All Falls Church City Schools teachers to receive vaccine Monday

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCCPS teachers: how did it go yesterday? I haven’t heard anything. Hope it went well!

- an FCCPS parent

It went well. Any of us who signed up received the vaccine. It was well run by the health department.

Noonan told us today he plans on bringing back all students next week. Teachers are very uneasy about this because we will not have our second dose until at least 2/15. We have not been told if it has been scheduled. We are very worried about our health and our families. Noonan keeps telling everyone how good the COVID numbers are trending. Everyone knows this isn’t true and while we are happy we have the 1st dose and want to get back to school and normal life, we feel this is rushed without fully thinking about consequences.

He’s been saying for weeks what the metrics are to return. There are currently 7 days where the PCR rate is Yellow/below 8%. If this keeps going, then they return. Uneasy or not, it’s been clearly stated the criteria for going back.

Yes. Staff understand the metrics and that we are returning. In our conversations, we question his judgment and his ability to keep students and staff safe. No one thinks he will change his mind. We have the right to be uneasy. Positivity rates are high everywhere outside of FCC. If we become sick, substitutes will be a problem. I haven’t heard of a single teacher say they will not return when asked. We are concerned we will not be able to stay if we start getting sick if forced to come before we have immunity.

It is pretty lame that he can’t wait a few weeks for immunity to kick in. It also seems like a bit of a gamble. If too many teachers get sick at one time, with so few subs available, the back to school plan could easily fall apart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCCPS teachers: how did it go yesterday? I haven’t heard anything. Hope it went well!

- an FCCPS parent

It went well. Any of us who signed up received the vaccine. It was well run by the health department.

Noonan told us today he plans on bringing back all students next week. Teachers are very uneasy about this because we will not have our second dose until at least 2/15. We have not been told if it has been scheduled. We are very worried about our health and our families. Noonan keeps telling everyone how good the COVID numbers are trending. Everyone knows this isn’t true and while we are happy we have the 1st dose and want to get back to school and normal life, we feel this is rushed without fully thinking about consequences.

He’s been saying for weeks what the metrics are to return. There are currently 7 days where the PCR rate is Yellow/below 8%. If this keeps going, then they return. Uneasy or not, it’s been clearly stated the criteria for going back.

Are they going to institute weekly testing (of everyone)? That would be a good measure to add to make people feel safer.

No. They are not.

Yeah. I’m not surprised. Testing would mean you could prove you got sick on campus and if, heaven forbid, you end up hospitalized for a couple of months, they can more easily jilt you of workers comp. That’s what the county did to the firefighters.

[Anonymous]

Do they offer weekly voluntary surveillance testing? I assume not, nearly a year in and we don't really have the capacity for that, but that would be nice. I bet a lot of people would participate, including students. I would sign my youngest up.

(You still couldn't prove where you got it, so I think it is more a cost/capability/priorities thing rather than them worrying about workers comp or whatever.)

My kid's university is doing that for all staff / students who are on campus, and just now ramped up their own testing to make it mandatory instead of voluntary. But they have their own health system and capabilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do they offer weekly voluntary surveillance testing? I assume not, nearly a year in and we don't really have the capacity for that, but that would be nice. I bet a lot of people would participate, including students. I would sign my youngest up.

(You still couldn't prove where you got it, so I think it is more a cost/capability/priorities thing rather than them worrying about workers comp or whatever.)

My kid's university is doing that for all staff / students who are on campus, and just now ramped up their own testing to make it mandatory instead of voluntary. But they have their own health system and capabilities.

Yes, I think it would be safer for the whole community that way. About a month from now, the teachers who didn’t get COVID will be the lucky ones with 95 percent immunity, but the kids can still get it and transmit it very easily to their families. You KNOW there is that one sociopathic (or just hard up) parent in the classroom who will send her kid in with COVID, so I think surveillance testing would be great.

And maybe it would help with workers comp? Who knows? Thankfully, that is one thing I won’t have to worry about. I am in FCPS so I will get to achieve immunity before I go back into the building. I really don’t want this disease. One of my colleagues got it and was in the hospital for 2 months. It was awful. She was ALONE and scared.

