confirm their preference for either in-person instruction or virtual learning based on choices made in a July county-wide survey.
3. School-based health metrics determine when individual classrooms or schools switch to distance learning in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19.
   • In the event that a case of COVID-19 is confirmed in a classroom, those students would revert to virtual learning for a 14-day period, pending follow up from the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD). If two or more classrooms in a school have transitioned back to virtual learning, the school would revert to virtual learning, pending follow up from the FCHD.
4. School and staff readiness will include instructional and operational components such as preparation of classrooms, technology readiness, students access to meals while at school, opportunity for teachers to shift to in-person instruction, creating and communicating schedules, and monitoring and care for the stress and workload of staff. 
   • FCPS will utilize a one-time parent-guardian health screening commitment form requiring parents and guardians to screen their child’s health daily before coming to school and require face coverings be used by students and staff. FCPS will perform intensified cleaning and disinfection practices as outlined in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Mitigation Guidelines.

Staff Requests for Virtual Teaching

Several people have asked me how many teachers have requested to remain virtual, by tier. Please see the data below (as of Oct. 5th, 2020.) Tier 1 are those who have filed for ADA accommodations for themselves. Tier 2 are those who have a family member that is at higher risk of COVID. Tier 3 are those who have childcare concerns. And Tier 4 are those who prefer to teach virtually. 

As of 9/28/2020, there were also 98 teacher vacancies.

Virginia Department of Health (VDH) New Pandemic Dashboard

The Virginia Department of Health has released its new Pandemic Metrics Dashboard with a comprehensive visualization of COVID-19 data by region. The Metrics Dashboard also shows daily and weekly COVID-19 transmission information and trends. Additionally, VDH created visualizations to help communities understand the risks of COVID-19 transmission within schools. This includes the CDC Schools Metrics

• Here is the  VDH New Pandemic Metrics Dashboard Pandemic Metrics Dashboard

• Here is the CDC school metrics guide as released by VDH

CDC School Decision Making Guidelines

On September 15, 2020, the CDC issued new guidance on Indicators for Dynamic School Decision-Making, which proposes core and secondary indicators for consideration in the decision-making process regarding school reopening for in-person learning.

Section 3: What’s New in FCPS

Welcome Dr. Boyd, FCPS New Assistant Superintendent for Special Services Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Scott S. Brabrand has named Michelle Boyd, who who previously servied as Executive Director of the Piedmont Regional Education Program (PREP) in Charlottesville, as the Assistant Superintendent for the Department of Special Services, effective September 21st. She replaces Teresa Johnson, who has retired. “Dr. Boyd has extensive experience in education administration including special education, social and emotional learning, student support services, equity, planning and assessment, and multi-tiered systems of support,” said Brabrand. “We are excited to welcome her to our district and look forward to working with her on our leadership team.”

Check Out the September Issue of Audit Buzz

FCPS’ Office of Auditor General (OAG) publishes Audit Buzz to provide a look into OAG’s work. Highlights from the latest issue include the Construction Contract Management audit, a summary of current engagements, and a new Knowledge Hive topic: Fraud, Waste, and Abuse. Stay up to date with OAG’s current and planned work by reading the latest issue of Audit Buzz.

Superintendent Presents Recommendations to Improve Diversity at TJHSST by Establishing Merit Lottery Admissions Process Superintendent Brabrand has presented recommendations to the Fairfax County School Board to revise the admissions policy at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), the governor’s regional school, in order to promote access to historically underserved students. The Board is required to submit a report to Virginia Governor Ralph Northam by October 1 of each year on its diversity goals and status of those goals for its student body and faculty. The submission deadline this year is extended until October 12th. Please click on the link below for more information about the Superintendent's proposed changes. Additional details about the plan are available here.  The video from the FCPS School Board Work Session on September,15th where the TJHSST admissions policy proposal was discussed is found here. The School Board has held two work sessions on TJ admissions change.  The School Board has agreed to remove the test for this year and asked Dr. Brabrand to bring back an alternative holistic approach to TJ admissions that will be brought to the school board in November, along with an update and answers to the school board next steps from the work sessions. I remain committed to providing enhanced enrichment and advanced academics, STEM opportunities, and robust outreach for all students but especially those underrepresented populations and historically underrepresented schools as well as an holistic admissions process for TJ.

