FCCPS COVID-19 RESPONSE

As the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve, we, as a school division, will continually share the details of our plans during this public health crisis. 

MARCH 27, 2020

FRIDAY UPDATE

En español abajo

Dear FCCPS Family

Thank you for your continued support of our schools. As Team FCCPS continues to meet, we have all reflected on how fortunate we are to work in a small school division where we can know our kids, our families, and each other in ways that support strong relationships and care. 

Congratulations to you all for making it through week two at home. All three of our children are under the same roof again for the first time in a while (college student back, 16, and 10), and, as they say, the struggle is real. We have two full-time workers and three full-time students. Trying to get along, share technology, be careful about food, ration toilet paper, etc… hasn’t been easy. The best advice I can give you is to make a schedule, try to stick to it, get outside and breathe the fresh air while appropriately social distancing, and just do the best you can. There is no perfect solution, no playbook, and no expectation of this looking at all like normal. Remember, it is ok to take a break and just do nothing--for adults and students. In the end, our children will remember the quality time and experiences they have with us and how we made them feel. Be gentle with each other, and try to enjoy the time as best you can.

Here are a few updates for you:

New Information

A Milestone

Today is Day 15 since our students were in school. This means we have cleared the 14-day window of transmission in our schools. The Fairfax County Health Department shared with us today in our weekly conference call that the likelihood of any COVID-19 exposure/spread from when we were in session has passed. If a student or staff member were to contract COVID-19 now, we would not be part of the contact tracing investigation and FCCPS would not be reporting it to the community as a school-related matter. This does not mean that we are in the clear as a community, and we must continue to socially distance, follow appropriate health precautions, and be vigilant. 

Staying home when you are feeling ill or even under the weather is critical. 

Even when you are feeling well, keep physical distance from others. Please stay home. Please help by reinforcing this with your students.  We know it is hard, but it keeps us all safe. Flag football in the park is not OK. Soccer practice is not OK. Gathering with friends is not OK. 

We know how much our students miss their friends and want to play together, but we are in a critical time as a community in stopping the spread.  The sooner we can stop the spread, the sooner we can all be back together! I apologize for the overemphasis but this, as we all know, is serious.

The Plan Forward is Being Refined 

As mentioned in the Tuesday update this week, we will be making some modifications to instruction following Spring Break. We will be moving into new learning. Our teachers, and teacher leaders, are already planning this instruction and have been in conversations on how best to progress forward. In addition to the time spent now (and really for the past several weeks), our amazing teachers will participate in a planning day on April 13th to finalize their plans. Specifically, teachers will begin introducing new instruction while continuing to spiral instruction based on prior knowledge. Each school’s work after spring break may look different. For example, what may be appropriate for students at George Mason is not appropriate for students at Mount Daniel. 

I mention this because you will see differences among schools and even in some cases between teachers in the same schools. Principals are working with their respective staff and faculty members to fully understand and embrace the expectations for our work going forward. Lastly, and just as a reminder, online instruction is not a substitute for face-to-face instruction. Therefore, students will not be synchronously engaged on the computer for 6.5 hours. We can never replicate the entire school-day in the virtual setting. Rather, they will have some synchronous (live) instruction as well as asynchronous (recorded) lessons with assignments and tasks between sessions. These lessons, tasks, and assignments will be focused on the core power standards that are needed to ensure our students are ready to return to school next year. Our promise to you is that we will do the best we can under the circumstances and let reasonability be our guide.

School Board Meeting Tuesday Night

This Tuesday evening at 7 pm, the School Board will hold its first “virtual” school board meeting. Because we are in a state of emergency, the VA Attorney General is allowing us to hold virtual meetings as long as it pertains to COVID-19 closure. If you are interested in providing public comment, just as though it were a face-to-face meeting, please send your comments to gadellm@fccps.org to be read into the record. Public comment is limited to three minutes, so if you do submit something longer, the Clerk of the Board will read up to the three-minute mark. 

The meeting will be streamed on YouTube. The link to the meeting, in case you wish to watch, will be found on our YouTube page - www.youtube.com/fccpsweb . 

High School Construction Update

This week I went by the High School and did a quick selfie video of hello and posted it on Twitter (@peternoonan - give me a follow :)). I am pleased to let you know that the construction of the school continues and there are crews on-site every day. The daily reports of worksite people have not declined, so there are workers continually available to work. Gilbane Construction has assured us that their teams and subcontractors have all been trained in appropriate social distancing and do routine “safety stand-downs” (meetings) to review procedures and protocols. Additionally, as a new protocol, Gilbane is taking the temperature of all construction workers before coming on to the site daily.

SAT and ACT

If you were scheduled to take the SAT or ACT, please check their respective websites. The spring administrations have been postponed, and future administrations of exams will be adjusted as determined by the two assessment organizations.

Reminders

SOL Assessments

SOL tests are canceled this year, and The Virginia Department of Education is preparing an application for a federal waiver from the U.S. Dept. of Education. This takes much of the pressure off of our students and teachers and truly allows us to focus our instruction on the essential skills and knowledge students need to know and can do for the coming school year.

Special Education Students

We continue to follow the guidance from VDOE and the federal Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) as they release updates. This is fluid, and we are getting continual updates. This is especially true as we work to develop our new learning plan, given the closure for the remainder of the academic year. While navigating this new learning reality, support and services for Special Education students can’t mirror what would be provided in school. Please know we are working to help our students be supported and continue to make progress. The most important thing to know is that our Special Education Teachers and Related Staff (Speech, OT, PT, Behavior Specialists, School Psychologists…) are supporting students with disabilities now.  They have been since day one of the closure and we began our continuity of learning plan. They are helping with accessibility to Schoology, emailing parents, emailing students, sharing resources, problem-solving, hosting chats, and setting up conferences. This is new territory for all of us as educators, parents, and students, so together we will work through any issues you are having. Please reach out to your student’s IEP Case Manager or your school’s Special Education Administrator if you have any questions or need support. Please visit our FCCPS Special Education, 504, & ESOL Information page for a list of the Special Education Administrators for each school. You can also email our Executive Director of Special Education & Student Services, Rebecca Sharp, at rsharp@fccps.org with questions as well.  

