Stafford schools shuttered until April 15, meal distribution sites named

Schools in Stafford County will remain closed until April 15.

Division Superintendent Dr. Scott Kizner released a letter to parents and students today outlining the extended closure. Last week, Kizner announced schools would be shuttered until at least March 27 in the wake of the spread of the coronavirus.

Students in the school division are currently on scheduled spring break which ends March 22.

In addition to classes, all school activities are canceled through April 14. All cancelations could be extended, Kizner warns.

If the coronavirus storm passes as federal officials hope it does, Stafford County teachers will return to the classroom on April 14 in preparation for the students to return the following day.

The school division is facing questions about the administration of Virginia Standards of Learning tests, about when graduation ceremonies will be scheduled, and about how students will make up lost time.

“I am working closely with the Virginia Department of Education, as they continue to evaluate options to provide flexibility in meeting the requirements and mandates associate with testing, accountability, instructional days/hours, attendance, and graduation,” said Kizner.

Updates will follow, he promised.

In the meantime, the county will distribute government-provided meals for families starting Monday, March 23. The bagged lunches will be distributed by the curb in a grab-and-go style, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The bags will contain lunch also include breakfast for the following day. They’ll be distributed at five locations:

• Widewater Elementary School, 101 Den Rich Road
• Kate Waller Barrett Elementary, 150 Duffey Drive
• Falmouth Elementary School, 1000 Forbes Street
• Rocky Run Elementary School, 95 Reservoir Road
• North Star Early Childhood Education Center (formerly North Stafford Campus of the Fredericksburg Christian School), 101 Shepherds Way
• The school division will also distribute meals in individual neighborhoods across the county. A full schedule of locations and times is on page three of this document.

As for student medications, families may come to their respective school clinics on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, between 1 and 3 p.m. to pick them up.

With the schools shuttered, it’s now up to parents to provide an education for their children. The Stafford County school division will, beginning Monday, March 23, post to its website learning ideas and information that will help parents implement “meaningful classroom instruction” at home. These courses will not be required learning, adds the school division.

As for school faculty and staff, everyone will continue to be paid throughout the closure.

• Contacted staff, both full-time and part-timers, will receive regular contracted pay.
• Long-term substitute teachers will continue to be paid for their current work assignments.
• Hourly staff will also continue to receive compensation based on work tenure.
• Kizner promised to release more information on hourly pay in the near future.