TJHSST Admissions Changes - Public Input

Superintendent Brabrand has held two virtual town halls on proposed admissions process changes for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) on September 23rd and October 7th The Town Halls are available to viewed on the FCPS YouTube page. In addition, families and community members can submit comments to TJcomments@fcps.edu.

If you missed the virtual Town Hall meeting with Superintendent Brabrand on Wednesday, September 23rd, that discussed the admissions process at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), you can see the complete meeting online. Watch the video.

Opening of Schools Report

Superintendent Brabrand presented the Annual Opening of Schools Report during the September 17th School Board meeting. The report provides an overview of demographics, hiring statistics, budget, technology systems, capital improvements, and other information about the school division. Watch the video.

Calendar Reminder: Student Holiday on Monday, October 12th, for School Planning Day As a reminder, Monday, October 12th, is a school planning day and a student holiday. Teachers will participate in a variety of professional development and planning activities and will not be available for office hours. Students are not expected to complete asynchronous assignments on this student holiday. Classes will resume on Tuesday, October 13th. See the complete 2020-21 school year calendar.

Advanced Academic Program (AAP) Level IV Screening Updates

Due to the ongoing pandemic, there are some adjustments to the Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Level IV screening processes for the 2020-21 school year. Find important notes for parents here. 

Section 4: Resources, Supports, and Celebrations

College and Career Resources Save the Date - Moving on to Life in the Community: A Virtual and Free Resource Fair for Students with Disabilities - to be held on October 21st Don’t miss this virtual and free resource fair for students with disabilities and their parents on Wednesday, October 21st, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Registration is available online.   All ages are welcome. Learn about vocational, residential, leisure, recreational, independent living, and advocacy options. This resource fair is for individuals who may need ongoing employment and community support after graduation. Presenters include: Career and Transition Services, the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, and The Arc of Northern Virginia. Agenda: 6:30-7:15 p.m.—Overview presentation. 7:15-7:30 p.m.—Participants move to virtual breakout rooms.   7:30-8:30 p.m.—Virtual Question and Answer with adult service providers. FCPS Virtual College Week Set for October 19th - 23rd This year, FCPS is holding a Virtual College Week October 19th - 23rd instead of the traditional College Fair and College Night activities. Students and their parents may participate in one or all of several live virtual sessions. Participants will learn about the current college admissions process and how to be better prepared for the next chapter of their educational journey. Advance registration is required. You will receive a unique access link 24 hours before the event(s) that you register to attend. College Boot Camp 2020: A Webinar for Students  Join Career and Transition Services online for a virtual College Bootcamp!  This virtual College Boot Camp is for students with an IEP that are graduating in 2021 and plan to attend college. Career and Transition Services staff will work with students on starting the application process. Do you have an IEP? Are you graduating in 2021? Do you want to go to college? Do you need help getting started? THEN THIS BOOT CAMP IS FOR YOU!!!!! Participants will: Complete a college search in Naviance  Identify and explore your top three colleges  Get familiar with the Common App ®  Determine your next steps *Please note parents are welcome to sit in on the workshop with their students, however this event is for students.   *If parents are interested in learning more about postsecondary options, we encourage parents to attend Postsecondary Education Options on December 9, 2020. Monday, November 9, 2020, 12:30 - 3:00 p.m. Register for College Boot Camp 2020: A Webinar for Students

Virtual Learning Resources and Support

Tips for Online Learning

• Dedicate a space for you to do your work, where your computer will be on a level surface. Remember that everyone can see where you are working when your camera is on. 
• Communicate with your teachers via email (your student ID# @fcpsschools.net). Also use this email to reach out to counselors and other school staff.
• Check for assignments and announcements in FCPS 24-7 Learning or Google Classroom.
• Stick to a schedule. 
• Follow the schedule for meeting with teachers. Use the other days to complete assigned work and check in when needed.

 Be open and flexible to learn this new way together!

Virtual Learning Tips from FCPS Department of Special Services

Supporting Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Tips and Tricks to Support Your Child’s Learning at Home 

Topics include a wide range of topics including getting students ready to learn at home and tips for supporting students with reading and math.  These resources are from the IRIS Center at Vanderbilt University.

