March 5 Update from Dr. Atkins

This is just a word to say how excited we are to begin the process of bringing students back to school in person on Monday. If you have questions about this process, I hope you will reach out to your teachers or schools or visit our website.

As a reminder, on Monday, we’ll welcome back PreK-grade 6 students who have chosen in-person instruction. In grades 7-12, we will initially bring back invited students who have already been contacted to arrange morning supports.

Per a Board vote last night, we will revisit our hybrid model at Buford and CHS and will craft a plan for families to choose whether their child will return in person beginning on April 12. Buford and CHS will follow up with families with details about their revised plans and an intent form.

We know that our Board has faced difficult decisions under rapidly evolving circumstances and changing perspectives from students, families, and staff. We and the Board are committed to listening to all voices and working together to meet the needs of our students and community.

Thank you for your support and patience. Enjoy the weekend, and sleep well on Sunday night as we prepare to launch a new chapter.

Dr. Rosa S. Atkins
Superintendent

Ways to Promote Safety (Mitigation)
We have done extensive planning and preparation. Following the latest guidance, we have upgraded our cleaning equipment and air filters, purchased stand-alone air purification equipment for spaces that need it, gathered supplies such as hand sanitizer, created custom signage to help us all follow mitigation protocols, and more.  The City is installing air cleaning technology that exceeds CDC recommendations. To learn more about all the ways we are planning for mitigation, see more information, below.

Students and Safety Routines
Any family who chooses in-person instruction agrees to follow safety plans such as distancing, hand-washing, health screening at home and school, and prompt pick-up of children who are sick (and their siblings). Staff and students will wear a mask over the nose/mouth at all times unless there is a documented medical or disability need or if specific permission is given during the day (for example, at lunch). If students continue to struggle with these routines, schools will modify the child’s learning plan (such as returning to online learning) for the safety of the child and the school community. PreK-grade 6 students will also stay in their “home” classroom most of the time to minimize risk. Families choosing in-person instruction should still be prepared to shift to online, at-home learning in case of exposure. To learn more about everyday school routines, see the slides from the December 17 School Board meeting.

Important Ideas about this Proposed Learning Model
1) A decision to send your child to in-person instruction is a decision to follow all safety plans such as wearing a mask over the nose/mouth as discussed earlier.

2) In-person instruction will be organized around safety. PreK-grade 6 students will stay in their “home” classroom most of the time to minimize risk. Students will still go outside for recess, and we will use the information from the intent forms to make other plans for the use of gyms, outdoor spaces, and more.

3) For those returning to in-person instruction, if at any point there is a COVID-19 exposure, your child (and possibly your child’s class) may be asked to quarantine at home and participate in virtual learning for a period such as 14 days.

4) We remain committed to a high-quality online-only experience.

5) Regardless of your learning plan, for students in PreK-grade 6, the school may need to make adjustments to your child’s schedule or teacher assignment. We will work to minimize teacher changes.

A Word about Bus Transportation
Due to state and CDC health guidelines and severe driver shortages, Charlottesville City Schools will have very limited bus space when we return to in-person learning. 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. Last year, 2,600 students rode the bus to and from school daily.  Even though the School Board has authorized the City’s Pupil Transportation team to enter into a private contract, due to competition for drivers, this has not worked out.

To assist families who do not receive bus transportation, the City’s Safe Routes to School program will organize additional supports such as volunteers guiding groups of walkers or bike-riders to school and offering helmets & bike give-aways. (See their printable walking/biking maps below.) Please consider how you can support these efforts. Or find your own ways to partner with friends, neighbors, and classmates to make alternative plans to save bus spots for those who really need them. The intent form for families included an application for these limited bus spaces.

Decision-Making Timeline for Implementation
The Board met on February 4 and authorized the March 8 implementation of these plans.

5 Core Mitigation Measures to Support School Openings

(per the CDC’s Indicators for Dynamic School Decision-Making) 

1. Masks and Face Coverings:  Per our new masks/face coverings policy, all students, staff, and visitors are required to wear masks covering the mouth and nose on school property and on school buses. 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.
2. Social Distancing to the extent possible (6 feet where possible):  The proposal calls for limiting class size and building occupancy to allow for social distancing. Signage and floor markers will reinforce the furniture placement to encourage 6-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.
3. 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.  
4. 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). 
5. Contact tracing:  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.

Other CDC-Recommended Strategies

1. Cohorting: On the elementary level, we will create small cohorts (or “pods”) that stay together throughout the school day to minimize exposure for students, teachers, and staff across the school environment. We will limit staff moving among these cohorts. One advantage of the four-day proposal at the elementary level is that it allows students to remain in the same cohorts on a near-daily basis.
2. Staying home when appropriate: Staff and students will be asked to screen at home daily for COVID-19 symptoms and 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. See guidance in the health section, below. No-contact temperature scanners will be used for buses and at entrances to monitor for people with a temperature of 100.0 or higher.  Screening questions will also be used at the discretion of school administrators or nurses, or at the direction of local health officials for additional on-site screening. CSS Student Home Screening Tool (revised January 7, 2021)
3. 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. At this time, the only item we are finding it difficult to stock is the N95 mask, which is not commonly recommended for school use.
4. Staggered scheduling: We are hoping to avoid staggered start and stop times for schools. We will use other strategies such as encouraging people to use a variety of entry points to avoid congested spaces, and we have designated one-way stairways and hallways to minimize face-to-face foot traffic.
5. Alternating schedules with fixed cohorts:  This strategy is proposed for Buford and CHS. Students in cohort A will have in-person instruction two days a week (tentatively Monday and Wednesday), and cohort B will tentatively be in person on Tuesday and Thursday. Students will learn online on the other three days. Lugo-McGinness might use a different system to better facilitate social distancing in their buildings.
6. 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).
7. Visitors:  We have suspended volunteer programs and non-essential visitors. Signage reminds visitors to check to see if their business can be conducted by phone or computer and that they need to wear a mask, screen for symptoms, and use hand sanitizer. Visits are held outside when weather allows.
8. 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. The new filter installations are in process.  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. This equipment includes strategies such as UV-C lights and/or bipolar ionization equipment. Installations are well underway.
9. Water systems:  The City has been flushing water regularly to make sure that school water supplies remain safe.
10. 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.
11. 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.  We will use the information from the family intent forms to make other plans for the use of gyms, outdoor spaces, and more.
12. Food service:  For most or all students in our schools, we will serve meals in classrooms. (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 students or students who are not in school on a given day, the nutrition department will deliver meals in the community or families can arrange pick-up at the school closest to them. Find complete meal information with updated routes 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 had additional training the week of September 19. Additional training is also required for nursing staff as well as SPED staff who work with students to assist with medical or personal care.
• Protocols:  While some decision-making will depend on the data we receive from family intent forms, 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.  Where there is enough space and mixing cohorts is possible, 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 will have their temperature screened and will hand sanitize. They can pick up a grab-and-go breakfast if they wish (free this school year). Then they 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. See  the transportation FAQ (below) for details.