504 Plan Students

Our students with 504 plans have access to support via their 504 Case Manager, which in most cases, is their Counselor. Please visit our FCCPS Special Education, 504, & ESOL Information page for a list of the Counselors at each school. Their teachers are also there to provide support as well as help students navigate the learning resources available in Schoology.  Please reach out to your student’s teachers and their Counselor if your student with a 504 Plan is struggling. We want to make sure they are successful and that their accommodations are in place during this unique situation.  

ESOL Students

As a division, we are engaging in activities to meet the needs of our English Learners.  All ESOL teachers have been added to the Schoology classes in which they co-teach. This provides ESOL teachers with access to supporting students and differentiating materials. ESOL teachers are connecting with their caseload of English Learners twice a week to connect and provide language activities, either one on one or in small groups. They are also working with their content peers to support the differentiation and access to core content learning in the classes they co-teach. Language Line continues to be a resource for all teachers to utilize in supporting families who speak a language other than English. We'll be working with our tech team to be able to provide support with video tutorials and phone calls utilizing an interpreter for families who need assistance with the technology. Staff members have access to utilizing Language Line services to support students in conferencing in their home language. Your student has access to all of the continuity of learning resources provided to their grade level. Please reach out to your child’s ESOL Teacher for support, or contact Dr. Jennifer Santiago at santiagoj@fccps.org with questions or for support.

Community & Nutritional Support for Families

There is support for families grappling with the economic hardships during this time. We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our Falls Church Education Foundation and our PTAs. At the onset of our closure, we provided boxes of non-perishable food and gift cards to 130 families.  Leadership and our Social Workers will continue to support our families throughout our extended closure. The state is developing a plan to provide EBT cards for families on FRM plans and if you are unsure where your next meal will come from, text “food” or “comida” to 877-877 to connect with nearby resources and help. Our FCCPS Social Workers are also available to help connect families with resources who are struggling with food insecurity, housing concerns, or other economic hardships.  Please visit our FCCPS Nutritional Support Page for the Social Worker’s Contact information. Additionally, families can reach out to  Falls Church City Housing and Human Services  , Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services , Assistance from a Distance , and Fairfax County Human Services Resources Guide for additional support during this time.

Hand Sanitizer and Wipes Donations

Thanks to Mt. Daniel teachers and parents who alerted us to the school supply stashes of hand sanitizer and sanitary wipes, we were able to collect them from Mt. Daniel classrooms. FCCPS donated to six local healthcare providers today: The Kensington, Kaiser-Permanente, Family Medicine in Falls Church, Capital Area Pediatrics, Northern Virginia Pediatric Associates, PMA Health Primary Care.

Mental Health Support

Our new “normal” facing us as a learning community and as families is so very stressful. Anxiety is high and social/physical distancing can make us feel isolated. We are also spending much more time together as families in close quarters which is new as well. We have to monitor our mental health just as we watch our physical health. Our emotional well-being is essential. We have provided some important information and great resources on our FCCPS Mental Health Support website.  Please visit the site for information related to Community Resources should you need emotional support or are experiencing a mental health crisis. It also includes excellent resources for stress reduction and relaxation for adults, as well as children.  There are also great lists of “family fun” activities for PreK, Elementary, Middle, and High. The page also includes the contact information for our School Psychologists, Counselors, and Social Worker who are great resources in this area. Please reach out if you need support.

City of Falls Church Newsletter

The City of Falls Church is now sending an email message that will come out every afternoon. If you would like to subscribe to get that email, please go to http://www.fallschurchva.gov/250/Communications-Public-Information

Boundaries for our Teachers and Staff

I want to ask that we be respectful of each other's boundaries of our work together. Because we are moving to an online platform, for the time being, it will be easy to send messages or ask for help at all times of day and night. Our teachers and staff will be available during their defined office hours and workday, but they also need to take care of their families and themselves. Thank you for your help, ensuring that we all stay healthy and safe.

Ongoing Communication

Ongoing communication and education regarding schools will be vital to our collective success. There are multiple avenues to get the latest information from FCCPS. Our website, www.fccps.org, and the FCCPS App are our clearinghouses for information on both systemwide and school-specific importance. We will also provide updates through email, SMS text messaging, and through our various social media channels, including Twitter and Facebook.

Thank you all for your continued support during this unprecedented time. We are here to support your children and you as best we can in these trying times. Please let us know how we can further support you.

Sincerely,

Peter Noonan

Superintendent
Falls Church City Public Schools

ACTUALIZACIÓN DE VIERNES 

27 de Marzo de 2020

Estimada Familia de FCCPS

Gracias por su continuo apoyo a nuestras escuelas. A medida que el Equipo FCCPS continúa reuniéndose, todos hemos reflexionado sobre lo afortunados que somos de trabajar en una pequeña división escolar donde podemos conocer a nuestros hijos, nuestras familias y entre nosotros de manera que apoyen relaciones sólidas y cuidado. 

Felicitaciones a todos por pasar la segunda semana en casa. Nuestros tres hijos están nuevamente bajo el mismo techo por primera vez en mucho tiempo (estudiante universitario de 16 y 10 años) y, como dicen, la lucha es real. Tenemos dos trabajadores a tiempo completo y tres estudiantes a tiempo completo. Tratar de llevarse bien, compartir tecnología, tener cuidado con la comida, racionar el papel higiénico, etc. no ha sido fácil. El mejor consejo que puedo darle es que haga un horario, trate de cumplirlo, salga y respire el aire fresco mientras se distancia socialmente, y haga lo mejor que pueda. No hay una solución perfecta, ni un libro de jugadas, y no se espera que esto parezca normal. Recuerde, está bien tomarse un descanso y simplemente no hacer nada, para adultos y estudiantes. Al final, nuestros hijos recordarán el tiempo de calidad y las experiencias que tienen con nosotros y cómo los hicimos sentir. Sea gentil el uno con el otro y trate de disfrutar el tiempo lo mejor que pueda.

