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Greetings,
It’s hard to believe the first day of the new school year is just one month away (August 23rd). To help ease family planning, I want to provide you with a List of Topics & Information, along with some Summer events and services. Please be assured that FCPS will continue to provide Fall Return to School Updates as new information becomes available.
Here is the List of Topics and Information included below:
Fall Return to School and Childcare Services
FCPS Health & Safety Guidance Updates
Extended Summer Learning for Special Education Services
Fall Plans to Address Student Learning Loss
Kindergarten Registration
PreK and Early Head Start Applications
Vaccination Requirements for Students
FREE Summer Mental Health Consultations
Braddock District Echo Food Drop Box program
August 3rd National Night Out Events
I also want to share some wonderful photos from our 2021 Braddock District high school graduations (Annandale, Lake Braddock, Robinson, Woodson). Given the cancellation of last year’s ceremonies, it was particularly moving to take part in these joyful celebrations. (My nephew Aidan Kane was among the 2021 Woodson graduates.) I want to extend my warmest wishes to all 2021 graduates as they each begin a new (and exciting) chapter in life.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me or my staff aide Donna Nelson-Schneider if you have questions, comments or need assistance.
In service,
Megan
Clockwise from top left: Lake Braddock, Woodson, Annandale, and Robinson.
Fall Return to School & County Childcare Services
FCPS will be returning to five days a week of in-person instruction for the 2021-22 school year. Specific details and future updates will be provided by the Superintendent and school officials as more information becomes available.
The new school year will also include the return of Fairfax County government’s School Age Child Care Program (SACC), which provides Before and After School childcare at many FCPS elementary schools.
For more information about FCPS’ Return to School plans, click here.
For information about the School Age Child Care Program (SACC), click here.
FCPS is also offering a limited virtual program for students with documented COVID-19 related health/medical needs. For more information about FCPS’ Virtual program, click here.
FCPS Health and Safety Guidance
With respect to Fall 2021 Health and Safety practices, FCPS will continue to follow the guidance put forth by clinical researchers and medical providers from the CDC, VDH, and the FCHD to ensure the safest classrooms possible. This will include FCPS’ pending face covering (mask) requirements.
Yesterday, the Virginia Departments of Health and Education released new guidance for PreK-12 schools for the upcoming school year. They are also giving each school division the ability to implement local mask policies based upon public health conditions and recommendations.
Based on recent recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Virginia state guidance currently recommends that school divisions adopt the following practices for the 2021-2022 school year:
- Elementary schools should implement a requirement that students, teachers, and staff wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status, until a vaccination is available for children under 12 years old and there has been sufficient time to allow for children younger than 12 years old to be fully vaccinated.
- At a minimum, middle and high schools should implement a requirement that students, teachers, and staff who are not fully vaccinated wear masks indoors. While school divisions regularly confirm school-required immunization records of their students, they should consult with their legal counsel to determine if, and how, to confirm student and staff COVID-19 vaccinations.
- All schools may want to consider universal masking for specific reasons as outlined in certain circumstances by the CDC.
- All schools should be prepared to adjust local mask policies as local public health conditions evolve throughout the year.
The CDC federal order requiring masks be worn on public transportation remains in effect, and applies to buses operated by Virginia public schools.
FCPS’ Family Guide for Back to School provides an overview of FCPS’s back-to-school plans. The Student Health and Safety Document is continually updated and provides detailed information on school policies and protocols related to COVID-19 such as adherence to layered mitigation strategies. These guidance documents will continue to be updated to align with public health guidance.
Students Receiving Special Education Services
FCPS had initially planned to provide Extended Summer Learning (ESY) for special education student through a single session this summer. Due to staffing challenges and a larger number of students receiving services, two separate sessions are being held. This unexpected change impacted roughly 1,200 students.
Dates for the two sessions:
- Session I: June 28-July 23
- Session II: July 26-August 12, with extended hours (8:00 am – 12:05 pm or 9:45 am – 1:50 pm elementary; secondary 10:00 am – 3:30 pm)
By holding two sessions, FCPS has been able to maintain smaller class sizes and better serve in students.
FCPS recognizes that this sudden change created a hardship for some families and remains committed to supporting them with effective solutions.
As your school board member, please contact my office if you are having any difficulty accessing these special education services for your student.
Fall Plans to Address Student Learning Loss
As FCPS prepares for a full return to five days of in-person learning this Fall, its top priority is to ensure there is an appropriate plan to bring students up to grade level or higher. Below is a brief snapshot of the key strategies FCPS will use to address student learning loss during the upcoming school year:
Reviewing and Reteaching. FCPS is updating its curriculum instruction guides to ensure that teachers are provided with effective information and strategies to review and/or reteach previous grade standards as they teach current year content. This is critical towards helping students master essential knowledge and fill any skill gaps. This approach will also allow FCPS to accelerate learning, as opposed to starting a cycle of remediation. For students who have more significant learning needs, FCPS anticipates providing a variety of interventions. Some examples are:
- Built-in time during the school day for individualized or small group instruction by current teacher or specialist
- After school/Saturday “tutoring”, delivered at the school by paid staff
- Online tutoring, delivered in the evenings
Identifying Student Needs. During Fall 2021, assessments will play an important role in identifying gaps in learning, and determining next steps. Students at all levels will participate in classroom assessments based on grade level units to identify specific learning gaps that need to be addressed during its regularly scheduled grade-level instruction.
