Dear Beech Tree Families,
Beech Tree and FCPS are committed to keeping our school open and providing for our students during this COVID surge. SB1303 requires us to maintain in-person learning unless done so in consultation with the local health department.
In addition, local, state, and national health authorities are recommending in-person instruction without a wholesale return to virtual instruction in 2022. US Secretary of Education Cardona has said that in-person instruction is plan A, B, and C for 2022.
A division-wide school support plan is being implemented to ensure continuity of instruction and school operations. Here is how we will work to meet the needs of our students during the next few weeks:
Classes will be covered, but may not be supported by your child’s teachers. Our priority is to cover classes by staff with instructional backgrounds or who meet eligibility requirements to serve as a substitute. However, there may be circumstances when this may not be possible and in extreme situations classes may have to double up for a period or two.
Our staff will upload classroom materials to Schoology for student access, but please be mindful that this may not always be feasible during the next few weeks. We will also continue to do our best to support students who are required to isolate or quarantine through our StreamIN/CheckIN model. However, there may be circumstances where this is not possible during this surge period.
Even in these uncertain times and with all the challenges we are facing, we are able to continue to provide a safe learning and work environment. FCPS has multiple layers of protection we will continue to deploy to mitigate COVID-19 transition in schools to include universal masking, enhanced cleaning and disinfecting, physical distancing to the greatest extent possible, and requiring that students and staff stay home when sick.
You can read more about our plan for the next three weeks on the website.
How You Can Help:
- Keep your children home when sick.
- Sign your child up for optional screening testing and make use of our diagnostic testing if your child has symptoms.
- Remind your children to wear their masks properly, wash their hands regularly, use hand sanitizer.
- Consider alternative ways to get your child to school, such as walking, cycling or carpooling, to minimize late arrival to school.
- Students must wear a face-covering appropriately while on the school bus.
- Access the Bus Delay App to receive current bus delay information.
- We ask that you get your children vaccinated. Vaccination helps reduce the severity of illness and remains the best tool for ending the pandemic. On Monday, the FDA expanded booster eligibility to 12-15 year-olds and shortened the time needed before receiving a booster shot from at least six months after completion of the initial series to at least five months, for everyone 12 and older. If you need a vaccination or booster, the Fairfax County Health Department website is a great source of information about clinics and other vaccination opportunities. We ask you to help Fairfax County reach its targets for vaccinated residents that will protect us all - staff, students, families and visitors to our schools.
- Considering becoming a sub or a classroom monitor
We must all temporarily adjust our expectations about schooling based on our staffing challenges over this three-week period. Changes, adjustments, and on-the-spot decisions will be needed.
I ask that you be patient with us at this time. Please know that while things will not be perfect, we are all doing our best. We are all in this together as a community and it will take all of us to keep our schools open. Thank you for your support and partnership as we navigate this surge with our focus on student safety and education.
The division, in collaboration with the Fairfax County Health Department, is updating our isolation and quarantine procedures. Below, I will share a brief synopsis of my current understanding of the updates:
Isolation for COVID-19 Positive FCPS Students:
FCPS Students who test positive or are diagnosed with COVID-19 will continue to have a 10 day isolation period from school and school-related activities, including sports.
FCPS Students who are COVID-19 positive are able to return to school when all of the following criteria are met:
Student completes at least ten (10) days of isolation from symptom onset for symptomatic students or 10 days since tested for COVID for asymptomatic students; AND
Student is fever free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication; AND
The student’s symptoms have improved; AND
Student submits the FCPS Isolation Letter with the return date to their attending school.
*FCPS Isolation Letter will be shared once approved.
Quarantine for COVID-19 Positive Exposed FCPS Students:
FCPS Students who are close contacts and required to quarantine, should take a COVID test at least five (5) days after they last had contact with someone with COVID-19, and are able to return to school when all the criteria for one of the two options below is met:
Option 1:
Student completes five (5) days of quarantine; AND
Student is asymptomatic; AND
Student is able to wear a face mask for Day 6 – 10; AND
Student submits FCPS Pause Letter with the return date to their attending school.
*FCPS Pause Letter will be shared once approved.
Option 2:
Student completes ten (10) days of quarantine; AND
Student submits FCPS Pause Letter with the return date to their attending school.
Students with mask exemption will need to utilize Option 2 to return from quarantine.
*If close contacts become symptomatic, they may not return to school until one of the criteria are met:
Documentation of a negative COVID-test; OR
Documentation of an alternative diagnosis from a physician.