Aquí hay algunas actualizaciones para usted:

Nueva información

Un Milestone

Hoy es el día 15 desde que nuestros estudiantes estaban en la escuela. Esto significa que hemos despejado la ventana de transmisión de 14 días en nuestras escuelas. El Departamento de Salud del Condado de Fairfax compartió con nosotros hoy en nuestra conferencia telefónica semanal que la probabilidad de cualquier exposición / propagación de COVID-19 de cuando estábamos en sesión ha pasado. Si un estudiante o miembro del personal contratara COVID-19 ahora, no seríamos parte de la investigación de seguimiento de contactos y FCCPS no lo informaría a la comunidad como un asunto relacionado con la escuela. Esto no significa que estemos limpios como comunidad y que debemos seguir distanciados socialmente, seguir las precauciones de salud adecuadas y estar atentos. 

Quedarse en casa cuando se siente enfermo o incluso bajo el clima es crítico. 

Incluso cuando te sientas bien, mantén la distancia física de los demás. Por favor quédate en casa. Por favor ayuda reforzando esto con tus estudiantes. Sabemos que es difícil, pero nos mantiene a todos a salvo. El fútbol de bandera en el parque no está bien. La práctica de fútbol no está bien. Reunirse con amigos no está bien. 

Sabemos cuánto nuestros estudiantes extrañan a sus amigos y quieren jugar juntos, pero estamos en un momento crítico como comunidad para detener la propagación. ¡Cuanto antes podamos detener la propagación, antes podremos volver a estar todos juntos! Pido disculpas por el énfasis excesivo, pero esto, como todos sabemos, es grave.

El plan hacia adelante se está refinando 

Como se mencionó en la actualización del martes de esta semana, haremos algunas modificaciones a la instrucción después de las vacaciones de primavera. Nos estaremos moviendo hacia un nuevo aprendizaje. Nuestros maestros y líderes de maestros ya están planificando esta instrucción y han estado en conversaciones sobre la mejor manera de avanzar. Además del tiempo dedicado ahora (y realmente durante las últimas semanas), nuestros increíbles maestros participarán en un día de planificación el 13 de abril para finalizar sus planes. Específicamente, los maestros comenzarán a introducir nueva instrucción mientras continúan con la instrucción en espiral basada en el conocimiento previo. El trabajo de cada escuela después de las vacaciones de primavera puede verse diferente. Por ejemplo, lo que puede ser apropiado para los estudiantes en George Mason no es apropiado para los estudiantes en Mount Daniel. 

Menciono esto porque verá diferencias entre las escuelas e incluso en algunos casos entre los maestros en las mismas escuelas. Los directores están trabajando con su respectivo personal y miembros de la facultad para comprender completamente y aceptar las expectativas de nuestro trabajo en el futuro. Por último, y solo como recordatorio, la instrucción en línea no es un sustituto de la instrucción presencial. Por lo tanto, los estudiantes no estarán sincronizados sincrónicamente en la computadora durante 6.5 horas. Nunca podemos replicar todo el día escolar en el entorno virtual. Por el contrario, tendrán algunas instrucciones sincrónicas (en vivo), así como lecciones asincrónicas (grabadas) con tareas y tareas entre sesiones. Estas lecciones, tareas y tareas se centrarán en los estándares básicos de energía que se necesitan para garantizar que nuestros estudiantes estén listos para regresar a la escuela el próximo año. Le prometemos que haremos lo mejor que podamos bajo las circunstancias y que la razonabilidad sea nuestra guía.

Reunión de Junta Escolar el Martes por la noche

Este Martes por la noche a las 7 pm, la Junta Escolar llevará a cabo su primera reunión de  junta escolar "virtual". Debido a que estamos en estado de emergencia, el Fiscal General de VA nos permite mantener reuniones virtuales siempre que se trate del cierre de COVID-19. Si está interesado en proporcionar comentarios públicos, como si fuera una reunión cara a cara, envíe sus comentarios a gadellm@fccps.org para leerlos en el registro. Los comentarios públicos se limitan a tres minutos, por lo que si envía algo más, el Secretario de la Junta leerá hasta la marca de tres minutos. 

La reunión se transmitirá en YouTube. El enlace a la reunión, en caso de que desee ver, se encontrará en nuestra página de YouTube: www.youtube.com/fccpsweb . 

Actualización de la construcción de la Escuela Secundaria

Esta semana fui a la escuela secundaria e hice un video selfie rápido de un hola y lo publiqué en Twitter (@peternoonan - dame un seguimiento :)). Me complace informarle que la construcción de la escuela continúa y que hay equipos en el lugar todos los días. Los informes diarios de las personas en el lugar de trabajo no han disminuido, por lo que hay trabajadores continuamente disponibles para trabajar. Gilbane Construction nos ha asegurado que sus equipos y subcontratistas han sido capacitados en distanciamiento social apropiado y realizan "paradas de seguridad" (reuniones) de rutina para revisar los procedimientos y protocolos. Además, como un nuevo protocolo, Gilbane está tomando la temperatura de todos los trabajadores de la construcción antes de venir al sitio todos los días.

SAT y ACT

Si estaba programado para tomar el SAT o ACT, consulte sus respectivos sitios web. Las administraciones de primavera se han postergado y las administraciones futuras de los exámenes se ajustarán según lo determinen las dos organizaciones de evaluación.

Recordatorios

Evaluaciones SOL

Las pruebas SOL se cancelan este año, y el Departamento de Educación de Virginia está preparando una solicitud para una exención federal del Departamento de Educación de los EE. UU. Esto quita gran parte de la presión de nuestros estudiantes y maestros y realmente nos permite enfocar nuestra instrucción en las habilidades y conocimientos esenciales que los estudiantes necesitan saber y pueden hacer para el próximo año escolar.

