So, will APSVA be 5 days a week in the fall or not?

[Anonymous]

Duran made a statement in March that we'd be 5 days a week, as I recall, but I'm having a hard time believing it will actually happen. Am I jaded or do I have my finger on the pulse of the politics?

[Anonymous]

Yes

[Anonymous]

It's too early to know. Think about what we thought/knew last April about the fall. So much (in a positive sense) can happen over the next few months with regard to vaccines, cases, etc.

[Anonymous]

You are jaded. Kids will be back.

[Anonymous]

According to my principal we will.

[Anonymous]

My take is there will be 5 days per week school but it won't look like pre-pandemic. Expect kids to be masked. If distancing measures are still required in classrooms, for lunch or both, schools may have to be creative in figuring out space in order to accommodate all those who want to be back.

There will also still be a virtual option. What remains to be decided is whether it will be at the county level or if each school will have students who are virtual/concurrent. I vote for the former, for ES and MS except that families who stay virtual will object to essentially being transferred from their homeschool to an online APS school, especially at the elementary level.

Things may look even more different by next spring if by then vaccines have become available even to elementary schoolers. Of course, if something horrible happens and for some unforeseen reason a variant doesn't respond to the vaccines and runs rampant, all bets are off but I personally don't see that as likely.

[Anonymous]

NOPE.. Unless CDC removes all restrictions and Arlington is in the lowest risk for covid, I don't see the kids being back 5 days. Duran can't figure out how to get more days now, how do you think he'll figure it out in the fall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NOPE.. Unless CDC removes all restrictions and Arlington is in the lowest risk for covid, I don't see the kids being back 5 days. Duran can't figure out how to get more days now, how do you think he'll figure it out in the fall?

I expect numbers to be low in the fall given the current push & high demand for vaccinations. My DH and I still can't find appointments, but surely will by late summer. As will be the case for the vast majority of adults. Numbers are going to continue to drop.

Restrictions may loosen as numbers drop as well. Or maybe APS can come up with better options for outdoor lunch or increased ventilation in cafeterias to reduce distancing.

[Anonymous]

They have pretty much decided the virtual program will be a county program. They posted the position for the lead administrator this weekend. Schools can't possibly have concurrent teaching going on next year so a few kids can be virtual. They will allow the students to return to in person (or go virtual), but we are pushing for it to occur at the end of each semester, and will have the teachers at their home school.

[Anonymous]

Yes

[Anonymous]

I'm very concerned for my elementary student that she'll be back 5 days, but that she'll still be being taught by iPad with a combo of prerecorded and DL instruction in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm very concerned for my elementary student that she'll be back 5 days, but that she'll still be being taught by iPad with a combo of prerecorded and DL instruction in the classroom.

If it is a county wide virtual program, there will be a teacher dedicated to that, so I don't know why you think there is pre-recorded information. If you don't like that, choose in person. We aren't going to create 28 different programs to make every single parent happy.

[Anonymous]

I think elementary school will be the big “if”. Most secondary students will have been vaccinated or in the process by the fall - Pfizer has already put in the papers with the FDA for 12-15. If it gets formally approved by the FDA before then, the schools could then mandate it for 16+. That will make it dicey for some sixth graders, but the rest of MS and HS should be good. The little ones won’t be vaccinated, so they may not relax standards for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm very concerned for my elementary student that she'll be back 5 days, but that she'll still be being taught by iPad with a combo of prerecorded and DL instruction in the classroom.

If it is a county wide virtual program, there will be a teacher dedicated to that, so I don't know why you think there is pre-recorded information. If you don't like that, choose in person. We aren't going to create 28 different programs to make every single parent happy.

My concerns have nothing to do with the county virtual program. I'm concerned that in person students will still be taught virtually because of teacher preference. If elementary students aren't vaccinated teachers math still refuse to return to return to the classroom, as is occurring currently at my elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm very concerned for my elementary student that she'll be back 5 days, but that she'll still be being taught by iPad with a combo of prerecorded and DL instruction in the classroom.

If it is a county wide virtual program, there will be a teacher dedicated to that, so I don't know why you think there is pre-recorded information. If you don't like that, choose in person. We aren't going to create 28 different programs to make every single parent happy.

My concerns have nothing to do with the county virtual program. I'm concerned that in person students will still be taught virtually because of teacher preference. If elementary students aren't vaccinated teachers math still refuse to return to return to the classroom, as is occurring currently at my elementary school.

math = may. Stupid autocorrect.