VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - As COVID-19 cases continue to rise locally, Virginia Beach City Public Schools updated families on how the division is continuing to navigate the school year during the pandemic.
Earlier this week, the district announced it would move back to all-virtual learningthrough at least the Thanksgiving holiday.
In a letter sent Thursday evening, VBCPS addressed where the health metrics need to be before students who have opted for in-person instruction can return to the classroom.
School officials also discussed other key issues that have been affected by the rise in cases, such as food services, child care and standardized testing.
You can see the district's full letter below:
When Option 1 students will return
Currently, the health metrics are in the yellow/red zones for percent positivity and cases by date reported.
Once the trend for the Eastern Virginia Region goes back to yellow/yellow, the district will plan to return all Option 1 students to class after seven days. However, if within those seven days the health metrics trend to any combination that includes red, they will maintain all virtual instruction and start the seven-day countdown again from whenever those metrics return to yellow/yellow.
Food services
VBCPS will continue to provide breakfast and lunch meals at no charge to ALL children (age 18 and under) at all VBCPS schools. Breakfast and lunch are provided via the drive-by/pickup model that was used over the summer, with bagged meals provided Monday–Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with the Friday bag containing food for Saturday and Sunday.
Meals may be picked up from any school, regardless of where your child is enrolled. If a different pickup time is needed, you are asked to contact the cafeteria manager at your child’s school to make other arrangements.
Parents should note that for the upcoming early dismissal day, Nov. 25, meal pickup service will be from 9-11:30 a.m. and there will be no food service on days that schools are closed, Nov. 26 – Nov. 27.
Child care
The school district is working with its community partners to reestablish child care centers for staff and families and will share details soon. In the meantime, you can visit VBCPS' Child Care Resources page for information and a map of existing facilities.
Testing schedule update
Grade 11 students enrolled in EOC English 11
High school students will require a verified credit for writing to graduate. The first opportunity to earn the required writing verified credit is to take the SOL writing test this fall at school while enrolled in English 11. As required by the VDOE, the assessment must be completed in-person in the school setting.
If high school students are receiving face-to-face instruction in December, Option 1 students will take the writing SOL test on the two days they are in school during the week of December 8. If students are learning virtually in December, Option 1 students will have the opportunity to come in to school to take the SOL test on Dec. 10 and 11. Additional information will be provided to students by their course teachers.
The assessment for Option 2 students is scheduled for Dec. 7 and 14. You were provided a questionnaire to share your assessment wishes with your child's school. If you did not receive or respond to the questionnaire, your child’s school will be reaching out to you soon.
Grade 8 Students Enrolled in English
Earlier today, the Virginia Board of Education passed a waiver associated to the grade 8 writing SOL test. The waiver allows divisions to administer a local alternative assessment as a substitute to the SOL test. This alternate assessment can be administered face-to-face or in a virtual setting. Therefore, VBCPS will administer a local alternative assessment to grade 8 English students though their English classes at the end of each term. The results of this assessment will not count as a part of a student’s course grade, but the data will be used by teachers to assess each student’s attainment of the writing standards of learning. Additional information will be provided to students by their course teachers.
Option 2 families may disregard the questionnaire about coming into school to take the writing SOL test, as the December dates have been canceled.
Thanksgiving holiday
All schools and administrative offices will operate on an adjusted dismissal Wednesday, Nov. 25, and will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26, and 27.
Teacher of the Year 2021
The Teacher of the Year ceremony went virtual this year, and you can watch the festivities on the VBCPS YouTube channel, featuring remarks from Dr. Spence and VBCPS 2021 Teacher of the Year Daniel Ramos, Jr. There is also a photo slide show featuring all 87 of the awardees from each school and special education, which can be seen here.
