Dear parents and families:

We want to begin by wishing each of you a happy new year. As I stated in my December update just before Winter Break, we remain hopeful for brighter days ahead. With COVID-19 vaccinations beginning in our area and heightened awareness of the importance of wearing facemasks in public, there is reason to be optimistic that community spread will begin to decline in the new year and we can continue slowly and safely working toward more daily in-person student attendance. We continue to communicate weekly with the regional health department to understand current data and guidelines. Both our regional health department and state health and education officials are encouraging in-person student attendance as long as our mitigation measures continue to be followed, including 6-ft physical distancing and masks. To that end, we are maximizing in-person attendance, using available space and staff, while following public health guidance.

As promised in my December 18 message, plans have been developed to have more students attend in person beginning in late January, following public health guidelines. These plans were presented to our School Board on Tuesday at their work session and, now that a few more details have been finalized, we want to provide this update. I want to thank our School Board for their support of our plan and for their commitment to the health and safety of students and staff.  Dates and agendas for School Board meetings are found on the School Board page of the RCPS website and you are invited to watch meetings, live or recorded, at this page.

Here are the details of the new expanded school schedule:

• Beginning January 25, all 4th graders on the hybrid schedule, will begin attending 5 days per week, Monday-Friday.
• On January 21-22, 4th graders will not attend school in order to give our teachers time to prepare and relocate classes as needed.  
  Since in-person 4th graders will attend 5 days per week, 4th graders who are participating in 100% online learning will be assigned new teachers dedicated to online students.
• All students in grades K-12 currently participating in 100% online learning have the option of switching to in-person learning beginning January 25, based on available space. Please contact your child's principal no later than January 15 to make that request.
• Students in grades 5-12 who are receiving English Language or daily special education services, or who are failing a class, will attend in person 4 days per week, beginning January 21.

SUMMARY OF NEW EXPANDED RCPS SCHEDULE
Jan 15:  Deadline for notifying school if you want to switch from 100% online to in person
 
Jan 18:  Martin Luther King Holiday (Monday)
 
Jan 20:  All Monday hybrid students attend on Wednesday
 
Jan 21:  No 4th graders attend in person
 
Jan 21:  Students grades 5-12 on vulnerable list begin attending in person (M,T,Th,F)
 
Jan 22:  No 4th graders attend in person
 
Jan 25:  All 4th graders on hybrid schedule begin attending daily (M-F)
 
 
Thank you to all parents and families for your extensive support of your children and our schools. Please also join me in thanking our RCPS teachers and staff for their hard work and flexibility. If you have questions about how the expanded schedule will affect your child, please contact your child’s school.

Hopeful and Sincerely,

Ken Nicely, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Roanoke County Public Schools

Dear parents and families:

In the midst of what can seem to be a steady stream of discouraging and troubling news, I want to take a moment to thank you and our students for your support and resilience in working through the past few months. These have been difficult times and many of you have gone to extraordinary links to support your child’s partially or fully learning at home this semester. Students have overall done an incredible job working together and moving forward with their learning. It is a joy to see them learning and interacting in classes as well as participating online. This is due to your encouragement and the great example you set for them, as well as the encouragement and support of their teachers. Thank you!

We remain hopeful for brighter days ahead. With COVID-19 vaccinations beginning in our area and heightened awareness of the importance of wearing facemasks in public, there is reason to be optimistic that community spread will begin to decline in the new year and we can continue slowly and safely working toward more daily in-person student attendance.

Students who are currently 100% online will have the option of changing to the in-person schedule for their grade level for the third nine weeks, based on available space. Please contact your child’s principal no later than January 15 to make that request.
Additionally, plans are being developed to have more vulnerable students in grades 4-12 attend four days per week beginning in late January.
Details and further decisions about adding more in-person attendance will be announced in January, based on current conditions.

We are committed to continue working with our public health department and following their guidance in making these decisions. Their current guidance is that we are safe to continue with in-person learning as long as we continue using our current safety measures, including physical distancing, mask wearing, and quarantining with symptoms or exposures. During the holidays, if you travel in crowded conditions such as by air, train, or bus, they also recommend self-quarantining after your return. If a student or staff member becomes symptomatic or tests positive during the holidays, please call our nurse hotline for instructions regarding quarantining and returning to school (540-562-3793). Our goal remains to do what is necessary to keep our schools operating and open for as much in-person learning as possible and avoid closures due to outbreaks.

Thank you again for all of your efforts and support. We wish you a safe, peaceful, and enjoyable Winter Break and celebration of the holidays. We look forward to the hope and possibilities of the new year!

Ken Nicely, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Roanoke County Public Schools
www.rcps.us

As everyone returns to school this week, we want to remind everyone of the importance of following public health protocols. Every week, we discuss with leaders of our regional health department the current status of the COVID-19 in our region and its impact on schools. While health department leaders tell us schools are doing a good job in avoiding outbreaks in schools, they also tell us that it is more important than ever to continue our efforts and vigilance. Avoiding outbreaks in schools remains the key measure for continuing with in-person instruction in our schools and we will continue working with our health department to make that determination. Parents are encouraged to make preparations in case outbreaks do occur in one or more schools and the health department recommends that schools temporarily revert to online instruction. Our plan is to continue with in-person instruction for our students as long as we can do so safely for students and staff.

Staying home when sick, following physical distancing, and wearing masks are the most important measures everyone needs to continue and we ask for your cooperation and support. As we return from the holiday weekend, we would like to remind parents to review these daily health screening questions with their child before sending them to school.

Thank you for your help in keeping our schools open for your children.

DAILY HEALTH QUESTIONS:

Do you currently have a fever of 100.4 or higher, or had a sense of having a fever since you were last in school?  If your child has other COVID-19 symptoms, please keep them home even if they do not have a fever.

Do you currently have a new cough or breathing difficulty that cannot be attributed to another health condition?  Some people are experiencing what appears to be cold or allergy symptoms and have tested positive for COVID-19. We are aware you may not normally take your child to the doctor for these mild symptoms. However, we request you check with their doctor and have your child stay home for at least 72 hours to see if symptoms resolve or become worse before sending your child back to school. Please contact the school nurse for further advice.

Do you currently have chills that cannot be attributed to another health condition?  This may indicate that your child has a fever and or their body is fighting an illness.

Do you have a new sore throat that cannot be attributed to another health condition?  It is recommended that you keep your child home and check with their doctor to determine if there is another health condition.

Do you have muscle aches that cannot be attributed to another health condition or activity such as exercise?  Muscle aches and fatigue are common symptoms of COVID-19.

Have you been exposed to anyone who has tested positive or is suspected positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days?  If you are notified that you have had an exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, please stay home and contact the school nurse for further advice.  If someone in the household is having symptoms and/or being tested for COVID-19, please keep your child/children  home until you have the results and follow quarantine guidelines.

If you answered yes to ANY of these questions, please have your child/children stay home, contact your doctor and contact their school.

If you or any family member are being tested for COVID-19 due to symptoms or an exposure or have tested positive for COVID-19, please follow the guidance for isolation and quarantine set forth by the Virginia Department of Health. Please see attached Infographic for more information.  If your child’s absence is deemed COVID-19 related by the school nurse, the absence will not count against their attendance.

* Please keep in mind that we cannot accept a negative result from a rapid COVID-19 test.