Anonymous
Post 02/27/2021 08:14     Subject: How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:FCPS better get their act together by the fall and have kids back 5 days. This is beyond ridiculous.


Governor Northam has a bill at his desk (SB 1303) to require 5 days in-person except in cases of high in-building spread of COVID-19 (which shouldn't happen with masking and widespread vaccination) for fall. Encourage him to sign it. Then FCPS will have to literally break the law to offer less.


He has already indicated he will sign it. There will be 5 days in person (which includes the teachers in person, per the language of the bill) with some sort of virtual option for those students who choose it.


And that will be the downfall for FCPS. Pulling together a virtual that is fair and equal and makes everyone happy.


Maybe but plenty of people are not happy this year either. I think this year was the school year people who wanted in-person 5 days had to suck it up and deal. Next school year it will be the all virtual people who will have to suck it up and deal. It’s not pretty, but I think it is true. And reasonable. Is that compromise - no one 100% happy? “Everyone” will not be happy next year, just like this year.


unfortunately, FCPS will go down to the lowest group which will be DL. So they will plan a whole school year on making things safe for the small group that still wants DL.


This. If the top priority is the SB definition of equality then all planning will have to be done for the DL families first since they need the most accommodation.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2021 08:00     Subject: How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:FCPS better get their act together by the fall and have kids back 5 days. This is beyond ridiculous.


Governor Northam has a bill at his desk (SB 1303) to require 5 days in-person except in cases of high in-building spread of COVID-19 (which shouldn't happen with masking and widespread vaccination) for fall. Encourage him to sign it. Then FCPS will have to literally break the law to offer less.


He has already indicated he will sign it. There will be 5 days in person (which includes the teachers in person, per the language of the bill) with some sort of virtual option for those students who choose it.


And that will be the downfall for FCPS. Pulling together a virtual that is fair and equal and makes everyone happy.


Maybe but plenty of people are not happy this year either. I think this year was the school year people who wanted in-person 5 days had to suck it up and deal. Next school year it will be the all virtual people who will have to suck it up and deal. It’s not pretty, but I think it is true. And reasonable. Is that compromise - no one 100% happy? “Everyone” will not be happy next year, just like this year.


unfortunately, FCPS will go down to the lowest group which will be DL. So they will plan a whole school year on making things safe for the small group that still wants DL.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2021 01:21     Subject: How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:Juniors and seniors can get the Pfizer vaccine and need to be back in. K-3 are the lowest transmitters and worst hit by DL and need to be back in.

If FCPS is smart, they will commit to holding vaccine clinics this summer when supply loosens up and getting juniors and seniors vaccines and back 5 days a week, which starts to provide scheduling certainty. Then vaccinate 12-16 as a top priority, hopefully in early fall and put 7-10 back after vaccination.

K-3 goes back full time, and 4-6 follows after a month pause to course correct and make sure mitigation hold.

It’s pretty safe for K-6 if they cohort and 11-12 with the vaccine. But, it’s impossible to see secondary schools fully online until the 12-16 shot is approved.



This is a crazy proposal not backed in science.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2021 01:20     Subject: How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:Juniors and seniors can get the Pfizer vaccine and need to be back in. K-3 are the lowest transmitters and worst hit by DL and need to be back in.

If FCPS is smart, they will commit to holding vaccine clinics this summer when supply loosens up and getting juniors and seniors vaccines and back 5 days a week, which starts to provide scheduling certainty. Then vaccinate 12-16 as a top priority, hopefully in early fall and put 7-10 back after vaccination.

K-3 goes back full time, and 4-6 follows after a month pause to course correct and make sure mitigation hold.

It’s pretty safe for K-6 if they cohort and 11-12 with the vaccine. But, it’s impossible to see secondary schools fully online until the 12-16 shot is approved.



12 to 16s are not approved for the vaccine.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2021 01:19     Subject: Re:How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:There was a faculty meeting at one of the high schools this week. The principal told the teachers to prepare for concurrent teaching in the fall. This has not been announced at my school, and my principal is saying they don't know yet. Just wanted to put it out there for parents to know that there is discussion of concurrent as a possibility in the fall.
-hs teacher


They have to switch the stay at home kkds to virtual Virginia or put them in a district wide prlgram separats from their base school.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2021 01:17     Subject: Re:How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:My oldest is slated to go to LBSS in the fall. Do you think we will be able to have 4500 people together in September (estimate of students + plus teachers there)? I am ok with it but I just really not sure that school board will be?? Thoughts?


It is a huge campus with lots of space to spread out.

Lb is in a lot better shape space wise than some of the smaller high schools.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2021 01:08     Subject: How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:I really, really, really don’t want to deal with concurrent t yesterday (I teach 5th.)
My principal told me not to be hopeful though, there are too many families that won’t feel comfortable sending their kids back until a kid vaccine. I wish we could have the people opting out of in person in the fall sign up for K–12, or some other online option, but I’m doubtful that will happen.


