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No changes to COVID-19 safety protocols came as a result of the Henrico County Public Schools health committee meeting Monday that was highly anticipated by many teachers and parents.
The committee reviewed the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the general public – which shortened the recommended isolation time for people with COVID-19 to five days.
The HCPS leadership team approved the committee’s recommendation that HCPS’ existing longer isolation periods remain in place until guidance specific to PreK-12 schools is released – which is expected soon.
A local schools advocacy group and the Henrico teachers union spoke out last week and criticized the school division for planning to open schools before the health committee met. (Coincidentally, the meeting did happen before school was back in session because schools closed Monday through Wednesday as a result of inclement winter weather.)
“The idea that HCPS is not acting responsibly to prepare to welcome students and employees back to safe school environments… is wrong,” said HCPS spokeswoman Eileen Cox. “Planning for our return to school started weeks before winter break and builds upon existing protocols that have been in place since students first resumed in-person learning.”
The Richmond Public Schools division announced a new COVID-19 safety plan last week. On Monday, RPS will launch a test-to-stay program in which close contacts test each night and, assuming they’re negative, are permitted to come to school the next day. The division also purchased a quarter million KN95 masks for staff and secondary students, and will begin to test all unvaccinated staff on a weekly basis.
“While our approach may look different logistically than other localities, our partnership with the [Virginia Department of Health] is strong and effective in providing vaccine opportunities and take-home test kits,” Cox said. “In fact, we are one of the first school divisions in Virginia to provide take-home test kits to students and employees who were potentially exposed to COVID in our schools.”
With tests in short supply nationwide, HCPS is prioritizing the distribution of at-home kits to people who are identified as close contacts of someone with COVID.
HCPS has been testing all unvaccinated winter athletes weekly, and the division is exploring how it might expand the vendor-administered tests beyond winter student-athletes. The division also has its eyes on the VDH’s test-to-stay pilot program that RPS and a few other divisions are launching this month.
“As you might imagine, participation in or expansion of either program has the potential to be somewhat controversial,” Cox said.
As the Omicron variant spreads, more than 3,500 schools nationwide temporarily closed or pivoted to remote instruction this week, according to Burbio's School Opening Tracker.
In Virginia, the Mecklenburg County Public Schools division closed its eight schools this week due to the “exceptionally high” community transmission rate of COVID-19 in the county. The Arlington Public Schools division paused in-person athletics and extracurricular activities until Jan. 14.
The Virginia Department of Education is not keeping track of school divisions that shut down, according to a spokesman. All divisions will have to certify — as always — that they met the 180 days/990 clock hour minimum during the school year.
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Anna Bryson is the Henrico Citizen's education reporter and a Report for America corps member. Make a tax-deductible donation to support her work, and RFA will match it dollar for dollar.
