Message about Masking and Other COVID Updates from Dr. Gurley and the School Board, 1/17/22

Dear staff and families –

As you may have heard, a few days ago, Governor Youngkin issued an executive order relating to masks in schools. Today we affirm that we will continue to require all students, staff, and visitors to wear masks on school grounds, school buses, and at bus stops. In doing so, we are following Virginia Senate Bill 1303, which requires schools to follow the mitigation recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “to the maximum extent practicable.” In addition, we are also following the federal requirement for masking on buses. There is no change to our current practice.

Especially at this moment during the omicron-variant surge, we reaffirm our commitment to masking and other mitigation strategies. Following the recommendations of the CDC and the Virginia Department of Health has allowed us to keep in-school transmission to a minimum. We especially appreciate the Blue Ridge Health District for their near-daily guidance.

Other COVID-related items of note:

• This week, the CDC upgraded its mask guidance, noting that cloth masks are not as protective as N95s, KN95, or double-masking with a disposable and cloth mask. Still, their guidance calls for the “most protective mask … that fits well and that you will wear consistently.” A nosepiece and a close fit along the cheeks are recommended. As always, we have masks available for those who need them.
• Registration for free, in-school COVID testing is ongoing. Families can choose the frequency of testing. Learn more and sign up here:  http://charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing
• Optional in-school vaccine clinics are being scheduled now in partnership with BRHD. We will keep you posted.
• When school reopens following yesterday’s storm, please screen your child carefully for symptoms (and if unvaccinated, for exposures) before leaving home.

All of these measures – and more – are in keeping with the CDC’s guidance for schools. We are committed to the safety and education of our students and staff. Thanks to our students, families, staff, and community members for their support of our efforts to promote learning and safety. Best wishes for a meaningful Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Dr. Royal A. Gurley, Jr.  and Ms. Lisa Larson-Torres
Superintendent and School Board Chair

Click here to read. Updates have been made to protocols and this page.

Click here to read.

Dear staff and families–

We are looking forward to welcoming students and staff back to school. After reviewing current road conditions and the forecast, we expect to start school on time tomorrow. As always, please have a plan for any unexpected delays or closures announced in the morning by 5:30am. As a reminder, bus-riders will have new schedules tomorrow (see below).

I wanted to check in with a few updates and COVID safety reminders:

When Should Your Child Stay Home?

• If your students have any COVID symptoms, they should stay home until seen by a healthcare provider. A negative PCR test or a note from the healthcare provider is required for the student to return to school.
• If your children are not fully vaccinated, they should also stay home if exposed or if anyone in your household is showing possible COVID symptoms.
• We are maintaining the 14-day period for exposure and the 10-day period for diagnosis.
• Questions? Refer to our COVID situations guide or call your school.
• If in doubt, sit it out!

Level Up your Masking Game!
The latest guidance says that high-quality masking over the mouth and nose is important.

• For some people, that might mean wearing one KN95 (no valves)
• For others, that might mean double-masking with a paper mask and a cloth mask
• Others may wear a multiple-layered cloth mask
• There is no need to wear 2 paper masks
• A nose piece to ensure a tight fit is recommended
• As always, we will have masks at school for those who need them
• Click here for more CDC masking guidance

Say Yes to the Test!
Remember that you can sign your child up for free PCR COVID-testing at school. You choose how often (weekly, every other week, and monthly). Learn more and sign up here.

Updates on In-Person School/Classroom Indicators

• Staffing: at this time, all schools have adequate staffing in place.
• School COVID levels/spread: On our COVID dashboard, you will see a spike in the week ending 1/7, after we reminded families and staff to report cases over winter break. (Cases are shown on the date reported, not the date diagnosed.) Keep in mind that when we and the Blue Ridge Health District evaluate this indicator, the most crucial factor is not whether staff and students report COVID cases, but whether COVID is spreading at school.
• Absence rates: We will be following this information as we return to school.