Athletics and Extra-Curricular Activities:

Some clubs and athletic activities may resume:

• CHS will follow Virginia High School League (VHSL) guidelines for sports and activities. Find the CHS plan here. 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 revised academic calendar for 2020-21 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 6′. 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. 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:

School hours may be adjusted to allow for the additional cleaning time required for buses between runs.

Meals:

We are offering free breakfast/lunch for all students this school year. For most or all students in our schools, we will serve meals in classrooms. 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.

For virtual students or students who are not in school on a given day, the nutrition department will deliver meals in the community or families can arrange pick-up at the school closest to them. Find complete meal information with updated routes here.

Safety Drills:

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

Schedule at Buford/CHS for hybrid students on the days when they are not in school:

We have been gathering models from other school divisions, but before adopting a model, we need to know how many students are interested in returning to in-person instruction. Depending on the numbers, we can select a model that works best for our students and staff. We are assembling a staff committee to help us identify the best solution to meet the needs of the two in-person cohorts, our online-only students, and our staff.

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.

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 state and CDC health guidelines and severe driver shortages, Charlottesville City Schools will have very limited bus space when we return to any form of face-to-face learning. 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.)  The family learning intent form also included an application for bus spots.

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 will organize additional supports such as volunteers guiding groups of walkers or bike-riders to school and offering bike give-aways. They are developing new maps to help (see yours below this FAQ)! Learn more about Safe Routes to Schools and ways you can help! Or partner with friends, neighbors, and classmates to make alternative plans.

Any changes for car-riders?

We anticipate that there will be more cars in the drop-off and pick-up zones, so we are brainstorming alternate locations such as nearby parking lots where we can set up additional sites for car-riders. Stay tuned for new information from your school.  Important note: please stay in the car drop-off lane until your children have cleared the temperature check.

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

If you have other options, please plan on them so that we can give bus spots to those who truly need them. The family learning intent form included an application for bus spots. Schools will communicate this information to families.

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, use hand sanitizer, and get a temperature check (see note, below). For those students who get a bus assignment, we ask them to sit in their assigned seat. Siblings can sit together. Note: this year, for children in 6th grade and younger, a responsible adult must be at the stop each morning until the student has cleared their temperature check.

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

For children in 6th grade and younger, a responsible adult must be at the stop each morning until the student has cleared their temperature check. For older students, we will call families to let them know if their child was unable to board the bus. If we cannot reach the family immediately,  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 due to a fever or other 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 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?

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 siblings) to return home.

What about the kids who bike or walk on rainy days?

The Back-to-School Bash team thought about this and has generously supplied schools a supply of water-proof ponchos that will fit over jackets and backpacks. Check with your school to request one.

What if you don’t have enough bus space for everyone who needs it?

For this reason, we are asking for anyone whose child can walk, ride a bike (or scooter) or get a ride to make those arrangements. We are developing a rubric to guide decision-making if we have more requests than spaces. The rubric will cover items such as distance from school, ability to arrange other transportation, age, and more. If there are students who are unable to attend in-person instruction because they did not receive a bus spot, please check with your school to see if we can help you make a connection for a ride-share or put you on a waiting list.

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

1. Social distancing reduces capacity on each bus.
2. There was a national shortage of school bus drivers even before the  pandemic.
3. 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.
4. Due to the pandemic,  the back-up to get a commercial driving license is months-long.

• 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

If my elementary (preK-grade 6) child is online-only, will they Zoom into classes with in-person instruction?

In the proposed elementary model, we would create dedicated cohorts of in-person and online-only students. This will require some teacher reassignments, but we will work to minimize the impact. The teacher reassignments could occur for both in-person and online-only students.

If my middle or high school child is online-only, will they Zoom into classes with in-person instruction?

The revised model for in-person supports at Buford and CHS does not change the current schedule and structure of virtual learning. All students will continue to Zoom into classes on their regular schedule.

Hoping for an in-person option at Charlottesville City Schools? Here’s how you can help:

1. Continue to build your family’s good habits — social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand-washing. 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. 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 students in your household home. Check with your doctor or school nurse for advice.
   3. Unexpected fever at the bus or school: We will screen for fevers before children enter the bus or school. Please make a plan now for if your child has a fever and is not allowed to board the bus.
   4. Isolation: If your child is exposed to someone with COVID-19 symptoms at any point (whether at school, when out, or at home), the students in your household will need to isolate for fourteen days or as directed.

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

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