[Anonymous]

I am not trying to be alarmist, but parents, please make sure your child knows the importance of wearing a mask. I really hope FCCPS doesn’t tolerate the “mask exemption” nonsense like FCPS does. I just saw the article below in the news and it was concerning. I do think Northern Virginians are MUCH MUCH more conscientious about safety than Arizonans, so hopefully something like this won’t happen here:

https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/hundreds-of-children-being-admitted-to-arizona-hospitals-for-covid-19

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they offer weekly voluntary surveillance testing? I assume not, nearly a year in and we don't really have the capacity for that, but that would be nice. I bet a lot of people would participate, including students. I would sign my youngest up.

(You still couldn't prove where you got it, so I think it is more a cost/capability/priorities thing rather than them worrying about workers comp or whatever.)

My kid's university is doing that for all staff / students who are on campus, and just now ramped up their own testing to make it mandatory instead of voluntary. But they have their own health system and capabilities.

Yes, I think it would be safer for the whole community that way. About a month from now, the teachers who didn’t get COVID will be the lucky ones with 95 percent immunity, but the kids can still get it and transmit it very easily to their families. You KNOW there is that one sociopathic (or just hard up) parent in the classroom who will send her kid in with COVID, so I think surveillance testing would be great.

And maybe it would help with workers comp? Who knows? Thankfully, that is one thing I won’t have to worry about. I am in FCPS so I will get to achieve immunity before I go back into the building. I really don’t want this disease. One of my colleagues got it and was in the hospital for 2 months. It was awful. She was ALONE and scared.

None of the public schools in the area will be offering any type of weekly testing. I’m sorry about your colleague. That is scary and everyone’s fear.

Noonan plans to bring back K-5, 6th and 12th grades next week. Teachers won’t have immunity. Let’s hope this doesn’t spread through the community and staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could we please all be a bit more patient about opening schools if it will AT THE VERY LEAST keep staff snd faculty from getting sick? New studies regarding community spread in Britain actually show schools are a contributing factor and are the reason folks across the pond are doing so badly.

Sorry, but some of us who have been working in person throughout the pandemic (and paying to send our elementary school children to attempt to do virtual « «learning » in childcare facilities where lower paid staff take on a greater risk of exposure) are struggling to understand why teachers could not be asked to teach in person last Fall.

A study out of Canada shows schools opening as a direct driver of recent surges in those communities. I think it’s also important to think as a parent what the value of in person learning is. Is it the being there in person or in person instruction? Schools in the Midwest and south that decided they were opening no matter what this fall are having significant staffing issues. While a sub can babysit a class they aren’t often qualified teachers. I worry next year my kids schools will struggle to retain good teachers. Returning to subpar instruction just doesn’t seem like the best bet. I mean there are no good answers or solutions to any of this.

Post the Canadian study or stop talking out your ass.

I'll gladly post 20 studies that show schools can and should open safely.

Your argument is nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they offer weekly voluntary surveillance testing? I assume not, nearly a year in and we don't really have the capacity for that, but that would be nice. I bet a lot of people would participate, including students. I would sign my youngest up.

(You still couldn't prove where you got it, so I think it is more a cost/capability/priorities thing rather than them worrying about workers comp or whatever.)

My kid's university is doing that for all staff / students who are on campus, and just now ramped up their own testing to make it mandatory instead of voluntary. But they have their own health system and capabilities.

Yes, I think it would be safer for the whole community that way. About a month from now, the teachers who didn’t get COVID will be the lucky ones with 95 percent immunity, but the kids can still get it and transmit it very easily to their families. You KNOW there is that one sociopathic (or just hard up) parent in the classroom who will send her kid in with COVID, so I think surveillance testing would be great.

And maybe it would help with workers comp? Who knows? Thankfully, that is one thing I won’t have to worry about. I am in FCPS so I will get to achieve immunity before I go back into the building. I really don’t want this disease. One of my colleagues got it and was in the hospital for 2 months. It was awful. She was ALONE and scared.

