Welcome to the community meeting presentation that took place in February. The pre-recorded session has also been made available to families.

 

Welcome

We are focused on keeping students and staff safe and healthy as we return to school buildings for learning. We are following recommended health guidance that focuses on student health, safety, and emotional well-being.

Family Guide on Return to School

• Talk to your children about what school will be like when they return.

• Ask if they have questions and let them know we are all going to work together to keep everyone safe and healthy.

• Practice wearing a mask or face covering during the day.

• Discuss the importance of social distancing.

• Talk about washing hands and covering coughs and sneezes.

 

Enrollment Days at SLES - Hybrid Model

Enrollment days for students have been carefully constructed based on a variety of constraints including:

• An alphabetic breakdown when possible. In some instances this was not possible. For example, an alphabetic breakdown could have caused lopsided cohorts in a class. On Tuesday/Wednesday (TW) 11 students would be in attendance, and on Thursday/Friday (ThF) 4 students would be in attendance. It is not efficient to have a large number of students to attend one day, and a very small number of students attend on another day. In every class we balanced enrollment numbers as much as possible.

• SLES siblings enrolled on the same days (K-6)

• Capacity considerations in each classroom on any given day (social distancing, desks 6 ft. apart, etc.)

• Because of an influx of family requests for in-person learning, enrollment days needed to be adjusted to maintain an appropriate balance.

• In some instances, we considered a balance of boys and girls enrolled on each day. We tried to balance when possible.

• We also had to balance students attending 4 days a week (for example, students of FCPS employees).

 

Important Return To School Dates and Times

• Monday, Feb 22, “K Practice Day”, 1:45 – 3:00 pm

• Tuesday, Feb 23, TW Kindergarten Cohort, First Day of School, 9:45 am – 4:15 pm

• Thursday, Feb 25, TH Kindergarten Cohort, First Day of School, 9:45 am – 4:15 pm

• Thursday, Mar 4 and Friday, Mar 5, asynchronous (independent) learning days for Grade 1 and Grade 2 students (Teacher Preparation Days for Gr 1 and Gr 2 teachers)

• Tuesday, Mar 9, TW Gr 1 and Gr 2 Cohort, First Day of School, 9:45 am – 4:15 pm

• Thursday, Mar 11, TF Gr 1 and Gr 2 Cohort, First Day of School, 9:45 am – 4:15 pm

• Thursday, Mar 11 and Friday, Mar 12, asynchronous (independent) learning days for Grades 3 – Grade 6 students (Teacher Preparation Days for Gr3 – Gr 6 teachers)

• Tuesday, Mar 16, TW Gr 3 – Gr 6 Cohort, First Day of School, 9:45 am – 4:15 pm

• Thursday, March 18, TF, Gr 3 – Gr 6 Cohort, First Day of School, 9:45 am – 4:15 pm

Schedule Changes To Note

• Virtual Students no longer have a 90 min break during the day; breaks are embedded throughout the school day.

• A common lunch time (at least 30 minutes) may not line up across grade levels, K-6.

• Any changes in our schedule were based off unique needs from staffing requirements to enhanced safety procedures. For example, some specials classes cannot meet back-to-back to allow time for sanitization between classes attending. This has a ripple effect in our master schedule.

 

Concurrent Instruction

Students receive two days of teacher-led instruction in the school building and two days of teacher-led instruction at home.

Students who select virtual learning will receive all four days of teacher-led instruction while learning at home.

• This model maximizes teacher-led instruction (two days in person, two days virtual) by allowing in-person students to "log into" class on at-home days. Mondays will be asynchronous school days.

• Teacher-led concurrent instruction is the best instructional model for our in-person students.

All students will receive four days of teacher-led instruction.

 

Full-Time Virtual Instruction

Students who selected full-time virtual learning will receive four days of teacher-led instruction while learning from home.

Tuesday - Friday: Full-time online instruction led by teacher.

 

What Concurrent Instruction Can Look Like ....

"Simultaneous" is not a good descriptor for concurrent teaching. There will be times that the teacher is instructing students in-person and online students have access to that instruction. For example, during a math mini-lesson when they are listening, interacting, completing the tasks, etc. This would be happening at the same time. 

