Return to School

Safe | Steady | Ready

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Based on the latest guidelines from the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Education, FCPS brought back the first groups of students (Groups 1-4) for in-person instruction on February 16.

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is partnering with families to ensure we keep students and staff safe and healthy as we return to school buildings for learning. Daily reminders for familes include:

Daily In-Person Checklist

Complete the daily health screening

Make sure your child brings to school on days of in-person learning:

Mask(s) (Label with your child’s full name)
Water bottle (Label with your child’s full name)
School supplies (Label with your child’s full name)
Laptop, charger and headphones
Hand sanitizer (optional)
Disinfectant wipes (optional)
Tissues for personal use (optional)

In preparation for students’ return, schools have created staffing plans based on the number of students who selected in-person instruction earlier this school year. Students who have already selected to return to in-person instruction will be able to do so two days a week. Due to social distancing requirements, schools may not be able to accommodate additional students who wish to change their selection from virtual to in-person instruction.

For parents requesting changes from full-time virtual to in-person instruction, principals will do their best to accommodate the requests, however, it may not be possible to accommodate changes if classes are at capacity.

FCPS implemented a new bell schedule on February 16 due to social distancing requirements which limit capacity on school buses. The bell schedule change will apply to both in-person instruction as well as students who are participating in full-time virtual instruction.

Groups and Timelines for Returning to In-person Learning

Groups

FCPS has created “groups” to clarify which students will return to in-person instruction based on certain health and operational requirements being met. The chart below defines which group a student is assigned to based on their grade level and/or the specific courses, programs, or services they are accessing. If you have questions about which group your child is assigned to, please contact your child’s school.

In-Person Timeline

Student Groups	Student In-Person Start Dates
VHSL Activities and HS Co-Curriculars	Determined by school
Intervention Cohorts (ES, MS, HS, SLIFE/Newcomer)	Determined by school

Student Groups

Student In-Person Start Dates

VHSL Activities and HS Co-Curriculars

Determined by school

Intervention Cohorts (ES, MS, HS, SLIFE/Newcomer)

Determined by school

Student Groups	Student In-Person Start Dates
Group 1 - 4: Select Specialized Career Prep Classes Firefighting LPN Construction Student Auto Sales Cosmetology Youth Registered Apprenticeships Preschool Autism Preschool Class-based Students Elementary Comprehensive Service Sites (CSS) Adaptive Curriculum Programs: Enhanced Autism Class (EAC) Intellectual Disabilities (ID) Classes Intellectual Disabilities Severe (IDS) Classes Non-Categorical Elementary (NCE) accessing curriculum in a special education setting Key Center and Kilmer Center Burke School (Elementary)	February 16
Group 5: Early Head Start (infants and toddlers) PreK (three and four year olds) Kindergarten Intensive Support Needs (students instructed w/ modified curriculum for at least 50% of their core courses and instructed in special education settings 50% or more of their instructional day) Specialized Center-based Programs- Special Education: Vision Program at Robinson SS Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) Programs at Canterbury Woods ES, Frost MS and Woodson HS Students with 50% or more of core content areas in special education settings	February 23
Group 6: Grades 1-2	March 9
Group 7: Grades 3-6 Secondary Public Day Programs - Special Education: Burke Middle School Davis & Pulley Centers - all other students that have not previously returned to in-person instruction and Davis STEP	March 16
Group 8: Grade 8, 9, 12 Secondary Public Day Programs Cedar Lane and Quander Road Davis & Pulley Center students who age during the 2020-21 SY	March 2
Group 8: Grade 7, 10, 11 Poe MS, Glasgow MS, and Holmes MS students in Grades 6-7 Davis and Pulley Center students who age during the 2021-22 SY	March 9

Groups by Date

Groups 1 - 4 - Return Date February 16

Group	Description	Days Per Week
Group 1	Firefighting LPN Construction Student Auto Sales	1-2 sessions per week
Group 2	Preschool Autism Preschool Class-based students	4 full days per week
Group 2	Cosmetology Youth Registered Apprenticeships	1-2 session per week
Group 3	Key Center and Kilmer Center Adapted Curriculum: Enhanced Autism Classrooms (EAC) K-12 Intellectual Disabilities (ID), K-12 Intellectual Disabilities Severe (IDS) Noncategorical Elementary (NCE) students accessing curriculum in a special education setting Elementary Comprehensive Services Sites (E-CSS)	4 full days per week
Group 4	Burke School (Elementary)	4 full days per week

Group 5 - Return Date February 23

Group	Description	Days Per Week
Group 5	Early Head Start	4 full days per week
	PreK-K	2 full days per week
	Intensive Support Needs Students instructed with modified curriculum for at least 50% of their core courses and instructed in special education settings 50% or more of their instructional day Specialized Center-based Programs (special education) Vision Program @ Robinson Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) Programs at Canterbury Woods ES, Frost MS, and Woodson HS Students with 50% or more of core content areas in special education settings	4 full days per week

Group

Description

Days Per Week

Group 5

Early Head Start

4 full days per week

PreK-K

2 full days per week

Intensive Support Needs

Students instructed with modified curriculum for at least 50% of their core courses and instructed in special education settings 50% or more of their instructional day

Specialized Center-based Programs (special education)
- Vision Program @ Robinson
- Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) Programs at Canterbury Woods ES, Frost MS, and Woodson HS
- Students with 50% or more of core content areas in special education settings

4 full days per week

Group 6 - Return Date March 9 (Grades 1 - 2)

Grades 1 - 2 will attend 2 full days per week beginning March 9

Group 7 - Return Date March 16 (Grades 3 - 6 and Secondary Public Day Programs)

Group	Description	Days per week
Group 7	Grades 3-6	2 full days per week
Group 7	Secondary Public Day Programs (special education) Burke School (Middle School) Davis & Pulley Center - All other students that have not previously returned to in-person instruction and Davis STEP	2 full days per week

Group 8 - Return Date March 2 - (Grades 8, 9, 12 and Secondary Public Day Programs)

Group	Description	Days per Week
Group 8	Grades 8, 9, 12	2 full days per week
Group 8	Secondary Public Day Programs Cedar Lane and Quander Road Davis & Pulley Center students who age out during the 2020-21 SY	2 full days per week

Group 8 - Return Date March 9 - (Grades 7, 10, 11 and Poe, Glasgow, Holmes Grades 6-7 and Davis and Pulley Center)

Group	Description	Days per Week
Group 8	Grades 7,10, 11	2 full days per week
	Poe, Glasgow, and Holmes Grades 6-7 Davis & Pulley Center students who age out during the 2021-22 SY	2 full days per week

Concurrent Instruction

As additional grade levels return to school, we will employ concurrent instruction for in-person students, a model in which students receive 2 days of teacher-led instruction in the school building and 2 days of teacher-led instruction at home.

View the concurrent instruction model.

New Bell Schedules

Bus routes and bell schedules have been adjusted to allow for social distancing on busses. Schools will be sending bus transportation information to parents before the start of in-person learning. New schedules will begin on February 16.

See the updated bell schedules.

News for Parents

February 22 - This week's issue of Return to School News has a roundup of the first week of in-person instruction, as well as information on the FY 2022 budget, updated weather conditions, draft 2021-22 school year calendars, and a new podcast in Spanish and English.