Reminder: New Bus Routes Start Tomorrow
If you’ve been notified that you have a bus spot, you can find your bus information in your previous messages (a reminder was sent on Wednesday). With new routes, some new drivers, and winter roads, please expect some delays. Thanks in advance for your patience, especially for those of you who are still on the waiting list.

Make-up Days for Last Week’s Snowdays?
We will not need to make up the four snowdays from last week. We have banked hours that will cover these days.

Virginia School Principals Appreciation Week
Finally, I want to ask you to join me in celebrating our principals this week. They continue to show leadership in unprecedented ways – tracing COVID exposures, running COVID testing programs, creating virtual learning plans, and so much more. All the while, they continue to offer instructional leadership, manage large teams, attend to student needs, and so much more. Consider a note of encouragement to your principal this week, either via email or on one of our upcoming social media posts.

A Final Word
I appreciate each of you, your commitment to our schools, and your commitment to one another’s physical and emotional wellbeing. As we ask you to recommit to efforts such as vaccination (and boosters), masking, staying home when needed, and more, know that school leaders are doing our part to maintain excellent ventilation, continue best practices, and monitor our school indicators. We are committed to the safety and learning of our students and staff.

Let’s make it a great Monday!

Dr. Royal A. Gurley, Jr.

Dear CCS Staff and Families,

I first want to begin with saying, “We will not cut any corners to risk the health and safety of our students and staff.”  To that end, I am writing to inform you of the indicators we are monitoring as a school system to inform our decision-making related to whether an individual school continues in-person instruction or pivots to virtual instruction.

Data Points for Monitoring:

• Staff Capacity: Currently, we monitor daily the number of staff members available in each building. Each building requires a minimum number of teachers and support staff to efficiently and effectively run the building. If the staffing drops to an inoperable level over a consecutive period at a school, the school division will re-evaluate the correct path forward. We will also specifically monitor staffing in critical areas such as instruction, nutrition, and transportation. 
• Active Covid Cases by Schools: Located on our district webpage we track the number of cases for remote and in-person instruction. The Blue Ridge Health District will make the recommendation for reverting a class or school to online learning. They emphasize that every situation is different.
• Overall Student Attendance Rates: CCS will closely monitor the attendance rate of students (including those who are out due to a COVID diagnosis or exposure). If we reach the point where the absentee rate becomes disruptive to student learning and school operations, we would consider a temporary reversion to virtual instruction.

Throughout this school year, our community transmission rate has been in the substantial or high range. Even so, we have successfully kept students, staff, and families safe due to the layered mitigation effort. Almost all cases reported by staff or students have been unrelated to school or school programs. 

The Code of Virginia requires each school board to offer in-person instruction to each student enrolled in the local school division. Should the integrity of our system be compromised because we are seeing cases spread at school, if we are unable to staff our classes, or instruction is disrupted by student absenteeism, we are fully prepared to temporarily pivot a school to a virtual model to support our staff and families.

Dear Charlottesville Schools staff and families–

We hope you’ve had a good winter break. We are looking forward to welcoming students back to our schools on Tuesday, January 4. We know you have concerns regarding the rise in COVID cases and how it impacts school safety, so I’m writing now with an update about safety measures (including testing) and transportation. We are aware of new guidance from the CDC, but we will maintain our existing protocols until the Virginia Department of Health (VHD) or the Blue Ridge Health District (BRHD) recommends changes to our mitigation strategies or daily operations. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs.

For our bus-riders, the City has told us to expect some disruption for our school bus routes for next week and in the future. We will work with the City to notify families of any bus cancellations or modifications as early as possible.

Please read on for more information about safety, testing, Tuesday’s BRHD town hall to answer COVID questions, and more.

As we move forward, please know that while the case levels are troubling, we are working to keep our schools safe. We know that vaccination reduces our risks, especially of severe illness and hospitalization. We know that very few children in our area have been hospitalized for COVID (we wish the number were zero). So far this year, almost all of our school COVID cases were transmitted in the community – outside of school or school programs. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely.