However, most of the time teachers will be pivoting between in-person students and online students. A teacher would not be expected to work directly with online students and in-person students at the same time, throughout the day, all day, every day.

Instead, during an hour instructional block all students (in-person and virtual) would get the same 20-minute mini-lesson:

• Then, online student may work on an independent activity connected to the mini-lesson while a teacher circulates around the classroom and supports students one-on-one or possibly in a small group.
• Later in the hour, the teacher will connect with online students (one-on-one or in a small group) or review the independent activity with all students together online. Meanwhile, in the classroom students are completing independent work.

 

Impact on Virtual Students

Our teachers, as they have been doing all year, will put forth their best effort to meet the needs of all students. Initially, this will create disruption in existing virtual school routines and scheduling. We are asking for patience and partnerships with teachers during this transition. Virtual students will still have access to the whole group, small group, and one-on-one instruction from a teacher. Virtual students will still have access to Specials.

We will be able to increase screen time breaks for virtual students with this concurrent model. We will be able to modify our virtual schedule in ways that parents and caregivers have asked us to consider (i.e., length of day). Google Classroom will still be a hub for assignments (in-person and virtual students).

 

General Details about an In-Person School Day 

• Students will have specials in-person. Sometimes students will travel to specials and, at other times, they will stay in the classroom.

• Students will have breakfast and lunch in the classroom.

• Students will have recess outside. No access to the playground (apparatus) at this time.

• Students will have hygiene breaks and mask breaks built into the day.

• We will utilize outside spaces (garden, courtyard, field) when possible.

• We will follow social distancing guidelines (6 ft. apart).

• Students will use bus transportation and families will utilize kiss and ride.

• No clear details about SACC at this time.

 

Classroom Monitors

Description: Provides in-person classroom assistance to a school or center assisting a virtual teacher with conducting classroom activities; works with individual and small groups of students; operates technology to include cameras, learning platforms, and learning tools; helps maintain order and discipline and assists in managing the behavior of students; provides supervision throughout the school day including in the classroom, halls, lunch, recess, and specials; performs administrative and non-instructional duties, such as keeping daily attendance; and ensures all CDC/safety protocols and procedures (e.g., fire drills) are implemented and followed.

Qualifications: Any combination of education and experience equivalent to graduation from high school. Must be comfortable with basic technology equipment/tools; knowledge of and ability to ensure all CDC/safety protocols and procedures are implemented and followed; and ability to interact effectively with assigned student population.

 

Bus Transportation

Parents and caregivers will receive information about bus schedules prior to the student's start date. Seating capacity will be reduced to allow for social distancing. Students are reminded to wear a face covering when riding the school bus. Students will be required to sit in seats as marked on the school bus.

 

Arrival and Dismissal

Our new bell schedule, for virtual and in-person students, is 9:45am - 4:15pm Tuesday - Friday. Mondays are asynchronous (independent) virtual learning days for all students. No in-person learning occurs on Mondays.

Arrival

• Bus students follow schedule and time provided by FCPS transportation.

• Walkers should arrive no earlier than 9:35am. Walking students and families should wait at the two designated Family Reunion areas in front of the school building while observing 6 ft. social distancing guidelines. Students will be escorted into the building from these locations.

• Kiss and Ride families should arrive no earlier than 9:35am.

• All students enter through Door 1 in the morning.

 

Dismissal

• Dismissal will begin at 4:10am. Families should arrive no earlier than 4:05am.

• Parents and caregivers of walking students meet at designated Family Reunion areas. Families may not gather or have access to school grounds during dismissal. Students may dismiss from the back of the building at Door 4 and Door 5.

 

Critical Details During Arrival and Dismissal

No bikes, scooters or skateboards for the duration of this school year. If you are traveling to school with a car to pick your child up from school you must register for, and use, our kiss and ride loop. We are working hard to make sure we have a smooth, safe and quick procedure for dismissal. It is important that students are not moving in all different directions, meeting families on the street to get in the cars, etc. We need to operate a paced, thoughtful student arrival and dismissal. It is important that we have control over orderly student movement throughout our campus. We need families to cooperate with established safety routines.