Most of the parents who are keeping their kids home are not doing it over the vaccine.

They are doing it because they have given up on fcps.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2021 01:06     Subject: Re:How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:A lot of teachers are suffering too. I am so unhappy about this hybrid concurrent model. Couldn’t they have at least done “just concurrent?” I will only get to see each student who is in person once per week! Do you know how hard it is going to be to establish comfortable classroom routines and rhythms? I hate it!


As a parent I have been pushing hard for 3' distancing and 4 days in-person (like most of the world). CDC's new guidelines influenced by NEA and AFT did NOT help with that one.


I was hoping we could do the 4 day a week schedule starting mid march when we will all be vaccinated. Then, yes, use the three feet rule. This inconsistency in scheduling makes it really difficult to teach the kids anything!


As if they are learning anything distance learning.

Only 2 half ass days this past week for my middle and high schooler.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2021 01:02     Subject: How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:The next battle will be around the online option. Staffing and what courses to offer. There absolutely will be an online option as long as there isn’t a pediatric vaccine, and if the pediatric vaccine takes a very long time, there could be an online option indefinitely if people get used to it and like it. Virtual Virginia won’t be the online option because FCPS doesn’t get funding for those students and they don’t want to give up $$. If FCPS decides to do the DL classes at each school like they are now, get ready for another school year of concurrent, even hybrid concurrent. Because they don’t have the staffing to run two school systems. If they can create a county-wide online campus, that could work and we could be free of the “going to school to watch teacher on a computer” nonsense, BUT they may be reluctant to do that because the online kids liked wouldn’t get the same course offerings as the in person kids.

The fact that they won’t relax the 6 feet rule is also a problem that could lead to hybrid next school year as well. Seems like they want no Covid at all before they relax the distancing requirements.


Online should be virtial Virginia, period.
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2021 23:41     Subject: How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:First off he has to sign it and a lot can change before he does.

I suspect the best way to handle it if it passes is 5 days concurrent. That way if when classes quarantine due to Covid cases, the show can go on remotely.DL families can't complain too much because they are getting the same live teaching..from home.


Exactly no one wants concurrent except DL w/ FOMO. Not the vast majority of kids who plan to return. Not teachers. DL to a central campus for basic education only. Not AAP dual immersion Finnish. Not AP Farsi. It’s already in place for HS. Kids just take 1-2 classes with schedule conflicts. Look at the classes offered and make a decision. School based classes transition to full distance if quarantined. Under the new guidelines, exposed vaccinated people don’t have to quarantine, which will be teachers, upper Hs by fall and hopefully kids 12+ sometime during the fall.

Everyone else got sucked down the DL rabbit hole this year. In 2021-2022, we focus on classrooms and kids in person, remediating. If that doesn’t work for your kid, oh well. The rest of us know how that feels.
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2021 23:08     Subject: How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
First off he has to sign it and a lot can change before he does.

I suspect the best way to handle it if it passes is 5 days concurrent. That way if when classes quarantine due to Covid cases, the show can go on remotely.DL families can't complain too much because they are getting the same live teaching..from home.
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2021 22:47     Subject: How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I didn't see that SB1303 requires 5 days. It just says they must offer both in person and virtual.


You didn’t read it then. It says in person “for at least the minimum number of instructional hours.” Which is all the hours FCPS currently counts, plus time in hallways and boarding buses.


Can you link? I just saw summaries.


OMG. Read the thread. Someone literally pasted the text in and highlighted it.
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2021 22:47     Subject: How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I didn't see that SB1303 requires 5 days. It just says they must offer both in person and virtual.


You didn’t read it then. It says in person “for at least the minimum number of instructional hours.” Which is all the hours FCPS currently counts, plus time in hallways and boarding buses.


And “for the entirety of the instructional time”.

Turns out teachers were right. Open FCPs couldn’t force the union bought school board to do anything. So, we went over their heads to Chap Peterson. Added bonus for all the red counties that get to stick it to NOVA. If that’s what it take so be it.

You can thank Kim Adams. This would not have been possible without her help.
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2021 22:45     Subject: How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I didn't see that SB1303 requires 5 days. It just says they must offer both in person and virtual.


You didn’t read it then. It says in person “for at least the minimum number of instructional hours.” Which is all the hours FCPS currently counts, plus time in hallways and boarding buses.


Can you link? I just saw summaries.
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2021 22:43     Subject: How do you think the fall will be in fcps?
Anonymous wrote:I didn't see that SB1303 requires 5 days. It just says they must offer both in person and virtual.


You didn’t read it then. It says in person “for at least the minimum number of instructional hours.” Which is all the hours FCPS currently counts, plus time in hallways and boarding buses.