What FCPS option are you choosing and why?

[Anonymous]

We are DL (grades 8 and 11). Hoping it is done well. If not, will figure out how to supplement. Virus is real and can be deadly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are going to withdraw and homeschool (4th and 6th AAP). If the virus situation is promising and regular school can be more like normal school, we are going to re-enroll them at their center.

That's one way to get around the "locked into DL for the whole year" aspect. I'm torn. The DL at our school was ABYSMAL. I don't trust FCPS with the DL. But in person with all the restrictions will be really uncomfortable and no fun, too.

+1

[Anonymous]

They might not be able to re-enroll at their school. FCPS might require anyone registering during the year to do DL since those classes would be easier to move kids in to. In person learning might increase the number of days, based on how things are going, but it also has to be ready to decrease the number of days in case of a spike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They might not be able to re-enroll at their school. FCPS might require anyone registering during the year to do DL since those classes would be easier to move kids in to. In person learning might increase the number of days, based on how things are going, but it also has to be ready to decrease the number of days in case of a spike.

I think legally they have to let you enroll at your in boundary school.

[Anonymous]

But they don’t have to let you pick. The only way this would work is if fcps went back to full school (vaccine) and then there would be space in person for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But they don’t have to let you pick. The only way this would work is if fcps went back to full school (vaccine) and then there would be space in person for everyone.

I’m not seeing that if you are at a center school. There is no way they will put you in the next center school over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But they don’t have to let you pick. The only way this would work is if fcps went back to full school (vaccine) and then there would be space in person for everyone.

I’m not seeing that if you are at a center school. There is no way they will put you in the next center school over.

DP. They could put you in DL, which might not be related geographically at all to where you live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are European and choosing to go back to our home country for a year, because the schools are open there and the covid statistics looks a lot better than here.

They might not let you back in. Many countries are banningtravelers from US, Brazil, and China.

EU has banned Americans traveling from the US, not its own citizens repatriating from wherever they are at the moment. EU citizens can always come home. We will have to quarantine for 14 days, that's all.

[Anonymous]

Grade 11 - DL. It is a somewhat educated gamble. DD does better in person, but still, I have to consider the overall risks. For her as well as the family.

I don't believe there will be effective social distancing in school. Kids will be kids, they like to interact with each other. Hallways and bathrooms are worrisome points. How do kids keep the distance in the narrow hallways when they change classes, and running into their friends?

It will not be the same experience regardless which option we take.

[Anonymous]

DL - 4 days is better than 2. We'll supplement with additional work at home. The kids (7 and 10) are good with virtual learning when it is interactive.

We both work full-time and in terms of our ability to get work done, we think 4 half-days of school beats 3 days of no school at all every single week.

[Anonymous]

DL - Not worth the risk for reasons outlines below. Four(4) days are better than two(2) days. We also have concerned due to diabetic family member.
We were not happy with spring online learning, but it wasn't bad either (mainly due to awesome AAP teacher).
After hearing our school principal, seems AAP DL should be as good as in-school teaching. AAP teacher will be assigned to DL. Grading/assessment strategy is not yet defined but hopefully there will be something in place by the time school opens. Fall DL program will definitely better than spring experience .
Another concern is various sites/articles are suggesting (worldometer prediction) things could get worst for Virginia
Schools are not going to be same this year. There is no play time. Face mask is mandatory (how much of it will be enforced is anyone’s guess!). Desks will be facing forward and 3-6 feet apart.
No group work, limited opportunities for conversations with friends, no sharing materials, limited opportunities to move around the room. Lunch in the classroom and possibly limited recess. If someone is infected, whole class goes online.
If teacher is sick, then substitute teacher is required. Usually they never teach in class. This has happened to us in AAP lvl IV base school during normal time.
All this risk for 2 days a week (3-3.5 hrs/day study time) in-school experience.
So many countries (e.g. Israel) have reopened schools and closed again. I just can’t see how we will be different!!

[Anonymous]

What happens if life is back to normal by Jan 1st, 2021? Do DL students go back to school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your plan sounds like it will work out for you, assuming you don’t have misgivings about FCPS handling the whole virus thing... I figure my kid will have all of his afternoons after DL free to work on projects, or play, as the situation demands. Once he has virtual classmates we plan to reach out and schedule in-person meet ups too. Whatever the decision is that we make, we made it clear that the decision is ours as parents, not his. We take the blame for whatever happens! It definitely shouldn’t be on his shoulders, though we are taking his feelings about it all into account. This all sucks. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

We're sitting on our hands about completing that form to make the choice for fall, because we do have misgivings about FCPS handling of all of this. However, I trust her school. The principal is a good guy, and seems to have good instincts. For instance, on that Thursday before school closed in March, he told the entire school to take all their school stuff with them, although FCPS hadn't officially announced. I think that he will do the right thing. They're holding a chat next week, so parents can ask questions, and (hopefully) get some clarity on how it will all work in their school. I will pick up and drop off DD, so there will be no bus issues. If the kids essentially stay with same 10 kids in class (her class size was 20 last year), eat in class, and have specials teachers coming to them, the risk won't be that great.

Note that if you do not explicitly reply, they will mark your kid response as "in-person". However, you can always change when it comes down to it. I think it may be easier to say you will attendnow, then change to being remote than the other way around.

Good luck in your choice.

In person option is an year long commitment as well.

I thought if life is back to normal, DL is no longer an option. Everyone needs be back in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DL - Not worth the risk for reasons outlines below. Four(4) days are better than two(2) days. We also have concerned due to diabetic family member.
We were not happy with spring online learning, but it wasn't bad either (mainly due to awesome AAP teacher).
After hearing our school principal, seems AAP DL should be as good as in-school teaching. AAP teacher will be assigned to DL. Grading/assessment strategy is not yet defined but hopefully there will be something in place by the time school opens. Fall DL program will definitely better than spring experience .
Another concern is various sites/articles are suggesting (worldometer prediction) things could get worst for Virginia
Schools are not going to be same this year. There is no play time. Face mask is mandatory (how much of it will be enforced is anyone’s guess!). Desks will be facing forward and 3-6 feet apart.
No group work, limited opportunities for conversations with friends, no sharing materials, limited opportunities to move around the room. Lunch in the classroom and possibly limited recess. If someone is infected, whole class goes online.
If teacher is sick, then substitute teacher is required. Usually they never teach in class. This has happened to us in AAP lvl IV base school during normal time.
All this risk for 2 days a week (3-3.5 hrs/day study time) in-school experience.
So many countries (e.g. Israel) have reopened schools and closed again. I just can’t see how we will be different!!

+1 - pretty much our thought process in choosing DL for both our elementary and middle school kids. We went back and forth about it being an year long commitment, but couldn't take the risk at this time.

[Anonymous]

Doing hybrid to keep the option open depending on circumstances. If we want to do virtual in 2 months we'll just homeschool and do it ourselves.