Prince William County Public Schools has ordered 15,500 HP touchscreen laptops that will be distributed to students by May. 

The $6.4 million purchase is part of a $10 million plan supported by the county School Board to put digital devices in the hands of all of the county’s 27,000 high school students.

The School Board seeks an additional $5 million from the Prince William Board of County Supervisors in order to purchase additional computers for students, accelerating the school divisions’ pre-existing multi-year plan to ensure the school system is able to supply one computer for each of its students.

For students with disabilities and English learners (E-L), teachers will offer virtual support and accommodations. E-L teachers will still focus on teaching reading, writing, and speaking with virtual resources.

“Our local, state, and federal leaders recognize that services on [individulized education plans] will not be met in the same way as they would if schools were open,” said Prince William County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Steven Walts.

Teachers and counselors are now required to have virtual office hours when they will be available to assist students.

On March 13, schools gave out available computers and books to students who needed them.

The news of the laptop purchase comes as Walts laid out his plan for how the school system will address the coronavirus pandemic at an emergency virtual school board meeting on April 1. 

The main takeaways are that the school system will continue with a virtual continuity of learning plan in which no grading will occur, but feedback is encouraged.

There will be no fourth-quarter marking period, and final grades from quarters one, two, and three will be averaged to determine the final end-of-year grade. 

Third-quarter will be extended to April 24, and students will have the chance to redo assignments or submit optional work to bring up their grades and help fulfill graduation requirements. Grades can only go up from where they were on March 13, the last day of school.

The superintendent has promised students that “If they were on track to graduate, they will graduate.”

Senior graduation status will be finalized on May 29, and all other students will continue to have learning resources through June 12. 

The county school division has created a home learning webpage that has academic resources for parents to utilize. 

Teachers will be trained and given virtual professional development to help assist them in creating online materials for their students. 

When Spring Break ends on April 10, principals have been directed to devise schedules that give each subject 60-120 minutes (depending on school level) of review and instruction per subject per week. 

Our team members will continue to work to find alternative methods and positive proactive strategies to continue engagement in learning for our special education students.

— Steve Walts (@SuperPWCS) April 2, 2020

Counselors will still be available to support the emotional needs of students. Students can reach out to counseling staff at [email protected]. 

“My highest priority remains the physical and mental health of students and staff,” Watts said.

As for the graduation ceremony, there remains no clear answer. 

“Our high school principals have been working together virtually to discuss potential alternatives, including virtual operations, or potentially an in-person graduation in early August,” Watt said.

Moving forward, summer school plans have not been finalized. Regardless, the Superintendent has indicated that the first weeks of the next school year will be spent reviewing and reinforcing material from this year.

Food services will continue, even though spring break, and on April 6 three additional locations will open at Potomac View and River Oaks elementary, and Saunders Middle School. 

Parents with appropriate ID will be able to pick up these meals, no longer is the student required to be present as this national law has been waived. 

Sitting six feet apart in an empty board chamber, Superintendent Scott Kizner and School Board Chair Holly Hazard broadcasted to a thousand concerned parents, students, staff, and community members viewing from a distance, behind the safety of their screens, about the impacts of the coronavirus on the Stafford County Public School System.

The large takeaway — nothing is certain.

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A new restaurant is opening up in Downtown Fredericksburg called Fork N Biscuit.

It’s taking over 715 Caroline Street and is a sharp contrast to Legume, the vegan/vegetarian restaurant that used to be located there.

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The Stafford County School Board is considering revisions to their student transfer policy that will increase the cut-off for elementary schools from 80 percent to 90 percent capacity.

Already, middle schools and high schools are designated closed and won't accept new transfer students when they reach 90% capacity. Some exceptions are made under extenuating circumstances.

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Cell phones keep us connected at home, in the workplace, and on the go.

But what should their role be in the classroom? That’s the discussion leaders on the Stafford County School Board are having.

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When officials decided to start school three weeks before Labor Day, there were some concerns students riding buses to and from school would be sweating due to a lack of air conditioning.

Some cafeteria workers inside the schools also labor without air conditioning. It’s a problem, after all, as temperatures in mid-August can sweltering.

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It’s the start of budget season, and Stafford County Schools is talking about its needs.

Division Superintendent Dr. Scott Kizner presented his annual budget plan to the School Board. It calls for a $57 million increase in spending over the previous year. This would be used to pay for new counselors, English and foreign language teachers at middle schools, as well as school maintenance.

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The Stafford Education Foundation will host its first annual gala to benefit county schools.

Organizers Cathy Yablonski, Stafford Hosptial Administrator, and Emily Beyers, a Stafford County school spokeswoman, briefed the county School Board on the event.

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The sixth and newest high school in Stafford County will most likely be located in the Hartwood District.

The county School Board on January 14 approved a plan to limit a countywide search for a new plot of land on which the new school will be built to the southwest corner of the county.

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