Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS) students will not be returning to school in-person this fall.

During its July 14 meeting, the city’s school board approved in a 4-3 vote to conduct school virtually with an ‘evaluation of all options once a month.’

The decision was made from a list of options, the two excluded being full in-person learning and a hybrid of both in-person and distance learning, as well as with consideration for Manassas’ designation as a coronavirus hotspot by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). In addition to the return to the learning plan, the school board also approved moving the school start date for students from August 17 to 31 to give teachers additional planning time.

“The school board did not take this decision lightly. Although there is a strong desire to have everyone back on campus, the health and well-being of students and staff remain the Board’s top priorities. The board will review the status of community health data monthly, with a goal to return to some form of in-person learning when it is deemed safe to do so,” said MCPS Superintendent Dr. Kevin Newman.

Under the virtual learning plan, teachers would provide live instruction four days a week to students via videoconference, with Mondays being reserved for professional development/planning/ and small group student support. Students in Pre-K to 2nd grade would receive a minimum of 2 1/2-3 hours of teacher instruction a day, students in grades 3-4 would receive 3-3 1/2 hours a day, and middle/high school students would receive 3 1/2-4 hours a day.

Learning would be conducted through Schoology, an online learning management system that allows teachers to conduct lessons, create assignments, and grade work. Instruction on the platform would both be live and interactive, as well as recorded and individualized.

For each grade level, online learning will be differently scheduled. For students in Pre-K to 4th grade, there will be two daily sections to teacher-directed instruction, one daily section for students with additional needs (English language learners, special education, etc), two daily sections of encore classes (art, music, physical education, and library), and one section of student choice activities.

For middle and high school, there will be four class periods conducted a day, a daily thirty-minute period for teacher advisory, daily teacher office hours/small group support, and a section of student choice activities.

Students in special education, on the other hand, will be split into three cohorts to best suit their needs, and be given ‘a total of five lessons per class/subject/prep in a combination of face to face and virtual,’ according to a school board documentation. Students in cohort one will receive four days of face to face instruction a week, one day of distance learning. Students in cohort two will receive two days of face to face instruction a week, and three days of distance learning. Students in cohort three will have the same completely virtual instruction as their general education peers.

“Special education teachers will work collaboratively with general education teachers to provide specially designed instruction for students in person and/or virtual,” stated school board documentation.

English language learning students will additionally be split into two groups: those in grades K-4 and those in grades 5-12. Those in grades K-4 will receive inclusion services ‘during a block of core teacher-directed instruction time’ with ‘language development/language enrichment lessons for levels 1 and 2 via videos, live small group sessions, or on-line language development resources,’ according to school board documentation. Those in grades 5-12 will receive inclusion services through co-teaching in core classes (math, science, English, history), with self-contained classes following the general education schedule for their grade level.

To supplement the virtual instruction for students, MCPS announced that they will give all students a device, as well as establish mobile hotspots in student households for instructional use, which would cost the division $389,000. Pre-K students will receive Acer tablet computers, kindergarten-2nd grade students will receive Chromebooks, and 3-12 grade students will receive Windows laptops. Each device will have ‘a touchscreen, a front-facing camera, a microphone, and off-site Internet content filtering,’ according to school board documentation.

If students face technical difficulties, IT services will be able to do remote troubleshooting services on their laptops, and if technical issues continue or cannot be resolved remotely, students can bring the device to be repaired during a scheduled device exchange.

The devices will be given to students through a structured pick-up process, details for which have not yet been announced.

More information on the upcoming school year, as well as schedules for instruction, will be released by the school division as it nears closer to the beginning of the school year. Additional information on the return to school plan can be found here.

“We in MCPS will do all that we can to do what’s best for our citizens, students, and families,” said Sanford Williams, chairman of the MCPS school board.

Manassas City Public Schools students may be barred from going to school in the fall unless their parents verify their health.

During a July special school board meeting, Dr. Melissa Saunders, executive director of student achievement for the school division, presented a school reopening plan to the School Board. That plan, which was created by the division's school reopening task force, proposed requiring 'parents to attest daily as to the health of their children prior to entry to their respective school by completing the health survey.' If the parents refuse to do so, according to the presentation, students will be 'denied entry to the school until completed – no exceptions.' This rule would also require staff to attest to their health daily before entering their school building.

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High school students in Stafford County Schools may no longer have early school start times.

During a July school board work session, Stafford County Schools Superintendant Dr. Scott Kizner presented options and suggestions for reopening the county's schools, one of which was changing and staggering school start times.