FCPS Student Quarantine Exemption:
Some students may be exempt from quarantine if they meet the CDC criteria, are able to wear a face mask for 10 days, and are asymptomatic.
Students must complete the Fairfax County Health Department vaccination survey: COVID Contact Vaccination Verification, and
Students receive a clearance letter from the Fairfax County Health Department prior to resuming in-person learning and activities
As always, thank you for your partnership, trust, and support. I also thank you for your patience as I seek to keep up with, and provide you with the most up-to-date information.
Karim Daugherty
Principal
Beech Tree ES
703-531-2600
https://twitter.com/BeechTreeElem
https://beechtreees.fcps.edu/
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell
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Beech Tree Office Contacts
Spanish Speaking Parent Liaison: Stella O’Brien at msobrien@fcps.edu
School-Based Technology Specialist (logging on/using programs): Mike Meyer at mkmeyer@fcps.edu
Technology Specialist (laptop issues): Tom Kindregan at tpkindregan@fcps.edu
Registrar: Susan Do at sndo@fcps.edu
Attendance Secretary: Sheila Hudson at skhudson@fcps.edu
Principal’s Secretary: Esther Baca at ebaca@fcps.edu
Assistant Principal: Maureen Lopez at mmlopez1@fcps.edu
Advanced Academics Resource Teacher: Patty Settel at pasettel@fcps.edu
PTA Information
PTA Officers:
President: Megan Laboy, meganlaboy@gmail.com
Vice-President: Sonali Khadilkar, sonali@khadilkarlaw.com
Secretary: Penny Yiannarakis, pennyzoutis@gmail.com
Treasurer: Elizabeth Allison, elizabethmallison@hotmail.com
For Memberships, t-shirts, etc: https://beechtreepta.memberhub.com/store
Fundraising:
Smile.amazon- Beech Tree Elementary School Falls Church VA
Harris Teeter VIC card: Must be renewed
every year – our number is 4085
Boxtops- Download the app and choose Beech Tree Elementary School, Falls Church, VA
FCPS Calendar
The following link provides you with the 2021-2022 Calendar: https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/2021-22-standard-school-calendar.pdf
December 20 - 31 Holiday (Winter Break) - Classes Resume on January 3, 2022
January 17 Holiday (Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday)
January 20 End of Second Quarter - 2-hour Early Release
January 21 Student Holiday (Teacher Workday)
January 24 Student Holiday (Professional Development Day)
February 21 Holiday (George Washington’s Birthday and Presidents’ Day)
March 3 2-hour Early Release
March 4 Student Holiday (Professional Development Day)
March 31 End of Third Quarter - 2-hour Early Release
April 1 Student Holiday (Teacher Workday)
April 4-8 Holiday (Spring Break)
May 30 Holiday (Memorial Day)
June 10 Last Day of School (Early Release)
Health & Safety Procedures:
Visitors in the Building
Beech Tree visitors may enter by appointment only, with limited access to the building. All must have an ID, such a driver’s license or passport, and will be asked to respond to a Health Screening Questionnaire. Parents may drop off and pick up materials, as needed, by ringing the doorbell and communicating with office staff. Office staff will then bring the materials to you at the door or receive the materials from you at the door.
Water Fountain Use
Students should bring their own water bottle for use during the day. School staff will supervise the refilling of water bottles, as necessary. Water fountains should not be used as usual. Water fountains can be used to refill water bottles when practical, but students and staff should not drink directly from any water fountains or faucets, which could contribute to illness transmission; individual water bottles should be used instead.
Lunch Time
- Students will be required to wear masks in the cafeteria when not actively eating and drinking.
- They will need to wear their masks while going through the serving line.
- Students will put their mask back on when they finish their meal.
- Cafeteria spaces will be regularly and thoroughly cleaned with a sanitizing solution.
- It is recommended that students wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer before and after eating.
- FCPS Food Nutrition Services works closely with the Fairfax County Health Department to ensure proper food safety and sanitation.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture extended the offering of no-cost breakfast and lunch to all students through school year 2021-2022. Visit the FNS website.
CDC Requirements for Playground Areas
- Face masks are not required on the playground
- Handwashing and Hand Sanitizing
- Students are to wash hands before going to playground areas and immediately following with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol is to be made easily accessible in playground areas for students and staff.
- The CDC recommends that parents, caregivers or guardians, should be strongly encouraged to monitor their children for symptoms of infectious illness every day through home-based symptom screening and students who are sick should not attend in-person instruction.
