What kind of learning are the schools offering: in-person, fully remote or hybrid?
Arlington Public Schools will start the 2020-2021 academic year with all-virtual learning for all students on Sept. 8. The school will continue with online-only education until at least early October, midway through the first quarter of the school year, at which time officials will assess the possibility of reopening based on public health data.
Are there plans for in-person learning, possibly with a hybrid approach, in the future?
Arlington officials have said they will begin to transition English Language Learners, students with disabilities and pre-kindergarten through third-graders to in-person instruction in early October, if public health conditions allow. The school system hopes it can offer hybrid instruction — a mix of virtual and in-person learning — for all families who want that option starting in November, again depending on health conditions.
What have the schools done to provide devices to students?
Arlington is providing all students, in grades PreK-12, with devices. Elementary-school students are receiving iPads, middle-schoolers are receiving iPads and keypads and high-schoolers are receiving MacBook Air laptops.
How strong an Internet connection is needed to take part in remote learning and where can families get such a connection if they don’t have it currently?
A spokesman could not immediately provide an estimate of the strength of Internet connection needed. As of late August, between 5,000 to 8,000 students still lacked Internet access, the spokesman said. To remedy the situation, the Arlington school system has partnered with county officials to offer one free year of Internet access to families whose socioeconomic status qualifies them for the program — a total of 1,636 households so far, representing 3,237 students. This program is being funded in part by a $500,000 grant Arlington County received through the CARES Act. For families who do not qualify but nonetheless lack Internet, the school is giving out MiFi devices.
How do parents or students get support if they have technology issues?
Arlington has published a webpage that lists its troubleshooting tips for devices and for Microsoft Teams, the real-time virtual instruction platform chosen by the school. Staff at every individual school are also monitoring email addresses that officials set up specifically to allow families to seek tech help. A list of the email addresses, sorted by school, is available here.
What is the length of the remote school day?
Elementary-school students will receive roughly 51/2. hours of instruction each day — with time built in for movement breaks; a sample schedule is available here. Middle-schoolers and high-schoolers will follow bell schedules, representing roughly 51/2 hours of teaching each day. A sample middle-school schedule is available here; a high-school schedule here.
Are exceptions to all-virtual learning being made for students in special education or for other student groups, so that they may come to campus in small groups?
Not yet.
Will teachers be teaching from home or from their classrooms?
This has not yet been decided, according to a spokesman.
How much real-time instruction is there?
Students at all grade levels will receive live instruction four days a week, Tuesday through Friday, with Mondays typically set aside for independent work. On the days that involve live instruction, all elementary-school students will receive at least 21/2 hours of video teaching. Middle- and high-school students will receive at least three hours of live instruction.
How is attendance being tracked?
Arlington teachers will take attendance.
Is grading different than in a typical year?
Grading is the same as it was before the pandemic hit.
How are art, music and PE taught to elementary school children?
They will be taught virtually, like other classes.
How long are high school sports postponed?
In Virginia, the state athletic association has voted to postpone high school sports until at least late December. At that time, public health conditions permitting, students will participate in condensed versions of the fall, winter and spring seasons.
If I qualify for free and reduced-price lunches, how will we get those lunches?
Arlington is currently offering free “grab-n-go” meals at nine school campuses from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Starting Sept. 8, the school system will expand to serve lunch at 21 locations. A full list of distribution sites is available here.
Do the schools offer any child-care options for working parents or school employees?
Arlington is offering childcare for children of staff who must physically report to work under the distance-learning model — an estimated total of 50 kids, according to a spokesman. For these employees, the school will provide childcare at school facilities for kids between 4 and 11 years old, sorted into groups of 10 and required to wear masks, undergo daily health screenings and maintain six feet of distance from one another. School officials are still finalizing the monthly cost, but will adjust the fee according to family income. Arlington plans to “communicate updates on registration soon,” a spokesman said, “and details will be provided on the Extended Day website and Staff Central.” If enrollment falls significantly below or exceeds the 50 slots Arlington is planning to offer, “then further decisions will be required to determine the way forward,” the spokesman said.
The school system is also working with county government officials, as well as nonprofits like the YMCA, to explore ways it can offer childcare for families. But it has yet to announce any definite plans.
My child needs to see a school mental health specialist or counselor. How will those visits take place?
They would be virtual sessions. Parents can contact their school principal or counselor to request an evaluation of their child. Arlington has also published a webpage listing mental health resources, including a Children’s Regional Crisis Response hotline, whose staffers are reachable 24/7 at (844) 627-4747.
Has the school system curriculum changed as a result of the pandemic? Is the material being covered exactly the same as other years?
The curriculum in Arlington has been adjusted to incorporate material from last year that students missed due to pandemic-driven school closures — for the duration of the spring shutdown, Arlington did not teach new material. Teachers will therefore review this lost spring content at the start of the coming academic year.
Will standardized tests take place?
Standardized tests are currently slated to take place in Virginia, although that may change as the year progresses. Last year, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos allowed states to apply to waive the requirement.
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