FCPS Fall 2021 - Possible to Partner with Virtual Virginia?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No concurrent. Concurrent is a stopgap for this school year. It is not an acceptable for a regular school year especially with how behind the kids will be.

You haven't even tried concurrent, you have no clue how it's going to work.

It will be worse than regular in person school.
I don’t want my kids staring at google slideshows at their desks or having the hassle of the teacher dealing with kids at home and kids in class. It’s a necessary evil this year apparently but no way for next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No concurrent. Concurrent is a stopgap for this school year. It is not an acceptable for a regular school year especially with how behind the kids will be.

You haven't even tried concurrent, you have no clue how it's going to work.

I've read enough posts to know that while my kids could probably adapt to this model next year (and it'll be better than this year), that this will breakdown teachers. They'll be the biggest obstacle to this, not parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No concurrent. Concurrent is a stopgap for this school year. It is not an acceptable for a regular school year especially with how behind the kids will be.

You haven't even tried concurrent, you have no clue how it's going to work.

I've read enough posts to know that while my kids could probably adapt to this model next year (and it'll be better than this year), that this will breakdown teachers. They'll be the biggest obstacle to this, not parents.

You are correct. Every teacher I know wants normal school in the fall with a centralized DL option.

[Anonymous]

My own two cents...I hope FCPS is already thinking about this. And I mean thoughtfully and seriously. I think the main reason we have concurrent now is because FCPS failed in planning this year promising too many things locking themselves into concurrent 2 days a week being the only way to try to deliver.

They cannot seem to both offer 5 days a week in person (or even 4 for that matter) of in-person schooling safe enough for the people that really want it to have it and also offer full time virtual at each grade level and school across the district to everyone who wants that. Something has to give. For this school year, in-person had to give and that makes sense given the state of the pandemic. Next school year it will be the all virtual people who have to give and that makes sense given the state of the pandemic. Whether that means VV or some centralized FCPS-specific (but not individual school specific) solution is what they should be considering now. I know the all virtual people won’t be thrilled. But the in-person people have also not been thrilled, and neither is best served by concurrent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My own two cents...I hope FCPS is already thinking about this. And I mean thoughtfully and seriously. I think the main reason we have concurrent now is because FCPS failed in planning this year promising too many things locking themselves into concurrent 2 days a week being the only way to try to deliver.

They cannot seem to both offer 5 days a week in person (or even 4 for that matter) of in-person schooling safe enough for the people that really want it to have it and also offer full time virtual at each grade level and school across the district to everyone who wants that. Something has to give. For this school year, in-person had to give and that makes sense given the state of the pandemic. Next school year it will be the all virtual people who have to give and that makes sense given the state of the pandemic. Whether that means VV or some centralized FCPS-specific (but not individual school specific) solution is what they should be considering now. I know the all virtual people won’t be thrilled. But the in-person people have also not been thrilled, and neither is best served by concurrent.

Teacher here. I think at the Elementary level it will be easy to offer a centralized DL program. You just need to find out how many kids in each grade and AAP. I am sure they would have 1-2 classes per pyramid. It is middle/high school where it gets complicated due to course offerings. But more courses are offered with Virtual VA for high school. You are correct. They need to start planning now.

[Anonymous]

If we do inperson next year, the real issue is social distancing.

Most schools are a 50/50 or 60/40 split. That means with 2 days a week, about a quarter of the school is present. Many schools can’t accommodate much more than that with current social distancing.

Even if they decrease social distancing, I think a lot of schools will have a hard time with space if they have 1/2 their student body present.

By September, kids over 16 (Juniors and Seniors) could also potentially be vaccinated. If numbers continue to decline, I think you will see more families willing to do inperson in September.

I think the real issue with inperson is space. FCPS has been over crowded for year!! They have moved very slowly to renovate, build new schools etc. They are literally busting at the seams. Now that there are social distancing requirements, it is a problem not just in classrooms but hallways. Many high school hallways are so tight during schedule changes, that the kids are shoulder to shoulder.

I think our numbers and lack of space is the main issue with return to 4 or 5 days a week.

I agree 100% that concurrent is not great. However, I think it is a necessary evil for next year. In middle and high school where kids switch classes, concurrent is needed. What happens if someone tests positive - your child may get told they need to self quarantine at home for x days or until they get a negative test. Missing classes in high school is really difficult. And a child who is quarantining because of a potential exposure caused by the school needs to continue to have access to their classes. Otherwise, you are going to see some extremely stressed out high schoolers. So, while concurrent is not ideal - if the school is going to tell kids to stay home, they need to provide this measure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My own two cents...I hope FCPS is already thinking about this. And I mean thoughtfully and seriously. I think the main reason we have concurrent now is because FCPS failed in planning this year promising too many things locking themselves into concurrent 2 days a week being the only way to try to deliver.

They cannot seem to both offer 5 days a week in person (or even 4 for that matter) of in-person schooling safe enough for the people that really want it to have it and also offer full time virtual at each grade level and school across the district to everyone who wants that. Something has to give. For this school year, in-person had to give and that makes sense given the state of the pandemic. Next school year it will be the all virtual people who have to give and that makes sense given the state of the pandemic. Whether that means VV or some centralized FCPS-specific (but not individual school specific) solution is what they should be considering now. I know the all virtual people won’t be thrilled. But the in-person people have also not been thrilled, and neither is best served by concurrent.

