Updated Covid Protocols and Vaccine Clinics for 5-11 year olds!

A message from Principal Badini

Dear Graham Road Families, 

I hope you and your family are well.  Although snow and ice have stopped us from returning to school this week, the beauty of the white landscape and blue sky is hard to miss.  Hopefully your children had a chance to play in the snow.  We look forward to seeing them back at school on Monday.

Graham Road 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:

When teachers are absent, classes will be covered. 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. 

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 COVID surge period. 

Even in these uncertain times and with all the challenges we are facing, we will continue to provide a safe learning and work environment. FCPS has multiple layers of protection we will continue to deploy to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 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.
  • Make sure your child wears a face-covering appropriately while on the school bus.
  • Access the Bus Delay App to receive current bus delay information.
  • Protect your child through vaccination. 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.  
  • Consider becoming a sub or a classroom monitor  
  • Volunteer at your school or another school. 

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 COVID surge with our focus on student safety and education.

Sincerely, 

Lauren Badini 

Principal


Isolation for Covid-19 Positive 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.

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.

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

Upcoming Graham Road Vaccine Clinics for 5 - 11 year olds

Friday, January 14, 4:30 - 7:00

Tuesday, January 25, 4:30 - 7:00 

To help ensure that this opportunity is accessible to all of our families, we will be providing a shuttle bus to take you and your child to and from Graham Road Elementary. 

Buses will stop at the stops listed below approximately every 30 minutes between 4:00 - 7:00 to pick up and drop off children and their parents for the vaccine clinic. 

Monticello Drive & Robert Lane

Monticello Drive & Computer Lab

Monticello Drive & Linda Lane

Here’s what you need to know before you go: 

  • Enter through Door 5 by walking up the bus ramp, take the stairs directly to the right downstairs to the gym. 
  • Vaccines will be available for ANY child, ages 5-11. Vaccines will not be available for those 12 years and older. 
  • Second doses are available for children 5-11 years of age at least 21 days after receiving their first dose. However, you must bring your child's COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card to receive a second dose. 
  • No appointment is necessary, as registration will take place on site. 
  • All vaccinations are free! If you have insurance, please bring a copy of your insurance card with you to the clinic.  However, if you do not have health insurance, you will not be charged anything to receive the vaccine.
  • Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or another responsible adult at all community vaccination sites.
GRES Vaccine Clinic Map