Behavior Support for Virtual Learning

Quick Tip on Routines

Virtual Learning is well under way! We know that staying on top of foundational structures is key to success for students and families during virtual learning. To learn more about strategies for virtual learning at home, check out this quick tip video on routines.

Social and Emotional Support

Many parents are concerned about their child’s social and emotional well-being during the pandemic.  Children and young adults may be facing a variety of challenges at this time, including changes in routine, adjusting to virtual learning, and possibly experiencing trauma or feelings of insecurity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed a clearinghouse of resources for parents to help them address their children’s mental wellness during the pandemic:  COVID-19 Parental Resource Kit: Ensuring Children and Young People’s Social, Emotional, and Mental Well-being.

Digital Citizenship Series: Tips for Parents: Helping Kids Navigate Life in the Digital Age 

• Series Part 1: How to Find Balance with Technology
• When technology becomes the primary place for school and connecting with others, what does it look like to set boundaries?
• We will discuss ways to stay connected with the world and how to get back on track when it goes too far.  
• Friday, November 6, 2020, 10 - 11:30 a.m.

• Series Part 2: Hot Topics: What Concerns You the Most?
• What can you do to set your child up for success to handle whatever challenges and temptations they may face with technology?  
•  What can you do to help them rebound when they make a mistake?  We will be asking you to share your top concerns about the world of technology and your child so that we may craft this webinar around advice and resources on the hottest topics.
• Friday, November 13, 2020, 10 - 11:30 a.m.

Register for Digital Citizenship Series: Tips for Parents: Helping Kids Navigate Life in the Digital Age

Who to Go to with Questions I know many people often ask me where to go for help. I hope the table below provides some of the most common types of issues or questions that may be anticipated and indicates who to contact for help. Email is the best way to reach staff during distance learning. https://www.fcps.edu/return-school/supports-students-disabilities For questions about: Contact Specific course, assignment, or learning resource Teacher Supports or accommodations Special education case manager or 504 School Based Coordinator Supports or accommodations for English learners ESOL teacher Problem with an FCPS-issued laptop Teacher will submit support ticket for student Personal or social emotional concern School Psychologist or School Social Worker Other issue related to distance learning Principal or assistant principal Help to resolve concerns, problems, complaints, and other student-related issues Office of the Family and Student Ombudsman (ombudsman@fcps.edu) Special education procedural questions, assistance with IEPs, due process or other dispute resolution processes, assistance with complaints for students with disabilities or students with 504 plans Office of Special Education Procedural Support (includes Multi-Agency Services, Due Process & Eligibility (DPE) Special education instructional supports, behavior intervention, related services, assistive technology, and career and transition services Office of Special Education Instruction

Contact Information

If parent(s) or guardian(s) need further assistance, please reach out to the:

• Procedural Support Liaison (PSL) assigned by school
• Office of Due Process and Eligibility
• Office of Intervention and Prevention
• Office of Special Education Instruction
• Section 504 Information
• Assistant Ombudsman for Special Education, Dawn Clements at ombudsman@fcps.edu
• Parent Resource Center at prc@fcps.edu or 703-204-3941.

New Programs Offer Support for Parents, Students During COVID-19

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fairfax County government’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) is offering two programs to support parents, guardians, and students in distance learning.

Parent Connect provides in-person services for parents and guardians at NCS Community Centers and other community locations. Assistance includes support related to digital literacy and Internet access; support related to language barriers; and connection to county Health and Human Services resources, service navigation and referrals. Beginning Monday, September 28th, these services are offered by appointment only Monday through Friday, 3:00-8:00 p.m., though times may vary by location.

NCS Connects: After School is a virtual platform providing programming for youth and teens Monday through Friday, 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. Virtual programs include academics (i.e., STEAM), family engagement, service learning, and youth leadership development.

More information is available online.

Free Meals for Students During the School Year

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that FCPS and other school districts can continue serving free meals to all children through December 31st. FCPS has distributed more than 2.9 million grab and go meals since schools closed in March. The goal is to provide every FCPS student daily access to a nutritious breakfast and lunch.

Grab and go service hours at school sites have been extended to 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) with both breakfast and lunch being served at the same time. 