Dr. Royal A. Gurley
Superintendent

More Details: Updates for January 2022

Safety and Mitigation Measures

We had a successful fall by following VDH guidance, and we will continue to do so. These safety measures include encouraging vaccination & boosters, requiring universal masking in schools/buses, promoting hand-washing, and requiring daily health screening and staying home when sick. (Need a new copy of our daily health screener?) We also offer free school-based proactive and diagnostic testing – see more, below. Our safety plan also limits gatherings and events, and we’ll continue outside lunch, weather permitting. 

• Maintain Current Quarantine/Isolation Practices: As we return to school on January 4, per VDH guidance, we plan to maintain our current practices. This includes maintaining a 10-day isolation for diagnosed staff and students, and a 14-day quarantine for unvaccinated people unless they participate in our test-to-stay pilot (see below). If BRHD or VDH advises us to change, we will let you know the new practices.
• Reporting Cases and Exposures: Please continue to report COVID diagnoses and exposures, even though we are on break. You can email your principal or supervisor. This will help us prepare for a smooth opening.

Testing Programs

Since November, we have offered a variety of free school-based testing programs for students and staff. These programs resume next week (with a slightly different schedule for one week only), and we encourage everyone to sign up.

• FREE COVID Testing Program Resumes Jan. 4: This free, COVID screening program is offered weekly for both staff and students. Registration is ongoing: learn more and sign up here. We’ll add new registrants as soon as possible. (To give our vendor the best chance to include your student this week, please sign up by Sunday evening.) As a reminder, this proactive testing program is opt-in per Virginia guidelines.
  • Different Testing Schedule for the Week of January 4: During this week, the “Friday” schools (Burnley-Moran, Venable, and Walker) will be tested on Tuesday, January 4. The other schools will follow their usual Wednesday/Thursday schedules. 
• Diagnostic, Symptomatic Testing – Our partnership with the state also allows us to do diagnostic testing for students/staff who develop symptoms while at school. Again, you can learn more or sign up for either screening or diagnostic testing here.
• Test to Stay Pilot Coming Soon –  CCS has been working with UVA Health and the Blue Ridge Health District to develop a pilot program for Test to Stay, a protocol to safely limit absences following exposure. We will share more information at our January 6 School Board Meeting, with a goal of starting mid-January. In the meanwhile, please follow current protocols for exposure (vaccinated people do not need to quarantine; unvaccinated people quarantine for 14 days from last exposure).
• Community Testing Options: BRHD plans to expand area testing events to meet increased demand. Learn more about testing events here.

Transportation

At the beginning of winter break, we distributed new, expanded bus route information to include more students. While we are excited that the City has been able to add more routes, at the same time, they are reporting that a number of their drivers are currently sick. We know that such issues will continue to arise. We will work with the City to notify families of any bus cancellations or modifications as early as possible. Thanks in advance for your patience.

Town Hall on COVID Questions

The Blue Ridge Health District is hosting a virtual community town hall meeting to answer questions about COVID on Tuesday, January 4 at 7pm. Look for a link on the BRHD Facebook page or watch on Channel 10.

In-Person Instruction

Per state law and following the consensus of local health experts, we will continue offering in-person learning five days a week. As a reminder, we will work closely with the BRHD on any decision to temporarily revert to online instruction for a classroom (or school, if needed). Keep students home if they are sick (or if they’re unvaccinated, keep them home if anyone in the household might have COVID)!  Let’s all do our part to keep our schools safe! 

See COVID Dashboard Spreadsheet 20-21

Data Points for Monitoring Schools/Classrooms:

• Staff Capacity: Currently, we monitor daily the number of staff members available in each building. Each building requires a minimum number of teachers and support staff to efficiently and effectively run the building. If the staffing drops to an inoperable level over a consecutive period at a school, the school division will re-evaluate the correct path forward. We will also specifically monitor staffing in critical areas such as instruction, nutrition, and transportation. 
• Active Covid Cases by Schools: Located on our district webpage we track the number of cases for remote and in-person instruction. The Blue Ridge Health District will make the recommendation for reverting a class or school to online learning. They emphasize that every situation is different.
• Overall Student Attendance Rates: CCS will closely monitor the attendance rate of students (including those who are out due to a COVID diagnosis or exposure). If we reach the point where the absentee rate becomes disruptive to student learning and school operations, we would consider a temporary reversion to virtual instruction.