- Parents/guardians are required to complete the daily health screening questionnaire prior to sending the student to school each morning. The required screening must be completed for all school-aged children in the household. In order to reduce the spread of communicable disease to student and staff, it is critical that parents/guardians accurately complete this screening daily and keep their student home from school when exhibiting any symptoms. The daily health screening questionnaire will be completed on an honor basis and will not be required to be submitted to the school.
- A daily health screening questionnaire is available in the following languages: English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
- Parents/guardians will receive frequent reminders from FCPS via multiple modes of communication, reminding them to complete their daily health screening questionnaire and to keep sick students at home. These communications will be developed in collaboration with the Office of Communications and Community Relations (OCCR), Office of Professional Learning and Family Engagement (OPLFE) and Language Services.
- All staff and visitors must complete the daily health screening questionnaire prior to arriving on campus. The daily health screening questionnaire will be completed on an honor basis and will not be required to be submitted to the school.
- Any student, staff or visitor demonstrating symptoms of illness should stay home to help “Stop the Spread” of COVID-19.
Care Rooms
- The predetermined care room is a designated location and must be separate from the health room. It may be necessary for schools to identify a second care room due to the requirement for physical distancing and room capacity.
- A designated staff member must be assigned to supervise students while in the predetermined care room should the need arise. The staff member will be provided with a gown or lab coat, gloves, and a face shield as appropriate. Staff will need to be available at various times throughout the day to supervise any student exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 while awaiting pick up by the parent or guardian.
- *At Beech Tree, the designated Care Rooms, so as not to impact student instruction, are the principal’s conference room and the principal’s office. The designated staff, so as not to impact student instruction, are the assistant principal, Maureen Lopez, and the principal, Karim Daugherty.
Protocols for Potential Temporary COVID-19 Closure
- VA public schools required under SB 1303 to provide five days a week of in-person instruction.
- FCPS is committed to continuity of learning during the 2021-22 school year and the school division is using layered prevention strategies to do everything possible to ensure our schools remain safe, healthy and open. Our plan is to remain open using these strategies unless directed otherwise by health officials or Executive Order.
- FCPS has plans in place to ensure continuity of learning in the event health authorities or an Executive Order require a temporary closure to protect the health of students, staff, and the community.
INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS
Threshold to Initiate Closure: If student is directed by healthcare provider or FCHD to quarantine or isolate, or FCPS is directed by FCHD to pause that student’s in-person learning as a matter of public health, but school and class remain open.
Support: Asynchronous assignments
INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS
Threshold to Initiate Closure: If teacher is directed by health provider or FCHD to quarantine or isolate, or FCPS is directed by FCHD to pause teacher’s in-person teaching, but the teacher’s school and class remain open for students.
Support: Schools will secure a substitute/alternate coverage.
CLASS
Threshold to Initiate Closure: FCPS is directed by FCHD to temporarily close the class as a matter of public health.
Support: All students/staff in the impacted class will transition to virtual learning for that class (period for secondary students) until the class can reopen. Students would access asynchronous assignments.
SCHOOL
Threshold to Initiate Closure: FCPS is directed by FCHD to temporarily close the entire class as a matter of public health.
Support: All students and staff at the school will transition to virtual learning.
DIVISION
Threshold to Initiate Closure: FCPS is directed by FCHD or VDH, or Executive Order to temporarily close the division as a matter of public health.
Support: All students and staff will transition to virtual learning until in-person instruction can resume.
HVAC System
FCPS designs and operates many different types of equipment to maintain an acceptable indoor air temperature and indoor air quality in buildings.
- FCPS operates 220 facilities every day of the year
- At 27 million square feet of covered space, FCPS is larger than 4 Pentagons
- There are nearly 37,000 pieces of HVAC equipment in FCPS
- Including over 5,000 different types and models of HVAC equipment
- There are more than 45,000 active air filters in FCPS
- Including nearly 800 different sizes and types
- Air filters are changed every 90 days
- FCPS replaces over 180,000 filters each year
All HVAC systems are maintained and operated efficiently and effectively using the latest procedures and technology. FCPS performs scheduled preventive maintenance to all HVAC systems. OFM uses a maintenance management system that documents HVAC maintenance requests and actions.
Portable air filters (based on HEPA or UV technology) have been considered and purchased. I purchased county approved, portable air filters for the two classrooms that do not have windows and the division purchased them for our two CARE rooms which Ms. Lopez and I have to monitor when we have students exhibiting COVID symptoms, since those students may not remain in the clinic.
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