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Surveys distributed later this week to Henrico families asking them to choose whether their public school students will continue learning virtually or return to school in person will be considered binding for the remainder of the school year, Henrico Schools officials told employees during a virtual meeting this afternoon, the Citizen has learned.
That’s apparently because of the scheduling challenges that already are likely to result from the reopening of schools – and subsequent challenges that would result from a number of students switching again, officials said. Officials seemingly left the door cracked open for families to request a change – either from virtual to in-person or in-person to virtual – after students have returned in person, but said there are no guarantees that such requests could be met, a source told the Citizen.
Families will have about a week to answer the surveys. Employees will complete similar surveys during the same timeframe.
A number of school system administrators and several principals were part of the virtual meeting. They responded to some of the more than 640 questions submitted by employees, but employees did not have the ability to ask questions directly.
During the meeting, an HCPS human resources official said that the department would prioritize employee requests for accommodations (to teach virtually) from those who have health issues. Next, they'll consider those requests from employees who live with someone with health issues or who is at higher risk for serious effects from COVID-19, and finally they'll consider requests from those who simply aren’t comfortable returning in person.
Other details from the meeting:
• Henrico Health Director Danny Avula, answering a question about the risks posed by students eating in classrooms, said that as long as they are at least 6 feet away, that risk is extremely low.
• Exceptional education students who receive integrated services at the pre-K through 5th grade levels are eligible to return Nov. 30. Those in grades 6-12 will be able to return Dec. 7.
• Employees concerned that their schools are not following COVID safety protocol can report concerns anonymously to Central Office officials.
• Cleaning crews will wipe down each room at the end of each day and then fog each one with COVID-killing chemicals through an electrostatic sprayer.
• Elementary school teachers will be given a break at some point during the day whenever possible.
• Library, art, music and PE teachers, who will be teaching virtually to in-person and virtual students, will do so to avoid the potential spread of COVID, since most of them teach every student in their buildings.
• Every student will receive two cloth masks, the first handed out on their first day back in school. Additionally, bus drivers will have masks to hand to any student who doesn’t have one, and employees will be stationed at every entrance at each school to distribute masks to any students who need one.
• Avula also told employees that he spent time last night in a local hospital emergency room where six adolescents were waiting for placement in psychiatric facilities and said the mental health of youngsters is a crisis on top of the direct crisis posed by COVID.
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