Core Mitigation Measures to Support School Openings (CDC)

1. Promoting Vaccination: We encourage vaccination of all school community members age 12+ and held school-based clinics in the spring. Students can also be vaccinated at the Back-to-School Bash on August 21. The School Board has voted to require staff to be vaccinated, or in cases such as health exemptions, be tested weekly.
2. Masks and Face Coverings:  Per our masks/face coverings policy, all students, staff, and visitors are required to wear masks covering the mouth and nose inside school buildings and on school buses/at bus stops. For details and exceptions (such as when eating or if there is a medical or other accommodation), please see the policy.  Individuals will be asked to supply their own masks, but disposable masks will be available if an individual has forgotten to bring one. Face shields are also available for students and staff, but they are not a replacement for masks.
3. Social Distancing to the extent possible (3 feet where possible):  Signage and floor markers will reinforce the furniture placement to encourage 3-foot separation.  Floor decals in halls and markings on sidewalks will show direction and reinforce  spacing.  Signage also communicates one-way directions in stairwells or hallways as needed.
4. Screening Testing: We are  participating in a state program for regular COVID testing throughout this school year as an additional strategy to promote safety.  As part of the same state program, we are hoping to offer rapid diagnostic testing for individuals as needed. To sign up or learn more information, click here.
5. Ventilation: The City is following ASHRAE recommendations to use the highest MERV-rated filters possible for all equipment, coupled with increasing ventilation.  All systems are set for maximum outdoor air at normal occupancy levels.  Any space that cannot use a MERV 13 or 14 filter will be equipped with a portable air cleaner. As weather permits, we will keep windows open. Going above and beyond standard mitigation for K-12 and universities, the City engaged an engineer from Tri-Dim to consult on the best course of action for each building/space and installed UV-C lights and/or bipolar ionization equipment  according to recommendations.
6. Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette:  Students and staff will use hand sanitizer upon arrival. Hand sanitizer is available in all classrooms, on all buses, and at all student building entrances, and some classrooms have sinks for handwashing. Schools will teach and  reinforce good hygiene practices such as handwashing,  covering coughs and sneezes, and refraining from touching surfaces when possible.  
7. Staying home when sick and getting tested: Staff and students will be asked to screen at home daily for COVID-19 symptoms and risk factors such as close contacts showing symptoms. Students will be asked to stay home and contact a healthcare professional if they are symptomatic or if they know of an exposure to COVID-19. Note: fully vaccinated students/staff (for age 18+, this means “boosted if eligible” as of 1/25) who are symptom-free may attend school when close contacts either show symptoms or have suspected/confirmed COVID-19. See guidance in the health section, below.
   CSS Student Home Screening Tool (revised July 28, 2021)
8. Contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine:  To help us work with the health department for contact tracing, we will implement several measures. Student movement in school buildings and buses will be minimized and monitored, and seating will be assigned. We will fully support contact tracing and subsequently enforce recommendations for quarantine or isolation. The agreement for in-person instruction (signed with registration or re-registration forms) gives permission for Blue Ridge Health Department and Charlottesville City Schools to share contract-tracing information related to exposure or diagnosis of school community members.
9. Cleaning and disinfection: All CCS cleaning products are on the EPA list of disinfectants for COVID-19. Custodians have been equipped and trained with foggers and electrostatic sprayers to support more rapid and effective disinfection of surfaces and entire spaces. Classrooms are equipped with spray bottles with the all-purpose disinfectant cleaner and microfiber cloths to readily address high-touch services such as desktops and door knobs.  A daily cleaning form is used by the custodial staff working with the building administrators, and a color-coded  system indicates whether rooms are: in use or not yet cleaned (red),  ready for use following standard cleaning procedures (yellow), or ready for use following extra cleaning measures (green). 