Estudiantes de Educación Especial

Continuamos siguiendo la guía de VDOE y la Oficina Federal de Servicios de Educación Especial y Rehabilitación (OSERS) a medida que publican actualizaciones. Esto es fluido, y estamos recibiendo actualizaciones continuas. Esto es especialmente cierto a medida que trabajamos para desarrollar nuestro nuevo plan de aprendizaje, dado el cierre por el resto del año académico. Mientras navega por esta nueva realidad de aprendizaje, el apoyo y los servicios para estudiantes de Educación Especial no pueden reflejar lo que se proporcionaría en la escuela. Por favor sepa que estamos trabajando para ayudar a nuestros estudiantes a ser apoyados y continuar progresando. Lo más importante que debe saber es que nuestros maestros de Educación Especial y el Personal relacionado (Habla, OT, PT, especialistas en comportamiento, psicólogos escolares ...) ahora están apoyando a los estudiantes con discapacidades. Han sido desde el primer día del cierre y comenzamos nuestro plan de continuidad de aprendizaje. Están ayudando con la accesibilidad a Schoology, enviando correos electrónicos a los padres, enviando correos electrónicos a los estudiantes, compartiendo recursos, resolviendo problemas, organizando chats y organizando conferencias. Este es un territorio nuevo para todos nosotros como educadores, padres y estudiantes, por lo que juntos resolveremos cualquier problema que tenga. Si tiene alguna pregunta o necesita ayuda, comuníquese con el administrador de casos de IEP de su estudiante o con el Administrador de Educación Especial de su Escuela. Visite nuestra página de información sobre educación especial, 504 y ESOL de FCCPS para obtener una lista de los administradores de educación especial de cada escuela. También puede enviar un correo electrónico a nuestra Directora Ejecutiva de Educación Especial y Servicios Estudiantiles, Rebecca Sharp, a rsharp@fccps.org con preguntas también.  

Estudiantes del plan 504

Nuestros estudiantes con planes 504 tienen acceso a asistencia a través de su administrador de casos 504, que en la mayoría de los casos es su consejero. Visite nuestra página de información sobre educación especial, 504 y ESOL de FCCPS para obtener una lista de los consejeros de cada escuela. Sus maestros también están allí para brindar apoyo y ayudar a los estudiantes a navegar por los recursos de aprendizaje disponibles en Schoology. Comuníquese con los maestros de su estudiante y su Consejero si su estudiante con un Plan 504 tiene dificultades. Queremos asegurarnos de que tengan éxito y que sus alojamientos estén en su lugar durante esta situación única.  

Estudiantes de ESOL

Como división, estamos participando en actividades para satisfacer las necesidades de nuestros Estudiantes de Inglés.  Todos los maestros de ESOL se han agregado a las clases de Schoology en las que imparten clases conjuntamente. Esto proporciona a los maestros de ESOL acceso a estudiantes de apoyo y materiales de diferenciación. Los maestros de ESOL se están conectando con su número de estudiantes de inglés dos veces por semana para conectarse y proporcionar actividades lingüísticas, ya sea individualmente o en grupos pequeños. También están trabajando con sus compañeros de contenido para apoyar la diferenciación y el acceso al aprendizaje de contenido central en las clases que imparten conjuntamente. Language Line continúa siendo un recurso para que todos los maestros utilicen para apoyar a las familias que hablan un idioma que no es inglés. Trabajaremos con nuestro equipo de tecnología para poder brindar soporte con video tutoriales y llamadas telefónicas utilizando un intérprete para las familias que necesitan asistencia con la tecnología. Los miembros del personal tienen acceso a la utilización de los servicios de Language Line para ayudar a los estudiantes a realizar conferencias en su idioma materno. Su estudiante tiene acceso a toda la continuidad de los recursos de aprendizaje proporcionados a su nivel de grado. Comuníquese con el maestro de ESOL de su hijo para obtener apoyo o comuníquese con la Dra. Jennifer Santiago en santiagoj@fccps.org con preguntas o para apoyo.

Apoyo comunitario y nutricional para las familias

Hay apoyo para las familias que luchan con las dificultades económicas durante este tiempo. Estamos abrumados por la generosidad de nuestra Fundación para la Educación de Falls Church y nuestras PTA. Al comienzo de nuestro cierre, proporcionamos cajas de alimentos no perecederos y tarjetas de regalo a 130 familias. El liderazgo y nuestros trabajadores sociales continuarán apoyando a nuestras familias durante nuestro cierre prolongado. El estado está desarrollando un plan para proporcionar tarjetas EBT para familias con planes FRM y si no está seguro de dónde vendrá su próxima comida, envíe un mensaje de texto con “food” o “comida” al 877-877 para conectarse con recursos y ayuda cercanos. Nuestros trabajadores sociales de FCCPS también están disponibles para ayudar a conectar a las familias con recursos que luchan con la inseguridad alimentaria, las preocupaciones de vivienda u otras dificultades económicas. Visite nuestra página de apoyo nutricional de FCCPS para obtener la información de contacto del trabajador social. Además, las familias pueden comunicarse con  Falls Church City Housing and Human Services  , Condado de Fairfax Barrio y Servicios a la Comunidad, Ayuda a la distancia, y Servicios Humanos del Condado de Fairfax Guía de Recursos de apoyo adicional durante este tiempo.

Donaciones de desinfectante de manos y toallitas

gracias a Mt. Los maestros y padres de Daniel que nos alertaron sobre los suministros escolares de desinfectante para manos y toallitas sanitarias, pudimos recogerlos del monte. Aulas de Daniel. FCCPS donó hoy a seis proveedores locales de atención médica: The Kensington, Kaiser-Permanente, Family Medicine in Falls Church, Capital Area Pediatrics, Northern Virginia Pediatric Associates, PMA Health Primary Care.