None of the public schools in the area will be offering any type of weekly testing. I’m sorry about your colleague. That is scary and everyone’s fear.

Noonan plans to bring back K-5, 6th and 12th grades next week. Teachers won’t have immunity. Let’s hope this doesn’t spread through the community and staff.

where is this posted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they offer weekly voluntary surveillance testing? I assume not, nearly a year in and we don't really have the capacity for that, but that would be nice. I bet a lot of people would participate, including students. I would sign my youngest up.

(You still couldn't prove where you got it, so I think it is more a cost/capability/priorities thing rather than them worrying about workers comp or whatever.)

My kid's university is doing that for all staff / students who are on campus, and just now ramped up their own testing to make it mandatory instead of voluntary. But they have their own health system and capabilities.

Yes, I think it would be safer for the whole community that way. About a month from now, the teachers who didn’t get COVID will be the lucky ones with 95 percent immunity, but the kids can still get it and transmit it very easily to their families. You KNOW there is that one sociopathic (or just hard up) parent in the classroom who will send her kid in with COVID, so I think surveillance testing would be great.

And maybe it would help with workers comp? Who knows? Thankfully, that is one thing I won’t have to worry about. I am in FCPS so I will get to achieve immunity before I go back into the building. I really don’t want this disease. One of my colleagues got it and was in the hospital for 2 months. It was awful. She was ALONE and scared.

None of the public schools in the area will be offering any type of weekly testing. I’m sorry about your colleague. That is scary and everyone’s fear.

Noonan plans to bring back K-5, 6th and 12th grades next week. Teachers won’t have immunity. Let’s hope this doesn’t spread through the community and staff.

where is this posted?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DDGFs3WjSh_mPyv8rk1RUqtqzTcb4o04cK1-M1h-47s/edit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they offer weekly voluntary surveillance testing? I assume not, nearly a year in and we don't really have the capacity for that, but that would be nice. I bet a lot of people would participate, including students. I would sign my youngest up.

(You still couldn't prove where you got it, so I think it is more a cost/capability/priorities thing rather than them worrying about workers comp or whatever.)

My kid's university is doing that for all staff / students who are on campus, and just now ramped up their own testing to make it mandatory instead of voluntary. But they have their own health system and capabilities.

Yes, I think it would be safer for the whole community that way. About a month from now, the teachers who didn’t get COVID will be the lucky ones with 95 percent immunity, but the kids can still get it and transmit it very easily to their families. You KNOW there is that one sociopathic (or just hard up) parent in the classroom who will send her kid in with COVID, so I think surveillance testing would be great.

And maybe it would help with workers comp? Who knows? Thankfully, that is one thing I won’t have to worry about. I am in FCPS so I will get to achieve immunity before I go back into the building. I really don’t want this disease. One of my colleagues got it and was in the hospital for 2 months. It was awful. She was ALONE and scared.

None of the public schools in the area will be offering any type of weekly testing. I’m sorry about your colleague. That is scary and everyone’s fear.

Noonan plans to bring back K-5, 6th and 12th grades next week. Teachers won’t have immunity. Let’s hope this doesn’t spread through the community and staff.

That’s an appallingly stupid decision on his part. In two weeks time, they’ll be scrambling around trying to convince the homeless guys who hang out by the 66 exits to work as subs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they offer weekly voluntary surveillance testing? I assume not, nearly a year in and we don't really have the capacity for that, but that would be nice. I bet a lot of people would participate, including students. I would sign my youngest up.

(You still couldn't prove where you got it, so I think it is more a cost/capability/priorities thing rather than them worrying about workers comp or whatever.)

My kid's university is doing that for all staff / students who are on campus, and just now ramped up their own testing to make it mandatory instead of voluntary. But they have their own health system and capabilities.

Yes, I think it would be safer for the whole community that way. About a month from now, the teachers who didn’t get COVID will be the lucky ones with 95 percent immunity, but the kids can still get it and transmit it very easily to their families. You KNOW there is that one sociopathic (or just hard up) parent in the classroom who will send her kid in with COVID, so I think surveillance testing would be great.