No parent or caregiver should be directly in front of the school building (sidewalk, Door 1 covering, lobby, etc.). Parents and caregivers should remain in family greeting zones and not FCPS student or staff only zones.

 

Supplies Each Day

Students should plan to bring what they need in backpacks and take backpacks home at the end of the day. This includes:

• Laptops, power cord and headphones

• Water bottle

• An extra mask in their backpack

• Supplies teachers ask students to bring

• Library books

• Disposable lunch from home

Please reach out to SLES if you need any support accessing these supplies.

 

Student Laptops

Students should bring their FCPS-assigned laptops with them to school and take that laptop home each day. Extra laptops may not be available in all classrooms. All laptops should be fully charged each morning and ready to use. Do Not use disinfectant spray on the device or apply hand sanitizer directly on the device as it may damage the electronics. 

Parents and caregivers may use an alcohol wipe or disinfectant wipe to gently wipe down the laptop and keyboard if necessary. Students are not expected to be on their laptops all day during the in-person school day. However, we expect that students will still engage in learning with their laptops at various times during the day.

 

School Supplies and Communal Classroom Items

• Students will be required to label and maintain their own personal set of required classroom supplies.

• Each student will keep their supplies in their backpack and take them to and from school each day.

• Students will not be allowed to share electronic devices, toys, books, games or learning aids unless they can be cleaned or disinfected.

• Students should bring their own water bottle for use during the day.

• Water fountains can be used to refill water bottles if practical, but students and staff should not be drinking directly from any water fixtures. Individual water bottles should be used instead.

 

Lunch and Snack 

Students will eat in classrooms or outside whenever possible. Breakfast and lunch will be delivered to students. Students that bring their own lunch should use all disposable items if possible (e.g., paper bags, ziplock bags, disposable utensils). Each student may also bring a snack, and should bring a water bottle. Students will snack and eat lunch at the same time, sitting at their desk and facing the same direction. Students will clean up after themselves and wipe down their desks after eating.

 

Recess 

The large, structural playground equipment is currently off-limits at recess. Staff will encourage students to play games or activities that minimize close physical contact and allow for social distancing. We will encourage students to make up games they can play together. Student created alternatives to recess games (e.g., walking the field, doing an exercise workout) will also be encouraged.

Everyone must wear masks at all times because occasional close contact is expected during play. We have designated recess zones to keep student cohorts separated during play. 10 ft. distance is to be maintained during physical activity. Students can have a mask break during recess, but will need to be separated from students playing. Students will wash their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds at the end of the recess period before retuning to class.

 

Library

Library services and instruction will be provided for all in-person and virtual students while following social distancing and safety guidelines. Library staff will assist students in Prek through Grade 2 with book checkout. Students in Grades 3-12 may use self-checkout stations that limit contact. Our curbside checkout will continue for our virtual students. Books that are returned to the library will have a 7-day isolation period before they are available again to students.

 

Bathrooms

Students (K - Grade 3) may use the bathroom in their classroom. They will use Lysol wipes and clean after they use the classroom bathroom. Students will also wash their hands after bathroom use. Grades 4-6 do not have a bathroom in the classroom. There students will be using the communal bathrooms, and as often as possible, classrooms will take restroom breaks together to manage student behavior, social distancing and good hygiene practices. Students will be discouraged to use bathrooms outside of scheduled breaks unless it is an emergency.

 

Safety Protocols

Consistent and Correct Use of Masks

• New FCPS Regulation: Face coverings to mitigate the spread of infectious disease (Regulation 2019).

• Face coverings will be worn by staff and students.

• Face coverings will be provided to students unable to provide their own.

 

Cleaning and Disinfection

• Daily sanitizing of high touch areas (doorknobs, handles, fixtures, etc.) with medical grade sanitizing solution.

• Frequent monitoring and cleaning of restrooms throughout the day.

• Contracted cleaning services utilized as needed.

 

Contract Tracing in Collaboration with Local Health Department

• Collaborate with County Health Department in response to outbreaks in order to implement all necessary health and safety protocols.

• Establishment of isolation rooms

 

Social Distancing to the Largest Extent Possible

• Six foot separation whenever possible, with limited mixing among student groups.