Apoyo a la salud mental

Nuestra nueva "normalidad" que enfrentamos como comunidad de aprendizaje y como familias es muy estresante. La ansiedad es alta y el distanciamiento social / físico puede hacernos sentir aislados. También estamos pasando mucho más tiempo juntos como familias en lugares cerrados, lo cual también es nuevo. Tenemos que controlar nuestra salud mental de la misma manera que observamos nuestra salud física. Nuestro bienestar emocional es esencial. Hemos proporcionado información importante y excelentes recursos en nuestro Soporte de Salud Mental de FCCPS sitio web de. Visite el sitio para obtener información relacionada con los Recursos de la comunidad si necesita apoyo emocional o si está experimentando una crisis de salud mental. También incluye excelentes recursos para la reducción del estrés y la relajación para adultos y niños. También hay excelentes listas de actividades de "diversión familiar" para PreK, Primaria, Media y Secundaria. La página también incluye la información de contacto de nuestros psicólogos escolares, consejeros y trabajadores sociales que son excelentes recursos en esta área. Comuníquese si necesita ayuda.

Boletín de la Iglesia de la Ciudad de Falls Church

La Iglesia de la Ciudad de Falls Church ahora está enviando un mensaje de correo electrónico que saldrá todas las tardes. Si desea suscribirse para recibir ese correo electrónico, vaya a http://www.fallschurchva.gov/250/Communication-Public-Information

Perímetro para nuestros Maestros y Personal

Quiero pedir que seamos respetuosos de los límites de los demás. nuestro trabajo juntos Debido a que nos estamos mudando a una plataforma en línea, por el momento, será fácil enviar mensajes o pedir ayuda en todo momento del día y de la noche. Nuestros maestros y el personal estarán disponibles durante el horario de oficina definido y la jornada laboral, pero también deben cuidar a sus familias y a ellos mismos. Gracias por su ayuda, asegurando que todos nos mantengamos sanos y seguros.

Comunicación

La comunicación continua y la educación sobre las escuelas serán vitales para nuestro éxito colectivo. Existen múltiples vías para obtener la información más reciente de FCCPS. Nuestro sitio web, www.fccps.org, y la aplicación FCCPScentros de son nuestros intercambio de información sobre la importancia específica del sistema y de la escuela. También proporcionaremos actualizaciones por correo electrónico, mensajes de texto SMSy a través de nuestros diversos canales de redes sociales, incluidos Twitter y Facebook.

Gracias a todos por su continuo apoyo durante este tiempo sin precedentes. Estamos aquí para apoyar a sus hijos y a usted lo mejor que podamos en estos tiempos difíciles. Por favor, háganos saber cómo podemos ayudarlo más.

Sinceramente,

Peter Noonan

Superintendente
Falls Church City Public Schools

MARCH 23, 2020

VIRTUAL TOWN HALL

Superintendent Peter Noonan and School Board Chair Greg Anderson joined Falls Church City and Fairfax County Health Department Officials for a Virtual Town Hall on COVID-19.

MARCH 23, 2020

Dear FCCPS Families, Staff and Community,

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced this afternoon, at his press conference, all public schools in the Commonwealth will remain closed for the remainder of the school year. The news is not what we were hoping for or expecting, but together we will get through this.

It was only ten days ago we announced our closure due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Unfortunately, since that time, the spread of the virus has only grown across the United States, impacting communities such as ours even more significantly than anticipated. Todays’ announcement by the Governor changes our work as we look to the future. As we’ve prepared for this pandemic, our administrative teams have always been focused on the impacts to our students, families, and staff. That will not change as we address the extension of our current closure through the remainder of the 19-20 school year.

Everyone has many questions, and although we don’t have the answers today, please know we are working diligently internally and with the Virginia Department of Education to get the answers. As we did with the first closure, we will share our plans with you very soon.

For now, we will continue to provide the continuity of learning plans that are currently in place through Schoology through April 10th. So please keep your students engaged. We will be honoring Spring Break, and will soon announce plans for programming for the remainder of the school year.

It is unfortunate it has come to this, but all of us, school administrators, staff, and parents, want the same outcome--keeping our children and community safe. Give yourselves a moment to process and help your students as they hear this information for the first time. Support each other.

Thank you for your continued understanding, patience, and gracious space as we work through this challenging time together.

More soon. Promise.

Peter

Peter J Noonan, Ed.D
Superintendent
Falls Church City Public Schools

Estimadas Familias, Personal y Comunidad de FCCPS,

El gobernador de Virginia, Ralph Northam, anunció esta tarde en su conferencia de prensa que todas las escuelas públicas de la Commonwealth permanecerán cerradas por el resto del año escolar. La noticia no es lo que esperábamos, pero juntos lo superaremos.

Hace solo diez días anunciamos nuestro cierre debido al coronavirus (COVID-19). Desafortunadamente, desde ese momento, la propagación del virus solo ha crecido en los Estados Unidos, afectando a comunidades como la nuestra aún más significativamente de lo previsto. El anuncio de hoy del Gobernador cambia nuestro trabajo mientras miramos hacia el futuro. Mientras nos preparamos para esta pandemia, nuestros equipos administrativos siempre se han enfocado en los impactos a nuestros Estudiantes, Familias y Personal. Eso no cambiará a medida que abordemos la extensión de nuestro cierre actual durante el resto del Año Escolar 19-20.

Todos tenemos muchas preguntas, y aunque hoy no tenemos las respuestas, tenga en cuenta que estamos trabajando diligentemente internamente y con el Departamento de Educación de Virginia para obtener las respuestas. Como hicimos con el primer cierre, compartiremos nuestros planes con usted muy pronto.

Por ahora, continuaremos brindando la continuidad de los planes de aprendizaje que están vigentes a través de Schoology hasta el 10 de Abril. Así que por favor mantenga a sus alumnos comprometidos. Vamos a honrar las vacaciones de primavera, y pronto anunciaremos planes de programación para el resto del año escolar.

Es lamentable que haya llegado a esto, pero todos nosotros, los Administradores de la Escuela, el Personal y los Padres, queremos el mismo resultado: mantener seguros a nuestros niños y la comunidad. Date un momento para procesar y ayudar a tus alumnos mientras escuchan esta información por primera vez. Apoyarse el uno al otro.

Gracias por su continua comprensión, paciencia y espacio amable mientras trabajamos juntos en este momento desafiante.

Más pronto. Promesa.