Other CDC-Recommended Strategies in Place

1. Adequate supplies:  As stated elsewhere, we will supply hand sanitizer, face masks (for those who arrive without them), face shields, disposable gloves, COVID-approved cleaning supplies, and more. Staff such as nurses in need of other PPE will be supplied those items.
2. Shared objects:  As possible, we will minimize use of shared items or will create a plan for cleaning and disinfection (of touch screens, key boards, door knobs, etc).
3. Visitors/Volunteers:  We are limiting volunteer programs and non-essential visitors. Signage reminds visitors to check to see if their business can be conducted by phone,  computer, or outside meeting.  If the principal approves a volunteer or visitor, individuals need to wear a mask, screen for symptoms, and use hand sanitizer.
4. Water systems:  The City has been flushing water regularly to make sure that school water supplies remain safe.
5. Physical barriers and guides: The division has ordered and installed plexi-glass barriers for areas such as reception desks and to support safe 1:1 interactions in classrooms or with specialists. Schools can acquire additional barriers according to their specific needs.
6. Communal spaces: Most or all students will have lunch in classrooms. We will use playgrounds, but we will stagger use and schedule hand-washing before and after recess.
7. Food service:  For most or all students in our schools, we will serve meals in classrooms. Classes are encouraged to eat outside as much as possible, and we have developed safety routines for when this is not possible. Students are still welcome to bring packed meals, but no microwave will be available. All students will wash hands or use hand sanitizer before and after eating. Other safety features include a meal pre-ordering system and a touchless system using ID cards for payment. We will  provide additional wheeled waste cans  in the hallways so food waste will not remain in the classrooms. For virtual or quarantined students, families can arrange pick-up at the school closest to them. Find complete meal information here.

Other Strategies:

• Training:  Staff and students will need to be trained on appropriate procedures and mitigation strategies. We will use training videos prior to returning to in-person instruction. Custodial staff received special training. Additional training was also required for nursing staff as well as SPED staff who work with students to assist with medical or personal care.
• Protocols:  We have assembled policies and protocols to guide our return to in-person instruction. All protocols are subject to change based on public health expertise and emerging best practices.
• Outdoor Spaces: We hope to use our outdoor spaces as much as possible, particularly for classes such as gym or choir.  Classes may also go outside for lunch or suitable instruction/class meetings.

Arrival/Daily Schedule:

When students arrive at the bus or the school, they may have their temperature screened and will hand sanitize. They can pick up a grab-and-go breakfast if they wish (breakfast and lunch are free this school year). Then students will go directly to their assigned spot in their classroom. Elementary students will largely stay in their “home” classroom, but we use outdoor spaces as much as possible, particularly for gym and recess. Generally speaking, students will eat lunch in their classrooms. At Buford and CHS, students will follow their schedules to move from class to class following signage and other procedures to encourage social distancing. School hours may be adjusted to allow for the additional cleaning time required for buses between runs.

Note: please make a plan for if your student arrives at the bus or school with a fever or COVID symptoms. See  the transportation FAQ (below) for details.

Athletics and Extra-Curricular Activities:

Clubs and athletic activities may resume:

• CHS will follow Virginia High School League (VHSL) guidelines for sports and activities. For further updates, visit gocville.org.
• All other clubs and extracurricular activities will need to follow CCS guidelines and gain building-level approval to be sure that activities are in compliance.

Restroom Use:

High-risk touch points in restrooms (faucet knobs, flush handles, partition locks, ADA railings) will be disinfected at least mid-morning and mid-afternoon, and restrooms will be cleaned nightly. Schools will stagger bathroom breaks to minimize close contact with students from another cohort.  Handwashing is the key to safe bathroom use. Mirror clings in all restrooms will reinforce the importance and basics of proper handwashing. Schools will develop site plans for safe restroom use.

Calendar:

You can find the academic calendar for 2021-22 here. Click “other formats” for a one-page printout.