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Prince William County Schools students may be staying home longer, and not just for summer vacation.

On June 7 and 8, the Prince William County School board held two meetings where they discussed school reopening plans for the 2020-21 school year and received input from the community. During the meeting, Prince William County Schools Superintendent Steven L. Walts proposed four reopening plans for the upcoming school years, delayed school start days, and the delay of the first day of school to September 8.

These proposals were made with the input of the school division’s Return to New Learning Task Force, which consisted of “90 representative leaders, teachers, and staff member participants” who “spent a combined total of hundreds of hours working together over the last five weeks to look at reopening from a multitude of lenses,” according to a presentation by Walts.

The four proposed plans are as follows:

Plan 1: An all-virtual model with live and recorded lessons.

If this model is chosen, students would receive their education from the learning management platform Canvas, which Prince William County is providing for free to students.  The platform allows teachers to conduct projects, quizzes, tests, and general lessons virtually. It also accommodates special, English-learner, and gifted education, as well as dual-enrollment and specialty programs.

The division also plans to use MasteryConnect, a ‘unified assessment system for elementary, middle, and high school’ that ‘allows for development and sharing of common assessments,’ according to a presentation by Walts.

“[Parents can expect] easily accessed course materials, recorded content, assessments, and resources. Differentiated support including written assignments and alternative forms of assessment for students as appropriate. Division and school supports for students and families needing a device or connectivity. Ongoing monitoring and adjustments to ensure high-quality experiences for all students” stated a presentation from Superintendant Walts.

In utilizing these online learning tools, each grade-level would have separate schedules with varying amounts of both live virtual instruction and independent virtual instruction. Elementary schoolers are required to have live instruction each day in either reading, math, science, or social studies, with staggered times for live teaching,  according to a presentation by Walts. Elementary school teachers will also be required to hold a set office hour each week.

For middle school students, there is a recommend twenty minutes of live-instruction daily, with school lasting from 10:15 am-3:30 pm on Tuesday-Friday. On Mondays, students will be given live support and be able to attend office hours in the following subjects: physical education, music, encore, counseling, English-learning, world language, social studies, science, math, and language arts.

For high school students, there is a required 30 minutes of live-instruction per class period, as well as 120 minutes of live instruction per week/per class, which will give students 3 1/2 hours of screen time a day. Similar to the proposed middle school schedule, there will only be classes on Tuesday-Friday, with Monday reserved for teacher office hours and student support.

Plan 2: The 25 percent model, provides instruction for students in-person, at-school, one day per week. According to the school division, off-line or on-line learning would take place four days per week, and a virtual office hour on the fifth day. Special education and other students with additional needs would attend for four days.

For each grade-level, there would be staggered schedules with alternating groups of students attending school. Parents who wish to only would have their child participate in online learning have the option to do so.

Plan 3: The 50 percent model allows most students to attend school in-person two days per week (including preschool), participate in online learning occurring three days per week, and attend virtual office hours on the fifth day.  Special education and other students with additional needs would attend for four days.

For each grade-level, there would be staggered schedules with alternating groups of students attending school. Parents who wish to only would have their child participate in online learning have the option to do so.

Plan 4: A return to school as normal.

While it is on the list of proposals, Plan 4 is not yet possible due to requirements from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), according to the school division. As of July 6, VDH guidance calls for six-feet social distancing measures in both classrooms and buses, remote learning, and teleworking options for students and staff at high risk of illness, and mitigation strategies that may impact capacity limits.

“The physical distancing, bus, and building capacity requirements, and health considerations of staff and students, will, unfortunately, make it impossible to have all students and staff in buildings at any one time. Therefore, we will have to implement some variation of distance learning, alternating schedules, and telework for some employees in specific categories,” stated a press release from Prince William County Schools.

To follow and promote these guidelines, Superintendent Walts proposed establishing a COVID-19 team within the division, which would have an appointed person at every school facility.

“The Prince William County Schools (PWCS) Pandemic Team, under the leadership of Denise Huebner, will oversee the Division level response for health considerations as students return to school. Each school will have a Student Health Response Team (SHRT) comprised of the school nurse, an administrator, and one other staff member of the school principal’s choosing. This team will meet monthly with the Student Health Services Leadership Team for updates about student health and wellness,” stated a presentation from Superintendant Walts.

He also proposed the requirement of face masks for all students over the age of 10 in hallways between classes, common areas, classrooms where students cannot have a six-feet distance, and on school buses. Staff and students will be asked to provide their own face covering if this plan goes into place, but the school will provide one if needed. Student Health Service staff will be equipped with medical-grade personal protective equipment throughout the school year.