- Elementary students will participate in a VDOE Fall “SOL-like" assessment, as well as the iReady screener. These will serve as “initial indicators” for each student’s needs in literacy and mathematics.
- Middle school students will participate in the new VDOE assessments, and mathematics/literacy inventories.
- High school students who have risk indicators will participate in mathematics and literacy inventories.
Preparing Teachers to Tackle Learning Loss. Upon return to school, teachers will engage in professional development so they are prepared to implement updated curriculum guides and effectively use data and strategies to support social emotional learning. Ongoing professional development will take place throughout the year with specific supports for teacher leaders/coaches at each school site. In addition, our resource teachers from Central Office will be deployed in our schools to support professional development, planning, and instructional delivery.
Back to School News
2021-22 School Year Starts Aug 23rd
Be sure to note that the First Day of the new school year (2021-22) will be Monday, August 23rd. To view the entire school year calendar, click here.
Kindergarten Registration
Will your child turn five years old by September 30? If so, please contact your local elementary school to enroll your child in Kindergarten. All Kindergarten programs are full-day.
Check your school’s webpage or contact the school directly for specific enrollment information and dates of orientation.
For more information and how to register for Kindergarten, click here.
PreK and Early Head Start Applications
FCPS PreK and Early Head Start is now accepting applications for School Year 2021-22! Please watch this video to see if your 3 or 4 year old may qualify for PreK. To learn more and apply, click here.
For more information call our English Line: 703-208-7900 or Email: fcpsprekoffice@fcps.edu
¡FCPS PreK y Early Head Start ya está aceptando aplicaciones para el año escolar 2021-22! Por favor mire este video para ver si su hijo de 3 o 4 años puede calificar para PreK. Para aplicar en línea. Correo electrónico: fcpsprekoffice@fcps.edu Para más información llame a la línea de español: 703-208-7901.
Required Vaccines for Students
NOTE: The COVID-19 vaccination is NOT currently required by schools for the 2021-22 school year, but some others vaccines are.
Seventh grade students cannot begin school in August without documentation of the Tdap and Meningococcal vaccines. Twelfth grade students cannot begin school in August without documentation of the Meningococcal vaccine.
Seventh-grade students need:
- One dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) given at age 7 or older.
- One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine (MenACWY, Menactra, or Menveo) given at age 10 or older.
Twelfth-grade students need:
- One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine (MenACWY, Menactra, or Menveo) given at age 16 or older.
For more information on needed vaccines, click here.
Mental Health and Wellness Consultations
The FCPS Office of Intervention and Prevention Services is offering virtual Mental Wellness Consultations from June 28th through August 6th. Parents and students have an opportunity to schedule a 45-minute consultation with a school psychologist or school social worker by phone or videoconference. Consultations are offered in two ways:
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Directly to parents of students in any grade level. This consultation provides an opportunity for parents to receive guidance on how to support their child’s social, emotional, and academic success. Information about community resources will also be provided.
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Directly to students in middle or high school. This consultation provides an opportunity for middle and high school students to receive guidance and support for concerns related to anxiety, mood, behavior, peer or family interactions, or the transition back to school in the fall. Strategies and tools can also be provided to address academic challenges such as organization and time-management.
All parents and secondary students are encouraged to take advantage of this service. There is no cost. Click here to request a consultation. You may also leave a message at 571-423-4276.
ECHO Food Drop-off Box
ECHO, a volunteer 501(c)(3) charity in Braddock District that gives food and financial help to families, and Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw have teamed up to put a Food Drop-off Box right in front of the Braddock District Office (9002 Burke Lake Rd, Burke, Virginia 22015).
Many local residents and families are still struggling due to the pandemic and financial insecurity. If you would like to help, consider dropping off a food donation at the drop-box. ECHO's team will transport the donations to their pantry regularly.
Register Your Community's National Night Out Event with the FCPD
National Night Out (NNO) will be Tuesday, August 3. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) strongly supports NNO as an opportunity to improve police and community communication. Whether it's a simple ice cream party, or an all-out festival, NNO is an opportunity to gather with your neighbors, get better acquainted, and talk about issues of common concern.
What is National Night Out?
- Annual neighborhood-based crime and drug prevention event
- Opportunity to show neighborhood spirit and strengthen partnerships with local police
- Demonstrates neighborhood commitment to fight crime
- Observed in thousands of communities in all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases around the world
Register your community’s event today!
Please note, if you register using a different link, FCPD will not receive notice of your event.
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.
© 2021 Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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