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Dear Bailey’s ES Families,
We had another great week of learning. This week our students learned about geometric shapes, read poetry during morning meeting, and discussed what it means to be a good citizen. Thank you for joining us for Back to School Night on Wednesday. Teachers enjoyed connecting with you as they shared information about their grade-level curriculum.
As the number of COVID cases increases throughout Fairfax County, we wanted to share some important information about the processes that Fairfax County Public Schools has put in place when identifying a positive COVID case. These protocols will help us keep all our students and staff safe while they are at school. Please contact us if you have any questions about the information listed below.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Satonya Dews, Principal
Jillian Bell, Assistant Principal
Elisa Alexander, Interim Assistant Principal
Returning Strong: How Pausing, Quarantining, and Isolating Keeps Our Schools Safe
Since the beginning of August, the majority of COVID-19 cases have been acquired through community spread, outside of school buildings.
FCPS’ layered prevention strategies are working to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our schools. Pausing, quarantining, and isolating are tools we use to keep schools safe when a positive COVID-19 case is reported. Understanding the difference between the three scenarios can help families be prepared.
Pause
A pause to in-person instruction is a short-term safety measure used by FCPS and the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) to allow time to investigate and determine the safest way to address a positive case within our school community. The pause will be initiated by the FCHD for anyone who interacted with an individual who reported a positive COVID-19 case.
- A pause typically lasts between 24-48 hours while FCHD verifies vaccination status and completes contact tracing.
- Vaccination status may reduce the time spent in a pause but must be verified every time an individual is put on a pause.
- The FCHD does not accept a negative COVID-19 test to release an individual from the pause.
- You will be contacted by the FCHD with a date they can return to school or work.
- This flowchart best explains what happens when there is a pause.
Close Contact
A close contact is any person, regardless of vaccination status, who is within six feet of a COVID-19 positive individual for equal to or greater than 15 minutes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) K-12 Exception indicates that students will not be identified as close contacts if they are at least three feet apart and are consistently wearing masks in the classroom setting. Adults are not included in this exception.
Quarantine
When a student is identified as a close contact, there are two things that may occur as a result:
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Not fully vaccinated students who are identified as a close contact with someone with COVID-19 must remain home for 14 days after their last exposure. FCPS will notify a student of their return date.
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Fully vaccinated students must remain home until their vaccination status is verified. Upon verification of vaccination status by the FCHD, and if the student/staff is asymptomatic, they may return to in-person learning and activities once notified by FCPS of their return date.
Isolation
Isolation is the response when someone tests positive for COVID-19. Students who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 may not return until:
- It has been at least 10 days since the student first had symptoms, AND
- The student must be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, AND
- The student’s symptoms are getting better.
FCPS is committed to providing students with opportunities to remain engaged in learning when they are in a pause, quarantine, or isolation period. This chart outlines the ways students receive instruction and materials.
FCPS’ goal is to keep students learning in-person all year. We are doing our part by implementing layered prevention strategies and working with FCHD to address positive cases and potential exposures. Every FCPS student and family can do their part by wearing masks, getting vaccinated when they are eligible, practicing healthy hygiene, and staying home when sick.
Representative Needed
We are looking for a Bailey’s ES parent to serve as the Title I Parent Advisory Committee (TPAC) Representative for our school. The TPAC Representative will have the opportunity to learn more about the Title I grant in Fairfax County and family engagement initiatives taking place in other schools. Representatives are asked to provide input into the planning and implementation of Title I family engagement supports within Fairfax County. TPAC representatives support schools’ efforts in meeting federal family engagement expectations and gain access to professional development opportunities focused on best practices for family engagement. We are also in need of a parent who can serve as an Alternate TPAC Representative. The Alternate Representative will attend the committee meetings if the TPAC Representative cannot attend. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Satonya Dews at sldews@fcps.edu.
School Safety Drills
At Bailey's ES, our number one responsibility is to ensure the safety of our students and staff at all times. We continually work with county leaders to ensure coordinated responses to potential safety concerns and we practice emergency drills on a regular basis throughout the school year.
Fire Drills
We will hold fire drills twice within the first 20 days of school. We will then have one per month thereafter. Only our first fire drill may be announced ahead of time. All subsequent drills must be unannounced ahead of time to students and staff. (Our first Fire Drill for this school year took place on August 27th).
Lockdown Drills
We are required to have two lockdown drills per school year with one within the first 20 days of school. We will notify the dates of lockdown drills ahead of time to parents. Our first lockdown drill for this school year will take place one day next week. REMINDER: Kindergarten and PreK do not participate in the first Lockdown Drill.
The purpose of a lockdown is to protect against intruders in the school building. Prior to the first lockdown drill, teachers will talk to our students about the purpose and practice the procedures to prepare them for our drill.
During a lockdown drill:
- Students stay in place with a teacher or staff member.
- Students and teachers remain in locked classrooms, unobservable from outside (lights off, window blinds closed, door windows obscured with paper).
- Students and staff members disregard fire alarms and school-wide announcements.
- No one enters or exits the school, except public safety personnel.
Bus Evacuation Drills
Bus evacuation drills are required to be completed at least twice a year. One during the first 30 instructional days of the first semester and the other during the first 30 instructional days of the second semester.
Tornado Drills
Our tornado drill will be conducted in the month of March.
Digital Resource Consent
Throughout the year, we will use a variety of digital resources to support student learning and promote communication and collaboration with students and families. Some of the digital resources your child may use will require your consent before students can access them. Please complete the Parental Consent for Digital Resources Form as soon as possible. Your child will not be able to use the digital resources until we have received your permission.
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FCPS is Looking for Substitutes
Are you or someone you know interested in substitute teaching with FCPS? Apply here or attend one of the Friday information sessions to learn more! To sign up for a session, visit the FCPS substitute information page here.
A Message from the Science Lab
Dear Bailey’s Families,
It has been a busy week in the garden for classes in the Science Lab. The students have been learning about plants, their parts, and about sowing a garden bed. The three types of seeds which we placed in garden beds this week were peas, radishes, and spinach. Given sufficient rain, we should see some of the radish seedlings emerge by Sunday or Monday. As a bonus, we found a Yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia) among the squash and beans: see the photo below. She is a beauty.
Franz Misch
Science Resource Teacher
Please use this form to register: Family Literacy ESOL Program
Please use this link to register: Family Literacy ESOL Program- Spanish
Save the Date
September 23rd - PTA Meeting at 6:30pm at Bailey's ES, a virtual option will be provided
October 11th- Student Holiday/School Planning Day
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