Peter

Peter J Noonan, Ed.DSuperintendenteFalls Church City Public Schools

MARCH 23, 2020

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam in his daily press conference on COVID-19 announced the closure of all public and private schools in the Commonwealth for the remainder of the academic year.

MARCH 20, 2020

Dr. Noonan's Friday Update

Happy Friday to you all. The first weekend of the “new normal” is upon us and I, for one, am glad I don’t have to negotiate work, classwork, home education, and who gets bandwidth when for a couple of days. These are indeed unprecedented times and our collective FCCPS thoughts are with you and your families. We launched the online work yesterday and, like any plan, there is some tweaking and revision that will go on. The intent of our work was to ensure we “keep the learning going” and that what we provide is flexible enough to meet the needs of the vast majority of our students and families. If you continue to experience any concerns with the technology, please reach out to those we have identified in prior communications.

As always...please remember this is a fluid situation, and information can change daily.

Updates:

  • The VDOE is actively seeking waivers from the USDOE, and we have been reassured by the State Superintendent that we should not worry about SOL testing at this point. Further, the IB has made it clear that if schools are closed due to COVID-19 by order of the government, timelines will likely change for assessments. GMHS IB students need not worry about IB timelines right now, and as this becomes more clear, we will let you know. The College Board has canceled all upcoming SAT exams, and the College Board will not have the traditional exams this year. They have informed us that they (the AP exams) will be at online home exams. The content tested will be abridged, recognizing many schools are out of school and not receiving new instruction. This following link will give you everything we know at this time: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/news-changes/coronavirus-update

  • School sites will remain closed for cleaning and maintenance. If, however, you absolutely must get something from a locker or classroom, please contact your principal, and they will make arrangements - you should have received information from the schools about this previously.

  • FCCPS is closed to ensure we follow the appropriate guidelines for social distancing. Because of this, effective today at 3 PM, all of the buildings and grounds are closed to the public. This includes playgrounds, sports fields, and the track at GMHS. We are counting on the efforts of our parents and families to eliminate trips to our school grounds. I understand that this can be hard for families, but if we support each other in this effort, we help to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), and we can get back to life as normal sooner.

  • Our new “normal” facing us as a learning community and as families is so very stressful. Anxiety is high and social/physical distancing can make us feel isolated. We are also spending much more time together as families in close quarters which is new as well. We have to monitor our mental health just as we monitor our physical health. Our emotional well-being is essential. We have provided some important information and great resources on our FCCPS Mental Health Support website. Please visit the site for information related to Community Resources should you need emotional support or are experiencing a mental health crisis. It also includes excellent resources for stress reduction and relaxation for adults, as well as children. There are also great lists of “family fun” activities for PreK, Elementary, Middle, and High. The page also includes the contact information for our School Psychologists, Counselors, and Social Worker who are great resources in this area.

  • Starting next week, we will launch a feedback form that will provide an opportunity to share feedback about our awesome teachers. We want to find moments in the days and weeks ahead to celebrate the good work that is happening. Be on the lookout for the form!

  • Lastly, for new information, I want to ask that we be respectful of each other's boundaries of our work together. Because we are moving to an online platform, for the time being, it will be easy to send messages or ask for help at all times of day and night. Our teachers and staff will be available during their defined office hours and workday, but they need to also take care of their families and themselves. Thank you for your help, ensuring that we all stay healthy and safe.

Reminders:

  • If your family has any food/nutrition or other needs during this time, please reach out to your school’s Social Worker via email or phone. Their contact information can be found on our FCCPS website at FCCPS Food/Nutritional Support and on your student’s individual school website.

  • Our leadership continues to remain in close contact with Fairfax County Public Health. Please reach out to your healthcare provider or contact the FCHD call center with questions at 703-267-3511. Yesterday we all received the notice from FCHD that there is now evidence of community transmission in Northern Virginia, and Falls Church City has a confirmed case, not related to the schools. Please know that at this time, there are no contact investigations related to our schools in process. FCHD receives notice of any positive test result, regardless of whether the test was done by a public health agency or a private provider/lab. FCHD will alert us immediately should there be any positive test results that impact our school division. As a community, we should all be monitoring our health and practicing social/physical distancing. We have always and will continue to provide factual information and transparent communication regarding this, as we have from the beginning of this public health crisis. We are committed to sharing accurate information, as we follow the requirements for confidentiality. Please help us with this as this situation continues to evolve.

  • Ongoing communication and education regarding schools will be vital to our collective success. There are multiple avenues to get the latest information from FCCPS. Our website, www.fccps.org, and the FCCPS App are our clearinghouses for information on both systemwide and school-specific importance. We will also provide updates through email, SMS text messaging, and through our various social media channels, including Twitter and Facebook.

Thank you all for your continued support during this unprecedented time. We are here to support your children and you as best we can in these trying times. Please let us know how we can further support you.

Sincerely,

Peter Noonan

Superintendent
Falls Church City Public Schools

MARCH 17, 2020

Dr. Noonan's Tuesday Update
Happy St. Patrick’s Day. I hope the past few days have been useful in getting your families and homes together as we settle in for what looks like will be a while. Today I want to give updates as we know them at this point. Please remember this is a fluid situation and information can change on a daily basis.

  • School days that are missed during the Governor’s ordered shut down will not need to be made up. Additionally, we do have some days “in the bank,” so if we continue to keep our buildings closed beyond the Governor’s order, we have some flexibility.

  • The SOL, AP, and IB testing timelines remain uncertain. We have been in contact with the VDOE, the College Board, and IB to gain some clarity, but they are working through the same issues we are. I suspect we will know more soon. At this point, if we are back in school and taking SOL exams, we will exercise the latest assessment window possible, but within our defined school year, to ensure we have the best opportunity for success. However, the VDOE is actively seeking waivers from the USDOE and we have been reassured by the State Superintendent that we should not worry about SOL testing at this point.

  • Graduation is still planned for June 10th. If this changes due to circumstances from COVID-19, we will communicate that as soon as possible.

  • To date, we have not contemplated extending the school year and June 17th will be the last day of school.