Buses are delivering grab and go meals throughout the county. Several new bus routes have been added and some bus stop locations have changed. Any changes to bus routes are posted on the website by 5:00 p.m. each day. Meals on buses will be distributed Monday through Friday beginning at 6:30 a.m. Information about bus routes for food distribution is available online.

If there are bus delays while distributing grab and go meals, the information will be posted on the FCPS Bus Delay website. FCPS will also send a message to the affected school communities if a bus route is delayed.

Please Note: Breakfast and lunch meals for Saturdays and Sundays will be distributed at all sites and bus routes each Friday.

Technology Resources

FCPS has created many resources to help you and your child with virtual learning. These resources provide instructions on how to solve many simple technology challenges and are available in multiple languages.

Visit the Technology Support for Families page on the FCPS website, and scroll to the bottom for help on things like troubleshooting the sound or camera on an FCPS laptop, using Blackboard Collaborate, logging into a Google Meet session, and using your Parent View account. When you click on the topic, you can select your preferred language for the videos, including Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese. Many technology problems can be solved by viewing these resources.

Home Internet Access Assistance

FCPS is working to ensure that all FCPS students have internet access at home. FCPS is transitioning to a new program in partnership with Cox Communications, in which the school system will pay for internet service for qualifying families for the school year. Cox’s Connect2Compete program provides low-cost internet to families that meet these qualifications: 

• Have at least one child that attends an FCPS school.
• Participate in, or qualify for, one of these government subsidy programs: the National School Lunch Program, SNAP, TANF, or Public Housing.
• Have not had Cox standard internet services in the home within the last 90 days.

If your family needs internet service at home so that your student can participate in virtual learning, contact your child’s school to begin the application process. If you qualify for the program, the school will contact you to let you know how to complete the steps to receive your internet service.

Video: Virtual Learning Tech Tips—Printing at Home

If you would like to be able to use your home Wi-Fi printer with your student’s FCPS laptop, check out this video for instructions on how to do so. Watch the video. 

Virtual Learning Playlist

The virtual learning playlist includes several videos about digital citizenship, technology tips, and how to keep your FCPS laptop and other features ready for student success. Go to the virtual learning playlist. 

Growth Mindset and Mental Wellbeing

Incorporating Growth Mindset Strategies to Help Children Thrive, by FCPS & Fairfax County Government

Mindsets are groups of beliefs that guide how we interpret the world around us. They shape our behaviors and decisions, and they play a major role in how we set and obtain goals.

Research pioneered by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck suggests that people function on a continuum between having a “growth” mindset and a “fixed” mindset.

While all of us have bits of both, finding ways to incorporate more of a growth mindset into our lives can help us to thrive and achieve our goals.

To read more about growth mindset click here.

Healthy Minds Podcast: Help Prevent Youth Suicide with FCPS' Acknowledge. Care. Tell. (ACT) Program In this week's Healthy Minds podcast, meet Whitney McDonough, a social worker at West Potomac High School and FCPS employee for over 25 years.  McDonough provides information and resources about teen suicide prevention and a program available to FCPS parents and students called SOS, or Signs of Suicide. Participants also learn how to Acknowledge, Care, and Tell or ACT.

Alcohol, Drugs, and Vaping: What Every Parent Needs to Know

Talking with your teen or young adult can be challenging. Having meaningful, ongoing conversations about drugs and alcohol, however, is key to helping keep your son or daughter healthy and safe.

Presentation Highlights:

• Current trends in substance use and abuse
• Impact of substances on physical and emotional development
• Paraphernalia display and discussion
• Tools for parents

Presented by Carrie Glasgow, FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist.

Friday, October 16th, 2020, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Register for Alcohol, Drugs, and Vaping: What Every Parent Needs to Know

Parent Resource Center November Webinars

SibShops: A Webinar for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs

The Sibshop workshops are for children in grades 2-6 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools who have siblings with special needs to:

• Meet other siblings in a relaxed, virtual setting.
• Celebrate the many contributions made by brothers and sisters of children with special needs.
• Share sibling experiences and receive peer support.
• Play games and have fun!  