Students may additionally be asked to complete a daily health questionnaire and temperature check before school each day, eat lunch in their classrooms, and participate in only virtual field trips and limited extracurricular activities.

“Our planning is based, first and foremost, with student and staff health as a top priority, and a focus on equitable learning for every child. We also recognize that children are best served in-person and that many of our families rely on the School Division for key services including meals and child care,” stated a press release from the school division.

That being said, parents of Prince William County Schools students indicated discomfort with sending their children to school due to concerns for their child’s physical wellbeing, social/emotional needs, and the quality of instruction, according to a survey conducted by the school division. The majority of parents (80%), however, do plan to send their children back to school in-person if the school board decides on that proposed plan, while 20% of parents either plan to conduct home-schooling or participate in online learning through the school division, according to the survey.

“I am extremely concerned that social distancing and meeting the CDC guidelines is going to be very difficult, particularly as we continue to see cases rising and rising nationwide,” said Luis Miranda, the parent of three Prince William County Schools students.

The American Academy of Pediatrics urges school officials across the U.S. to reopen schools as normal this fall. It insists school children should wear masks, and practice social distancing with desks spaced six feet apart, and suggests administrators build in flexibility to be able to change policies and practices that may not be working.

The school board will vote on the reopening plans during their July 15 meeting.

The wait is nearly over for those seeking an answer regarding the reopening of schools in Prince William County and Manassas.

On July 7 and 8, both school boards will hold separate meetings to hear community input on the reopening of their school divisions, review survey data collected from their staff and school communities, and discuss the matter, according to press releases from both school divisions. Manassas is set to vote on their reopening plans on July 14, and Prince William is set to do the same on July 15.

“There is no doubt that we are experiencing an unprecedented situation with the global pandemic, understandably our teachers and staff members, students and families, have concerns about returning to school next fall. The Prince William County School Board is working collaboratively with the school division to develop a plan that offers equitable education for all students,” said Prince William County School Board Chairman At-large Babur Lateef.

“I realize that there is not one perfect scenario that will meet each family’s needs or desires in our school community, but please know that as a division, our goal is to prioritize student and staff safety,” stated a press release from Manassas City Schools Superintendant Dr. Kevin Newman.

To aid in their decision making, each school division has created a task force to address safe ways to return to learning. Prince William’s task force, comprised of 90 members representing staff, parents, and central leadership has not yet released a comprehensive plan detailing what a return to learning may look like, but “principals at every level were asked to conduct classroom-by-classroom assessments utilizing six-feet of distancing measurements to determine furniture placement and the maximum number of students who can be in every space while maintaining the social distancing,” according to a press release from the school division. Prince William County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Steven L. Walts, also suggested that alternating schedules and telework may be a possibility.

“We will have to implement some variation of distance learning, alternating schedules, and telework. Despite these challenges, we are working hard to prepare for the fall. We have a number of plans that have been taking shape over the past few weeks,” stated Superintendant Walts in a press release from the school division.

“[Prince William County Public Schools] must consider the multitude of requirements from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), Virginia Department of Health (VDH), Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Virginia High School League (VHSL), and other organizations overseeing all school divisions’ plans for returning to learning. PWCS leaders are also collaborating with the Prince William School Board to ensure this plan is comprehensive and thoughtful,” stated a press release from the school division.

Manassas’ task force, on the other hand, has given the school division three possible models for school next year that ‘include a combination of in-person learning and distance learning to adhere to federal, state, and local guidance,’ stated a press release from Superintendant Newman.

The options are as follows:

• 25% Return Option – Students will receive one in-person day and four virtual days. Mondays will serve as a teacher planning day.
• 50% Return Option – Students will receive two in-person days and three virtual days. Mondays will serve as a teacher planning day.
• 100% Distance Learning Option – Students will complete all instruction virtually.

If the Manassas City School Board does decide on a hybrid learning model (both online and in-person), parents will have the option to keep their children at home and practice only online learning. Special population students may also receive additional days of in-person instruction to supplement their additional needs.

“We understand that we will not be able to meet every family’s desires, however, we, like other districts, hope to provide options that will somehow allow students to continue progressing in their academic achievement,” stated a press release from Superintendant Newman.

If the school board sees the need to, however, the final plans that they are expected to make on July 14 may change.

“Please keep in mind that the best-made plans can be changed based on the fact that many areas are still experiencing the pandemic’s impact,” stated a press release from Superintendant Newman.

