Update about In-Person Instruction for Students

Dear Parent, 

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is planning to bring additional student groups back to school for in-person instruction in the near future. We will follow strict safety and health protocols to minimize health risks for students and staff. To learn more, visit here.

The following groups of students will be returning to in-person instruction (start dates below are tentative and subject to change):    

Group 5:

November 16 – tentative date

Early Head Start (infants and toddlers) 

PreK (three and four year olds)

Kindergarten

Intensive Support Needs(students instructed w/ modified curriculum for at least 50% of their core courses and instructed in special education settings 50% or more of their instructional day),

Specialized Center-based Programs – Special Education (Vision Program @ Robinson)

Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) Programs at Canterbury Woods ES, Frost MS and Woodson HS - students with 50% or more of core content areas in Special Education settings 

 

Group 6:

November 30 - tentative date

Grades 1-2

Specialized Career Centers – Special Education (Davis and Pulley Centers w/ target learner profile)

 

Group 7:

January 4 – tentative date

Grades 3-6

Secondary Public Day Programs — Special Education (Burke MS, Cedar Lane, Quander Road) Davis and Pulley Centers (students w/ target learner profile)

 

Group 8:

January 26– tentative date

Grades 7-12 

Davis and Pulley Career Centers

 

The following special education groups will receive in-person instruction four (4) days per week (Tues - Fri)

- Intensive Support Needs - Group 5

- Center Based Programs (Vision and Hearing) - Group 6

 

We will be using concurrent instruction for students who receive in-person instruction. This means that students who elect in-person instruction will receive two days of teacher-led instruction in the school building and two days of teacher-led instruction at home. Students who elect all-virtual learning will continue to receive four days of teacher-led instruction at home.

In either format, Mondays will be a full day of independent learning for students to give our teachers more time to prepare and plan the week’s lessons. This will begin on Monday, November 9, 2020 for Group 5 and on November 16, 2020 for Group 6.  November 12 and 13 will be teacher workdays and independent learning days for Group 5 students to give our teachers time to prepare and plan for in-person instruction.  November 20, 23, and 24 will be teacher workdays and independent learning days for Group 6 students.

Some schools are already piloting concurrent instruction. The Superintendent will report his findings on the pilot program at the November 12 School Board work session.  

Here is a video that demonstrates how a concurrent classroom will look.

We will honor the choice you made in the FCPS July survey to determine the setting for instruction. If you chose in-person instruction, we will assume your student(s) will return to in-person instruction in accordance with the schedule above. If you chose all-virtual instruction we will assume you will continue in that format. If your circumstances have changed, please go to this enrollment link and update your choice by 11:00 p.m. on October 30, and we will try to accommodate your request based on the availability of staff and space. We will strive to minimize the impact of this transition; however, some students may experience a change in schedule or class assignment as we work to accommodate everyone’s preferences.

Thank you for your support and cooperation as we continue on this journey to deliver the best instruction for all FCPS students. 

Sincerely, 

Marie Lemmon

Principal