Monday, November 2nd, 2020, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. or 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Register for SibShops: A Webinar for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs

Encouraging Positive Behaviors at Home Series

• 10/22/20: Challenging Behaviors: Prevention Strategies and Teaching Self-Control

• 11/19/20: Challenging Behaviors: ABCs of Behavior & How to Respond
  • Strategies and methods to teach self-control strategies
  • General tips on how to proactively, prevent challenging behaviors
• 12/17/20: All Behavior Happens for a Reason: Behavior as Communication
• 01/21/21: Strategies for Increasing Replacement Behaviors
• 02/18/21: Teaching your Children to Follow Directions
• 03/18/21: Effectively Communicating with Your Child
• 04/22/21: Minimizing Prompts and Maximizing Your Child’s Independence

Thursday November 19th, 2020, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Register for Challenging Behaviors: ABCs of Behavior & How to Respond

Fairfax County Public Library Checkout Now Available to All Students

Effective October 1st, all FCPS students (preK-12) are able to check out materials from the Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL), even if they don’t have a traditional library card or a card has been blocked due to fines. 

Under the Library Equity Access Pass program (LEAP), a partnership with FCPS and FCPL, students need only their name, not a physical library card, to check out three items at a time for six weeks each (no renewals). LEAP accounts are never charged fines or fees.  

A student can have a LEAP account in addition to a standard library account. Standard accounts allow users to place holds on materials and access FCPL’s digital resources, such as eBooks and databases. 

Families can apply for a standard account online and in library branches. 

COVIDWISE

The Virginia Department of Health app COVIDWISE, an iPhone and Android App, will help protect our community while protecting your privacy. The app uses Bluetooth technology to notify you if you’ve been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.  Click here to learn more and download the app on your mobile device or search “COVIDWISE” on the App Store or Google Play. The more widespread the use of the app, the more effective it will be.

Plan to Vote by November 3rd This year we will vote for the President and our Members in the House of Representatives. There will also be two important bond issues on the ballot as well: to support our public libraries and to support our parks and park facilities. If you are a citizen and a registered voter, you have three options for voting. Learn more about your options and make sure you check locations, dates and hours before you head out to vote! If you have questions or concerns, do not delay in contacting the Fairfax County Office of Elections at voting@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Students who will turn 18 years old this school year, but after the November 3, 2020 deadline, may register to vote in 2021 beginning November 4, 2020 (they can register as 17-year olds).  There are two main pathways for students to register to vote: Students with a valid Virginia DMV license or state ID card can register online.   Students without a DMV license or state ID card are asked to download a voter registration form.  This link provides mailing instructions and information in multiple languages as well as absentee ballot requests.

Celebrations

Even in these troubling times (and some might argue especially in these troubling times) it is important to stop and celebrate the amazing things happening in our schools and by our students and teachers. Below are just a few of the good things happening in FCPS.

Two Fairfax County Schools Named 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools

Two Fairfax County public schools—Fairhill Elementary School and Poplar Tree Elementary School—have been named 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. The Fairfax County schools are among seven schools in Virginia receiving the honor this year.

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors high performing schools and schools making exemplary progress toward closing achievement gaps. Poplar Tree Elementary was recognized for overall achievement. Fairhill Elementary was recognized for progress toward closing achievement gaps.

Get more information about FCPS’ Blue Ribbon Schools. 

Kings Glen Elementary School Teacher Lisa Rode Is Virginia's Region 4 Teacher of the Year

On September 19th, Lisa Rode, who teaches sixth grade at Kings Glen Elementary School, was named the Region 4 Teacher of the Year. She's now a finalist for the Virginia Teacher of the Year! Congratulations to Lisa Rode! We are so proud and grateful for your work for our students. 

Watch this video to see her get the surprise news.

(I have to add as a former Kings Glen family (Kings Glen was my son’s elementary school), I know firsthand how amazing King’s Glen teachers are, and I am so proud of Ms. Rode!