According to Governor Ralph Northam’s plans and regulations for school reopenings across Virginia, schools must adhere to strict social distancing measures for in-person education, maintain physical distance between children on school buses, limiting large gatherings, conducting daily health screenings, and more.

“Our students and staff need to have a safe environment conducive to learning that provides an opportunity to move the needle positively for maximized student achievement,” stated a press release from Manassas Superintendent Newman.

Prince William County is providing emergency housing assistance to those financially affected by the new coronavirus through its new COVID-19 Emergency Housing Assistance Program.

Though the program, certain households in Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park are eligible to receive ‘no more than three consecutive months payments of emergency mortgage, rental, and utility housing assistance to prevent homelessness,’ according to the Prince William County Government.

Households who have lost documentable income on or after March 1 due to job loss/reduced hours, being ill, having to care for someone with the new coronavirus, having to stay home from work to care for children or other documentable reasons are eligible, but cannot ‘exceed 80% of the HUD established median income for the Metropolitan Area based upon household size,’ according to the Prince William County Government website.

The median incomes that cannot be surpassed are as follows:

• 1 person: $55,750
• 2 people: $63,700
• 3 people: $71,650
• 4 people: $79,600
• 5 people: $86,000
• 6 people: $92,350
• 7 people: $98,750
• 8 people: $105,100

Households additionally cannot have received assistance from another program to pay mortgage, rent, or utilities.

To receive assistance, households must fill out an application, which opened on July 1, and provide information on members of the household, their income, the mortgage/rent/utilities required for the household, and more. Those who cannot electronically submit an application, or need assistance with it, should call 703-792-7538.

If the assistance is received, it will be paid directly to the mortgage company landlord company, or utility company by the Prince William County Government.

For more information, visit the program’s website, call 703-792-7538, or email [email protected].

Goodbye Stonewall Jackson, hello Unity Braxton and Unity Reed.

During its June 29 meeting, the Prince William County School Board voted to rename Stonewall Jackson Senior High School to Unity Reed High School and Stonewall Jackson Middle School to Unity Braxton Middle School. These names were chosen out of over 775 submissions from community residents.

Special preference was given to the names of individuals ‘who have made significant contributions to the field of education, especially within Prince William County,’ according to a presentation from the schools’ naming committees. The naming committee for the former Stonewall Jackson Senior High School consisted of school board Chairman Babur Lateef, Brentsville District Member Adele Jackson, Gainesville District Member Jennifer T. Wall, and Coles District Member Lisa Zargarpur, while the committee for the former Stonewall Middle School consisted of Chairman Lateef,  Brentsville District Member Jackson, and Gainesville District Member Wall.

“Arthur Reed was a favorite among the community for the renaming of the school and the school board seeks to recognize the voices and opinions of current and former students of the high school. Arthur Reed reflects a lifelong legacy and dedication to Prince William County, representing leadership, respect, pride, and perseverance,” said Brentesville District member Adele Jackson.

The former Stonewall Jackson High School was renamed after Arthur Reed, a security assistant at Stonewall Jackson High School for a number of years, who was nicknamed the ‘godfather’ of the school. The former Stonewall Jackson Middle School, on the other hand, was renamed after Celestine and Carol Braxton, an African-American teacher who taught in Virginia during racial segregation and a master gunnery sergeant in the Marine Corps respectively.

The names Reed and Braxton are preceded by unity, another popular suggestion for the new names of the schools, as it ‘reminds the students to uplift, inspire, and support each other in their commitment to excellence,’ according to Gainsville District Member Wall.

Aside from naming the schools, the school board also named the auditorium of what is now Unity Braxton Middle School after the school’s newly retired principal, John G. Miller.

While the naming process is over, school board members assured their work was far from done.

“Don’t think these name changes are just check a box and done. We’re working,” said Coles District Member Zargapur.

“Many citizens commented and said ‘Don’t just change the rename the school. We as a board have committed to improving student performance,” said Chariman Babur Lateef.

The now Unity Reed High School has the third-lowest graduation rate in the county and many infrastructure problems, according to student representative to the school board Ben Kim.

“What would truly benefit our students would be improvements to our school such as new bathrooms, natural lighting, and locker rooms,” tweeted student representative Kim.

In mid-March, Javier Mareno, owner of J&M Tile, Granite, & Marble, of Woodbridge, applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) with the hope of receiving financial support from the Federal Government for his small, job-creating business, which had to temporarily close in March due to the coronavirus.

More than two months later, Mareno’s request was denied due to credit problems. 

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