Teacher here. I think at the Elementary level it will be easy to offer a centralized DL program. You just need to find out how many kids in each grade and AAP. I am sure they would have 1-2 classes per pyramid. It is middle/high school where it gets complicated due to course offerings. But more courses are offered with Virtual VA for high school. You are correct. They need to start planning now.

I am the quoted PP and I agree. Thank you teacher for sharing your thoughts.. MS/HS has many more options and moving parts making it even harder to try to offer both virtual and in person families all options the same as they are used to. Maybe that even means the plans for ES are not exactly the same as those for MS/HS which would make sense for many reason (virus-related and distancing-related, not just course-related) but they seem all along reluctant to consider it differently. I hope considering them differently is at least on the table though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No concurrent. Concurrent is a stopgap for this school year. It is not an acceptable for a regular school year especially with how behind the kids will be.

You haven't even tried concurrent, you have no clue how it's going to work.

It will be worse than regular in person school.
I don’t want my kids staring at google slideshows at their desks or having the hassle of the teacher dealing with kids at home and kids in class. It’s a necessary evil this year apparently but no way for next year.

+100
I still laugh every time I think about sending my kids to school, only to be “taught” virtually through the computer. Why bother?? My kids are staying virtual until there is 4/5 days of in-person school - with teachers present.

[Anonymous]

During last night's Town Hall, Dr. Brabrand mentioned the option of Virtual Virginia (virtualvirginia.org), run by the VDOE, as an option for parents to remain virtual next year. According to the FCPS website for Home Instruction, FCPS does not currently participate in the Virtual Virginia full-time program. Is this still true? Does this mean that full-time enrollment is the financial responsibility of the parent? My kids are under age 12. Enrollment fees for next year are $4,550 for the year for K-5 students and $450 per course for 6-8 students.

I don't mind my kids leaving their FCPS schools if it enables my friends' children to attend FCPS 5-days a week in-person (without concurrent and still keeping my kids virtual), but not if I am going to have to pay private Catholic school prices.

Thank you to anyone who can provide clarity on this subject!

[Anonymous]

Virtual Virginia is a separate program, there's no partnering. Either you enroll your child in FCPS or in Virtual Virginia. Read up on some of the stuff parents who actually use Virtual Virginia have said. It requires a great deal of parental involvement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Virtual Virginia is a separate program, there's no partnering. Either you enroll your child in FCPS or in Virtual Virginia. Read up on some of the stuff parents who actually use Virtual Virginia have said. It requires a great deal of parental involvement.

Are you talking about VDOE's Virtual Virginia or are you talking about Virtual Virginia Academy by K-12 (the private company)? There's a difference. Until this year the VDOE one didn't even have K-5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virtual Virginia is a separate program, there's no partnering. Either you enroll your child in FCPS or in Virtual Virginia. Read up on some of the stuff parents who actually use Virtual Virginia have said. It requires a great deal of parental involvement.

Are you talking about VDOE's Virtual Virginia or are you talking about Virtual Virginia Academy by K-12 (the private company)? There's a difference. Until this year the VDOE one didn't even have K-5.

The one through VDOE. They are offering a K-5 option for next school year.

https://www.virtualvirginia.org/k-5/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virtual Virginia is a separate program, there's no partnering. Either you enroll your child in FCPS or in Virtual Virginia. Read up on some of the stuff parents who actually use Virtual Virginia have said. It requires a great deal of parental involvement.

Are you talking about VDOE's Virtual Virginia or are you talking about Virtual Virginia Academy by K-12 (the private company)? There's a difference. Until this year the VDOE one didn't even have K-5.

The one through VDOE. They are offering a K-5 option for next school year.

https://www.virtualvirginia.org/k-5/

Per the handbook at their website, the local school district absolutely does have to partner with Virtual Virginia: https://www.virtualvirginia.org/students_parents/student-and-parent-handbook/

FCPS doesn't support that, per their homeschool page:

As a program of the Virginia Department of Education, Virtual Virginia (VVa) offers online Advanced Placement (AP®), world language, core academic, and elective courses to students across the Commonwealth and nation. Due to the robust course offerings available to FCPS students through the FCPS Online Campus, FCPS does not currently participate in the Virtual Virginia full-time program.
Home school students may access Virtual Virginia and in these cases, are registered by their parents. Tuition, textbooks, fees and other materials are the responsibility of the enrolling party.

(https://www.fcps.edu/registration/home-instruction)

Wondering PP, this is a question for Brabrand or someone else in FCPS admin. Maybe your SB member? If they are going to partner with Virtual Virginia that would be new.

My guess is that Brabrand was basically saying you're welcome to homeschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Virtual Virginia is free for FCPS students. Dirty little secret. No vouchers needed for a better education.

There is a cap on students per district, after that cap is reached it costs the family $.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it won't work because FCPS is too spineless to make parents make a binding decision. Parents will choose Virtual VA then change their mind, causing a logistical nightmare.

They also don't offer a full course load with very few electives which would affect students having enough courses to graduate high school.