  • Today the principals at Mount Daniel and Thomas Jefferson will send out a communication about our plan to keep the learning going. Tomorrow Henderson and Mason will send a similar document. The communication will also identify who to contact if you are having trouble accessing the information. Please be on the lookout for that email.

  • School sites will remain closed for cleaning and maintenance. If, however, you absolutely must get something from a locker or classroom, please contact your principal, and they will make arrangements after Wednesday.

  • If your family has any food/nutrition or other needs during this time please reach out to your school’s Social Worker via email or phone. Their contact information can be found on our FCCPS website at FCCPS Food/Nutritional Support and on your student’s individual school website.

  • Our schools will be communicating about how we are supporting our Special Education students, students with 504 plans, and our ESOL students. Your student’s case manager will be reaching out directly to families over the next few days for details on the support that will be provided. Please visit the FCCPS Special Education, 504, ESOL Support Page for additional updates beginning Thursday morning.

  • Our leadership continues to remain in close contact with Fairfax County Public Health. Please reach out to your healthcare provider or contact the FCHD call center with questions at 703-267-3511. At this point, we have no community transmission or exposures being investigated by FCHD related to our schools. We will continue to provide factual information and transparent communication regarding this, as we have from the beginning of this public health crisis. We are committed to sharing accurate information, as we follow requirements for confidential information.

  • It is so important that we all adhere to the Virginia Department of Health, Fairfax County Health Department and CDC guidelines for social/physical distancing. Please reconsider playdates and gathering in large groups. This includes visiting playgrounds, parks, and sports fields. This can be hard for families, but if we support each other in this effort we help to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

  • Ongoing communication and education regarding schools will be vital to our collective success. There are multiple avenues to get the latest information from FCCPS. Our website, www.fccps.org, and the FCCPS App are our clearinghouses for information on both systemwide and school-specific importance. We will also provide updates through email, SMS text messaging, and through our various social media channels, including Twitter and Facebook.

  • The School Board work session scheduled for tonight has been postponed until next Wednesday, March 25, 2020. To ensure we are compliant with the open meetings laws, we will stream the meeting on YouTube and likely provide a call-in number for anyone who would like to listen in. We will send more information as the rescheduled meeting gets closer. If you wish to speak at upcoming regular School Board meetings, please contact Marty Gadell at gadellm@fccps.org. Speaking will be done via the call-in number.

Thank you all for your continued support during this unprecedented time. A special shout out to our the FCCPS Education Foundation who raised $17,000 to support our community. They, along with the school’s PTAs, will be doing additional fundraising for families in case these closures continue beyond Spring Break. What a beautiful community of care coming together as one.

As a reminder, you can expect an update from me on Tuesdays and Fridays. Some will be more robust than others so thank you in advance for taking the time to read them.

Sincerely,

Peter

MARCH 15, 2020

Thank you all for coming over the weekend and picking up computers, medications, food supplies, gift cards, etc… For those who were away this weekend, there will be an opportunity for you to pick up items from your student’s school on Thursday. Each building Principal will send a communication to you later this week containing this information. These continue to be fluid times and our collective flexibility and care for each other will help us move through it successfully.

I have a couple of updates for you today:

  • Please be on the lookout for an email from your school’s principal this week. Grades PK-5 will come out Tuesday, and Grades 6-12 will come out Wednesday. In the email, there will be clear communication about what to expect for Thursday to keep the learning going for the next several weeks. It also will indicate virtual “office hours” and who to contact with technology issues, etc…

  • FCCPS plans to respect Spring Break, so the work will start this Thursday and end on April 3rd. If, however, the closure were to extend later than we have announced, we will continue to support student learning after Spring Break.

  • Many questions remain concerning SOL testing, AP and IB exams, graduation, sports, activities, etc. We will continue to gather information from the appropriate sources and share that out as we get it, which I anticipate will be quick. If you have a Senior at home, please assure them that we will work diligently so that their graduation from GMHS is not at risk.

  • I want to change my language around distancing from “social” to “physical.” It is more evident by the day that we need to give each other wide berth. The reason we are closing schools is to afford us space and minimize contact with others. I urge you to help us communicate and support actions in ways to be consistent with the guidance with your children. As a parent of three, we’ve had hard conversations in our home about this and I understand the challenge.

  • With physical distancing and general hygiene in mind, I would request that families either avoid or be extra cautious when using the playground equipment at our schools. This is equipment that is just like any other gym equipment that is used by many and can transfer germs and virus. This guidance may change. If you use the fields and track at GMHS, please take appropriate precautions and physically distance yourself from others.

  • FCCPS Central Office will reopen with divided shifts to ensure physical distancing beginning on Thursday and with only those who must report.

  • School sites will be closed for cleaning and maintenance. If, however, you absolutely must get something from a locker or classroom, please contact your principal, and we will make arrangements after Wednesday. We want to work together to ensure you have what is needed. But if it is a lunch box, water bottle, and other non-essential items, it will be there when we return - we might have had that conversation in the Noonan household this weekend!

  • There are multiple avenues to get the latest information from FCCPS. Our website, www.fccps.org, and the FCCPS App are our clearinghouses for information on both systemwide and school-specific importance. We will also provide updates through email, SMS text messaging, and through our various social media channels, including Twitter and Facebook.

  • With the amount of communication we are trying to facilitate, Google Translate and other similar web browser translation services remain our best option at this time. In Chrome browsers, for instance, all of our websites translate into the ‘Language’ selected in ‘Settings.’ I share this because if your neighbor/friend speaks a different language, please check in with them to ensure we all have the information needed while using physical distancing best practices.

  • The School Board work session scheduled for this Tuesday night (March 17th) has been postponed until Wednesday, March 25, 2020. In an effort to ensure we are compliant with the open meetings laws we will stream the meeting on YouTube and likely provide a call-in number for anyone who would like to listen in. We will send more information as the rescheduled meeting gets closer.

  • Just a reminder that you can expect communication from me on Tuesdays and Fridays unless there is a more frequent need. Your primary source for information related to your school and problem-solving during this time will be your child’s teacher and the school principals.