Furniture:

To the greatest degree possible, individual desks will be used and will be separated by 3′. Furniture will be arranged so that students face in the same direction.

Gym/Recess:

As much as possible, PE and recess will take place outside. We are requiring masks for staff outdoors and encouraging masks outdoors for all students at this time, with the understanding that outdoors is the best time for mask breaks when students and staff are 6ft apart or more.  (Procedures for extracurricular activities are program specific).

Students should wash hands before and after recess or gym. Outdoor playground equipment can be shared within a class, but again, since it will not be disinfected, hand-washing is important. Multiple cohorts can be outside at the same time as long as they are distanced from one another.  Any shared equipment such as balls should be disinfected between classes.

Hours:

• Elementaries (including PreK): 8am-2:30pm
• Buford/Walker: 8:30am-3:15pm
• CHS: 9:05am-3:50pm
• LMA: 9:15am-3:05pm

Early dismissal hours are:

• Elementaries: 12noon
• Buford/Walker: 12:45pm
• CHS: 1:40pm
• LMA: 11:30am

Meals:

We are offering free breakfast/lunch for all students this school year. For most students in our schools, we will serve meals in classrooms. Classes are encouraged to eat outside as much as possible. When this is not possible, we have developed the safety routines including:

• Minimizing talking while masks are off for eating (“mask off = voice off”)
• Assigning seating cohorts during meals, avoiding having students face each other
• Maintaining spacing of 3-6 feet.
• Opening windows during mealtime

Students can still bring packed meals from home, but no microwave will be available. All students will wash hands or use hand sanitizer before and after eating. Other safety features include a meal pre-ordering system and a touchless system using ID cards for payment. We will  provide additional wheeled waste cans  in the hallways so food waste will not remain in the classrooms. See more information about meals, below.

For virtual or quarantined students, families can complete a Google form to arrange next-day pick-up at the school closest to them.

Safety Drills:

Schools are still following the schedule for state-required safety drills. We will adapt these processes to accommodate social distancing.

Shared Items/Spaces:

We will limit shared items as much as possible. If shared, items should be disinfected between use when possible. Group work can still happen — students will just need to follow social distancing guidelines. Schools and teachers will use lots of visual cues and reminders. Areas where students will need to share a space or equipment will create a space-specific cleaning plan.

Transportation Info:

See next section for information about transportation.

Volunteers/Visitors:

We are limiting volunteer programs and non-essential visitors. Signage reminds visitors to check to see if their business can be conducted by phone,  computer, or outside meeting.  If the principal approves a volunteer or visitor, individuals need to wear a mask, screen for symptoms, and use hand sanitizer.

Water Fountains:

Students are encouraged to bring water bottles since water fountains will not be open. Bottle-filling stations are available.

How much space will there be on school buses?

Due to severe driver shortages complicated by the pandemic, the City of Charlottesville has fewer school bus drivers than needed, and the schools will have very limited school bus space.  Current estimates show that we will be able to serve a maximum of 200 riders per day for elementaries (combined), 200 for Buford/Walker (combined), and 200 for CHS. (During 2019-20, 2,600 students rode the bus to and from school. This year, we may have a maximum of 600 per day.)

How else can my kid get to school?

To assist families who do not receive bus transportation, the City’s Safe Routes to School program is helping to organize additional supports such as volunteers guiding groups of walkers or bike-riders to school. They have developed new maps to help (see yours below)! Learn more about Safe Routes to Schools and ways you can help! Your PTO might have a sign-up genius or another way to connect families. Or partner with friends, neighbors, and classmates to make alternative plans. Learn more about biking/walking to Cville Schools.

Any changes for car-riders?

There will be more cars in the drop-off and pick-up zones, so we have established alternate locations such as nearby parking lots where we can set up additional sites for car-riders. Stay tuned for  information from your school.  Important note: please stay in the car drop-off lane until your children have cleared any temperature checks or other screenings.

How will I know if my child can ride the bus?