And maybe it would help with workers comp? Who knows? Thankfully, that is one thing I won’t have to worry about. I am in FCPS so I will get to achieve immunity before I go back into the building. I really don’t want this disease. One of my colleagues got it and was in the hospital for 2 months. It was awful. She was ALONE and scared.

None of the public schools in the area will be offering any type of weekly testing. I’m sorry about your colleague. That is scary and everyone’s fear.

Noonan plans to bring back K-5, 6th and 12th grades next week. Teachers won’t have immunity. Let’s hope this doesn’t spread through the community and staff.

That’s an appallingly stupid decision on his part. In two weeks time, they’ll be scrambling around trying to convince the homeless guys who hang out by the 66 exits to work as subs.

Sub shortage will be a problem that he doesn’t seem to be considering. FCCPS is unique in many ways, one of which is that he will make this decision on his own. I’ve been following other counties and realize there is a lot of problems with the big districts like FCPS. I read the updates here about their board meeting and although parents sound frustrated, it is good there are multiple people making decisions together. Noonan sent staff an email yesterday reminding us that he alone will make the decision on when we open. Some of the staff wrote letters to the School Board and that prompted this email.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could we please all be a bit more patient about opening schools if it will AT THE VERY LEAST keep staff snd faculty from getting sick? New studies regarding community spread in Britain actually show schools are a contributing factor and are the reason folks across the pond are doing so badly.

Sorry, but some of us who have been working in person throughout the pandemic (and paying to send our elementary school children to attempt to do virtual « «learning » in childcare facilities where lower paid staff take on a greater risk of exposure) are struggling to understand why teachers could not be asked to teach in person last Fall.

A study out of Canada shows schools opening as a direct driver of recent surges in those communities. I think it’s also important to think as a parent what the value of in person learning is. Is it the being there in person or in person instruction? Schools in the Midwest and south that decided they were opening no matter what this fall are having significant staffing issues. While a sub can babysit a class they aren’t often qualified teachers. I worry next year my kids schools will struggle to retain good teachers. Returning to subpar instruction just doesn’t seem like the best bet. I mean there are no good answers or solutions to any of this.

Post the Canadian study or stop talking out your ass.

I'll gladly post 20 studies that show schools can and should open safely.

Your argument is nonsense.

You can find the report in french easily and on the GW site but here is a news story on the release: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/in-person-school-has-been-driving-montreal-covid-19-infection-rates-study-1.5263882

I think the older the study the more you have to assume it is relying on old strains of the virus. I think it is a cost benefit issue when reopening. Schools have to decide if the long term staffing problems make it worth it, will staffing shortages be easily overcome one year out? How many full time subs can a school have working all at once.

[Anonymous]

Looks like K-12 is paused in virtual until Feb 22 to ensure teacher vaccinations are completed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looks like K-12 is paused in virtual until Feb 22 to ensure teacher vaccinations are completed.

I am devastated. My kids don't qualify for group 1, barely, we are under the IEP hours threshold, but they are really really struggling. This is such a kick in the teeth. He put out metrics, then tossed them literally the day that showed we had met them. He specifically said that waiting for a vaccine couldn't be the answer, then he decided to wait for a vaccination. What is going to happen when vaccine distribution gets delayed? What if Fairfax county doesn't have the 2nd dose to give out at day 28? another week?? another week??? come on, do better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like K-12 is paused in virtual until Feb 22 to ensure teacher vaccinations are completed.

I am devastated. My kids don't qualify for group 1, barely, we are under the IEP hours threshold, but they are really really struggling. This is such a kick in the teeth. He put out metrics, then tossed them literally the day that showed we had met them. He specifically said that waiting for a vaccine couldn't be the answer, then he decided to wait for a vaccination. What is going to happen when vaccine distribution gets delayed? What if Fairfax county doesn't have the 2nd dose to give out at day 28? another week?? another week??? come on, do better.

I thought Noonan’s letter provided many solid reasons on why they should delay bringing students back. I was concerned with original return to hybrid happening next week. This decision was relief to many and showed he is looking at more than only the percent positivity in FCC. Things have changed and that would not have been responsible.

https://www.fccps.org/article/385641