I want to thank the staff from each of our schools for stepping up and stepping in when we went into mobilization mode Friday afternoon. In addition to organizing laptops, food supplies, etc...they were present at our schools yesterday and today. We have an incredible team of people who are committed to the success of your children.

Together, as a community, we will get through this and be stronger than we are today as a result.

Best wishes,

Peter

Petre J. Noonan, Ed.D.
Superintendent

#buildingtogether #bettertogether

Estimadas Familias, Personal y Facultad de FCCPS:

Gracias a todos por venir el fin de semana y recoger computadoras, medicamentos, suministros de alimentos, tarjetas de regalo, etc. Para quienes estuvieron fuera este fin de semana, habrá una oportunidad para recoger los artículos de la escuela de su hijo el Jueves. Cada Director de la escuela le enviará una comunicación a finales de esta semana con esta información. Estos siguen siendo tiempos fluidos y nuestra flexibilidad colectiva y el cuidado mutuo nos ayudarán a superarlo con éxito.

Hoy tengo un par de actualizaciones para usted:

  • Esté atento a un correo electrónico del Director/a de su escuela esta semana. Los grados PK-5 saldrán el Martes y los grados 6-12 saldrán el Miércoles. En el correo electrónico, habrá una comunicación clara sobre qué esperar para el Jueves para que el aprendizaje continúe durante las próximas semanas. También indicará “horas de oficina” virtuales y a quién contactar con problemas de tecnología, etc.

  • FCCPS planea respetar las vacaciones de primavera, por lo que el trabajo comenzará este Jueves y finalizará el 3 de Abril. Sin embargo, si el cierre se extendiera más tarde de lo que anunciamos, continuaremos apoyando el aprendizaje de los estudiantes después de las vacaciones de primavera.

  • Quedan muchas preguntas con respecto a las pruebas SOL, los exámenes AP e IB, la graduación, los deportes, las actividades, etc. Continuaremos recopilando información de las fuentes apropiadas y compartiéndola a medida que la obtengamos, lo que espero sea rápido. Si tiene un estudiante de último año en casa, asegúrese de que trabajaremos diligentemente para que su graduación de GMHS no esté en riesgo.

  • Quiero cambiar mi lenguaje en torno al distanciamiento de "social" a "físico". Es más evidente cada día que necesitamos darnos un amplio espacio. La razón por la que estamos cerrando escuelas es para permitirnos espacio y minimizar el contacto con otros. Le insto a que nos ayude a comunicarnos y apoyar acciones de manera que sean coherentes con la orientación con sus hijos. Como padre de tres hijos, hemos tenido conversaciones difíciles en nuestro hogar sobre esto y entiendo el desafío.

  • Con el distanciamiento físico y la higiene en general en mente, solicitaría que las familias eviten o sean más cautelosas cuando usen el equipo del patio de recreo en nuestras escuelas. Este es un equipo que es como cualquier otro equipo de gimnasio que muchos usan y pueden transferir gérmenes y virus. Esta guía puede cambiar. Si usa los campos y rastrea en GMHS, tome las precauciones adecuadas y se distancie físicamente de los demás.

  • La Oficina Central de FCCPS volverá a abrir con turnos divididos para garantizar el distanciamiento físico a partir del jueves y solo con aquellos que deben informar.

  • Los planteles escolares estarán cerrados por limpieza y mantenimiento. Sin embargo, si debe obtener algo de un casillero o aula, comuníquese con su director y haremos los arreglos después del miércoles. Queremos trabajar juntos para garantizar que tenga lo que necesita. Pero si se trata de una lonchera, una botella de agua y otros artículos no esenciales, estará allí cuando regresemos, ¡podríamos haber tenido esa conversación en el hogar de Noonan este fin de semana!

  • Existen múltiples vías para obtener la información más reciente de FCCPS. Nuestra página web, www.fccps.org, y La aplicación FCCPS es nuestro centro de intercambio de información sobre la importancia de todo el sistema y de la escuela. También proporcionaremos actualizaciones por correo electrónico, Mensajes de texto SMS y a través de nuestros diversos canales de redes sociales, incluidos Twitter y Facebook.

  • Con la cantidad de comunicación que estamos tratando de facilitar, Google Translate y otros servicios similares de traducción del navegador web siguen siendo nuestra mejor opción en este momento. En los navegadores Chrome, por ejemplo, todos nuestros sitios web se traducen al 'Idioma' seleccionado en 'Configuración'. Comparto esto porque si su vecino / amigo habla un idioma diferente, consulte con ellos para asegurarse de que todos tengamos la información necesaria mientras utilizamos las mejores prácticas de distanciamiento físico.

  • La sesión de trabajo de la Junta Escolar programada para este Martes por la noche (17 de Marzo) se ha pospuesto hasta el Miércoles 25 de Marzo de 2020. En un esfuerzo por garantizar que cumplamos con las leyes de reuniones abiertas, transmitiremos la reunión en YouTube y probablemente haremos una llamada -en número para cualquiera que quiera escuchar. Le enviaremos más información a medida que se acerque la reunión reprogramada.

  • Solo un recordatorio de que puede esperar mi comunicación los martes y viernes a menos que haya una necesidad más frecuente. Su fuente principal de información relacionada con su escuela y la resolución de problemas durante este tiempo será el maestro de su hijo y los directores de la escuela.

Quiero agradecer al personal de cada una de nuestras escuelas por intervenir cuando entramos en modo de movilización el Viernes por la tarde. Además de organizar computadoras portátiles, suministros de alimentos, etc., estuvieron presentes en nuestras escuelas ayer y hoy. Tenemos un increíble equipo de personas comprometidas con el éxito de sus hijos.

Juntos, como comunidad, superaremos esto y seremos más fuertes de lo que somos hoy como resultado.

Mejores Deseos,

Peter

#buildingtogether #bettertogether

Peter J. Noonan Ed.D.
Superintendente de Escuelas Escuelas Públicas de Falls Church City