• Social distancing on buses in accordance with health and safety protocols.

• Desks/seats will be separated by up to a six feet distance facing the same direction.

• Students will eat meals in classrooms whenever possible. Each school will determine their best meal distribution process.

• Student traffic patterns in hallways will be set up to maintain social distancing, including arrival and dismissal. Students transitioning to after school care will also follow traffic patterns in the hallways to maintain social distance.

• No volunteers/visitors in buildings. Only FCPS employees and students in buildings.

 

Hand Hygiene and Respiratory Etiquette

• Students will wash hands for at least 20 seconds after blowing nose, coughing, sneezing, before eating, and upon entering classrooms. Breaks will be provided for hand washing.

 

Building A Culture of Safety

Correct and consistent implementation of the mitigation strategies allows FCPS to provide students with in-person instruction even if COVID-19 transmission rates are high in the community. CDC says that as schools re-open for in-person instruction, it is important to have systems in place for monitoring and assessing COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Our students have to see this. We have to model as parents, caregivers, and SLES staff. We are not just telling you rules and things you have to do. Rather, we are doing these things to help our community be healthy and safe.

 

Safety Teams

Safety Teams will be spending about two hours observing multiple locations at the school:

• Arrival of dismissal

• Classrooms

• Care rooms

• Staff break rooms

• Kitchen

• Outdoor play areas, if observing class during recess

• Other common areas frequented by students

• Provide feedback

• Help improve operations

There have been four visits over the past two months.

 

Handwashing - Additional Procedures

• Students will wash hands for at least 20 seconds after blowing nose, coughing, sneezing, before eating, and upon entering classrooms. Breaks will be provided during the day for hand washing.

• Automatic hand sanitizer dispensing stands have been placed at school entrances, and 1-gallon pump containers of hand sanitizer are available in all classrooms.

 

Social Distancing at School - Additional Information

Social distancing should be maintained as much as possible. Exceptions may occur when a student requires support for activities of daily living that may make staff unable to maintain a distance of six feet. In all other cases, six feet of social distancing should be maintained as much as possible.

 

Face Coverings/Masks - Additional Information

All students who are two years old and up are required to wear face coverings (cloth or disposable) while on school property. Any student requesting an exemption to wearing a face covering due to a medical exemption needs to provide the school a written statement from his or her physician confirming that not wearing a face covering is medically necessary.

 

Health Screening Commitment Form & Safe Family Practice 

We trust our Stratford families to make safe choices. The Parent/Guardian Health Screening Agreement is a critical new piece to the operations of a healthy, safe school. Every student is required to have their parent or guardian complete a Health Screening Commitment form for them. We encourage our families to make safe choices at home, avoid large gatherings, wear masks, and follow recommended health guidance.

A low community transmission in our area in addition to the five FCPS mitigation strategies equals even safer schools! We must all contribute and actively try to keep our school and community healthy and safe.

 

Cleaning Protocols

Refreshed Cleaning Methods and Processes

FCPS cleaning personnel will be sanitizing and disinfecting more frequently. Their cleaning protocol will include thoroughly disinfecting and sanitizing all surfaces, doors, toilets, and handles. Protocol will also include ensuring that all supplies are always fully stocked.

 

Increased Cleaning to High-Touch Surfaces/Points

FCPS cleaning crews will be sanitizing touch surfaces/points thoroughly such as door handles, glass, elevator buttons, doors, tables, chairs, and light switches. Daytime custodians have been instructed to continuously disinfect and sanitize all touch points throughout the day. In addition, we will be increasing daytime custodian coverage where appropriate, depending on building occupancy.

 

Daily Temperature Checks

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will no longer conduct daily temperature checks for students, staff, and visitors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend schools conduct symptom screening for all students in Grades K-12 on a routine (e.g., daily) basis.

• Symptom screening will identify only that a person might be sick, not that the person necessarily has COVID-19.

• Accuracy of thermometers is limited in extreme temperatures.