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month Hispanic Heritage Month is acknowledged annually from September 15th - October 15th. The Fairfax County School Board has recognized the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic Americans during National Hispanic Heritage Month.  The celebration was created to honor the rich history, culture, and many contributions of Hispanic Americans.  This observation started in 1968 amidst the civil rights era as Hispanic Heritage Week and later expanded in 1988 to an observation period of 30 days starting on September 15th and ending on October 15th. It was enacted into law August 17th,1988 and is a long-standing American celebration of many decades.  National Hispanic Heritage Month is a tangible reinforcement of the School Board’s belief that “Our diversity is a strength that creates resilient, open, and innovative global citizens.” More importantly, it is a wonderful opportunity for our schools and community to celebrate the richness of the many nationalities, cultures, languages, religions, and traditions within this diverse ethnic group. In FCPS, one in four of our students is of Hispanic Heritage, representing multilingual talents and origins from tens of countries. More than 1 in 10 of every employees in our system—10.5 percent—contribute to this richness as leadership team members, principals, teachers, cafeteria workers, interpreters, parent liaisons, custodians, bus drivers, and staff all across our division. These cultures in turn enrich our own school community. Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month.

On-Time Graduation Rate Increases for the FCPS Class of 2020   Graduation rates released by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) indicate that 93.0 percent of Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) students in the class of 2020 graduated on time, up from 91.2 percent in 2019. The on-time graduation rate for the state in 2020 was 92.3 percent compared with 91.5 percent in 2019. Overall success highlights for the class of 2020 include:   FCPS seniors earning Advanced Studies diplomas increased to 61.2 percent and remains substantially above the statewide outcome of 51.8 percent.    The division dropout rate fell to 6.2 percent, down from 7.4 percent in 2019.  Success in closing achievement gaps is also apparent in class of 2020 outcomes, with students in the Black, Hispanic, economically disadvantaged, English learner, and students with disabilities groups improving to a greater degree than the division as a whole in both on-time graduation rates and dropout rates. Additionally, Black, Hispanic, and economically disadvantaged groups increased the rate of Advanced Studies diplomas more than the division overall. Student Group On-Time Graduation Advanced Studies Diploma Dropout 2019 2020 Change  2019 2020 Change  2019 2020 Change* All 91.2%  93.0%  1.8% 60.8% 61.2% 0.4% 7.4% 6.2% -1.2% Asian 97.8% 98.3% 0.5% 79.4% 79.0% -0.4% 1.6% 1.2% -0.4% Black 93.2% 95.9% 2.7% 46.6% 47.8% 1.2% 4.8% 2.8% -2.0% Hispanic 74.6% 79.2% 4.6% 31.8% 32.7% 0.9% 22.7% 19.7% -3.0% White 98.1% 98.6% 0.5% 74.1% 74.2% 0.1% 1.1% 0.9% -0.2% Econ Dis 86.2% 89.9% 3.7% 36.2% 37.3% 1.0% 11.5% 8.7% -2.8% EL 67.4% 72.5% 5.1% 15.1% 14.8% -0.4% 30.3% 26.7% -3.6% SWD 92.2% 94.8% 2.6% 16.8% 17.2% 0.4% 6.5% 4.7% -1.8%    Because school closures limited student access to diploma requirements, the Virginia superintendent of education waived certain requirements for graduating seniors who had successfully completed all standard course requirements. This decisive action eliminated barriers and supported students to meet their graduation goals across the commonwealth. Nonetheless, gains in FCPS reflect not only the impact of state waivers but also long-term investment in high school program enhancements for English learners and strategic school support structures designed and implemented collaboratively by the FCPS Office of School Support and Office of Counseling and College and Career Readiness.  Virginia’s on-time graduation rate reports the percentage of students in a senior cohort who earned a state Board of Education-approved diploma within four years. This year’s on-time graduates are students who entered ninth grade for the first time during the 2016-17 school year and earned a diploma by August 2020. The calculation reflects longitudinal student-level outcomes, taking into account student mobility, changes in student enrollment, and academic needs of students with disabilities and English learners Detailed on-time graduation rate information for the division and individual schools can be accessed through the “College and Career Readiness” tab within the Virginia School Quality Profiles and the Virginia Cohort Reports issued annually by the VDOE.

Watching History Lake Braddock Secondary School student, Alex Mather, was last year's winner of the contest to name the new Mars Rover. His submission "Perseverance" was the winner out of 28,000 entries. Recently, he had the honor of witnessing the launch as a guest of NASA. FCPS had a chance to talk to Alex when he got back to Northern Virginia. Watch the video.

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

E-mail: Rachna Sizemore Heizer  |  Phone: 571-423-1090

Stephanie Sheridan, Executive Admin Assistant,
571-423-1065, srsheridan@fcps.edu