If you requested bus service, your school will let you know if you are assigned a spot or if you are on a wait list. If you are unsure of your child’s status, please do not go to a bus stop. Instead, please help us by finding an alternative way for your child to get to and from school.  Thank you for your patience, and if you know of potential drivers who can help us, please send them to the City’s website!

Note: for children in 1st grade and younger, a responsible adult must accompany the student to and from the bus stop.

How will you select which students to put on the bus initially and which to put on the waitlist?

In the spring, priorities for ridership were determined among students who indicated that they could not get to school unless they had school bus transportation who:

• Have qualifying special needs (IEP’s)
• Are Pre-K students (transportation cannot be a barrier under state guidelines)
• Need Tier 3 supports (this might include English language learners, etc.)
• Siblings of priority students ride can ride as the 2nd child on a  seat

The City’s Pupil Transportation department  is actively trying to identify drivers and solutions. Thank you for your patience.

How will we keep buses safe?

Buses will be cleaned between runs. Families will screen students for symptoms at home, and prior to boarding the bus, students will wear masks and use hand sanitizer. Students may get a  temperature check or screening. For those students who get a bus assignment, we ask them to sit in their assigned seat. Siblings can sit together.

What if my child can’t ride the bus due to a fever/symptoms?

For children in 1st grade and younger, a responsible adult must be at the stop each morning. For older students, we will call families to let them know if their child was unable to board the bus or the student will ride the bus and go directly to the school’s isolation room for prompt pick-up. Please make a plan in case your child gets sent home from the bus or school due to a fever or other COVID symptoms. We will make every effort to contact families in this situation. If one child in a family shows a fever or other COVID symptoms, we will ask for all unvaccinated students in the family to return home and seek guidance from a healthcare provider.

What if my walker or bike-rider arrives at school with a fever or symptoms?

The student will be sent to the school’s isolation room, and the parents/guardians will be notified to promptly arrange for the student (and unvaccinated siblings) to return home.

Why do you have so little space on the buses and why can’t the City just hire more bus drivers?

1. There was a national shortage of school bus drivers even before the pandemic.
2. Many of our drivers are retirees who are at greater risk due to COVID-19; some have decided to step down for their personal safety.
3. The process of getting trained and ready to work as a school bus driver takes a while.
4. We are limiting students to 2 per seat.
5. Want to join our team of bus driver or recommend a friend? Visit the City’s employment site.

• Buford: image | PDF
• Burnley-Moran: image | PDF
• Clark: image | PDF
• Greenbrier: image | PDF
• Jackson-Via: image | PDF
• Johnson: image | PDF
• Venable: image | PDF
• Walker: image | PDF

Eager to see a safe and smooth school opening? Here’s how you can help:

1. Continue to build your family’s good habits — social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand-washing. If you or your age 12+ students haven’t been vaccinated, talk to your healthcare provider for guidance.  Do your part to reduce our COVID-19 numbers.
2. Get flu shots for your family.
3. Download the state’s COVIDWISE app. This app does not collect personal data, but it does help with contact tracing.
4. Stay up-to-date with Charlottesville City Schools. Complete your child’s re-registration forms in PowerSchool. Still not getting phone calls and/or emails? Want to get texts? Please check with your school office.
5. If your child will be learning in person, make a plan for these situations now:
   1. Transportation to and from school. There will be VERY LIMITED bus space.
   2. Sick days: If your child is sick, please help our community and keep all the unvaccinated students in your household home. Check with your doctor or school nurse for advice.
   3. Unexpected fever or symptoms at the bus or school: We may screen for fevers or signs of illness before children enter the bus or school. Please make a plan now for if your child is not allowed to board the bus or needs to go home from school.
   4. Isolation: If your unvaccinated child is exposed to someone with COVID-19 symptoms at any point (whether at school, when out, or at home), the unvaccinated students in your household will need to isolate for fourteen days or as directed by a healthcare provider.

Kids will be walking and biking. Want to learn more or find a way to help?

The City’s Safe Routes to School program has created maps and is helping to organize supports to help students safely walk or bike (or scoot or skip) to school. Interested in learning more or helping? Let them know!