The CDC recommends that parents, caregivers or guardians should monitor their children for symptoms of infectious illness every day through home-based symptom screening. Students, staff, and visitors are still required to complete a daily health screening questionnaire. Any student, staff, or visitor demonstrating symptoms of illness should stay home to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

 

School Health Room

Support to students in the health room will continue to be provided by the school health aide. Students with Individualized Health or Action Plans who require specialized care, medication administration and emergency care will be seen in the health room. Parents will be required to bring in medications needed to support their student during the school day prior to, or on, the first day of in-person schooling.

* Reminder that health requirements, including necessary documentation for required immunizations, tuberculosis screenings, and physicals must be met before a student can return to "in-person" learning.

NOTE: We do not currently have a health aide permanently assigned to our school. Health aides are on a rotating schedule.

 

Care Room

We have a predetermined care room that is a designated location for students who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 while at school. This room is separate from the health room, and is necessary due to the requirement for social distancing and room capacity. A designated staff member will be assigned to supervise students in the Care Room while waiting for the parents to pick up the student.

 

Visitors

When possible (unless an emergency) visitors must schedule appointments prior to visiting the school by contacting the main office. All visitors will be required to complete a health screening questionnaire. All visitors are required to wear a face covering (cloth or disposable) while on school property and inside FCPS facilities. Visitors who do not have face coverings will be provided a disposable mask upon entering the school. Visitor access should be limited to essential activities. Our visitors will wait in the vestibule for assistance. We ask that families avoid last minute check-outs from school and that early, but near the end of the school day check-outs are an emergency only.

 

Becoming Ill While at School

Students will be sent home if they demonstrate:

• fever greater than or equal to 100.4 Fahrenheit

• new chills

• new cough

• new sore throat

• new muscle aches

• new loss of taste or smell

• nausea, diarrhea, or abdominal pain

• poor appetite

• nasal congestion or runny nose

• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing not due to another health condition

• more tired than usual

• headache

 

Student Illness at Home

If a student becomes ill at home, KEEP HIM/HER HOME. Parents need to contact the school at 703-619-3636 and report the reason for their child's absence. Parents can also report their child's absence using the attendance form on the school website or by emailing attendance at [email protected].

 

Returning to School After Illness

Families will receive guidance from the FCHD Public Health Nurses (PHNs) and School Health Aides (SHAs), identified as the school health team as to when their student can return to in-person learning. 

Students who are showing signs of COVID-like illness may not return to school until:

• The parent/guardian provides the school a completed "Return to School" portion of the Sick Student Notification and Return to School Form.

 

Students who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 may not return until:

• At least 10 days have passed since symptoms started AND

• The student has had no fever or anti-fever medicines (ex: Tylenol, Ibuprofen) for 24 hours AND

• The student's symptoms are getting better

 

Students who have been exposed to COVID-19:

If someone in the household has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or the student is exposed, the student must remain home for 14 days after their last exposure to the household member.

 

Response to a COVID Case in a Classroom

A class(es) may temporarily transition to virtual instruction due to a COVID positive case or outbreak while contact tracing is implemented. The class will resume in-person instruction upon the advisement of the health department. The school health team will support the contact tracing process in our school. Individuals who are identified during the contact tracing will receive notification as directed by the FCHD. The community will also be notified that a COVID case has occurred in a cohort and the contact tracing process has been initiated.

 

Upon the conclusion of contact tracing, cleaning and disinfecting, students and staff in the cohort will be notified as to when they will return to in-person learning. The length of time for this process may be shorter than 14 days based on results of contact investigation and tracing by the FCHD. The community will also be notified that the contact tracing has been completed and advised of any further recommendations.

 

Other Safety Considerations

• Hygiene and health visual cues in bathrooms

• Using RC model to establish safety, health and hygiene routines and expectations so we can help kids "own this" while knowing they are a part of the solution and the safe and healthy community we are building.

• Review all existing procedures to ensure staff safety. For example, Kiss and Ride duty only signals and monitors families dropping off as the student opens the door. The staff will remain distanced with no contact.

• Plan for crowd control and student movement through the building with tight expectations.

• Increased SLES staff on duty and directing/monitoring/escorting 6 ft. distanced students during arrival and dismissal.

• No contact policy with all students, including no elbows or fists. We will consider fun and silly distanced greetings like air high fives. We will let students create their own.