Short Update on School Reopening

Dear Neighbors,

Public schools will be all-virtual for the first term of the fall 2020-2021 school year. The first term runs from Monday, August 31st through Friday, November 6th, at which point the Mayor, DC Health, and DC Public Schools (DCPS) will reevaluate the District's coronavirus data to determine whether it will be safe enough to introduce a hybrid model of virtual and in-person learning for students. As an educator myself, there is no doubt that in-person learning provides students with the best opportunity to learn and develop critical social skills and peer relationships. However, amid increasing numbers of new coronavirus cases in the District and a growing national public health crisis, the safety of our students, their families, our teachers, and building staff is paramount. And by this metric, the Mayor has determined that an all-virtual first term is the only sound option.

Unlike the spring semester, DCPS is now better equipped for virtual instruction after spending the summer months problem solving, planning, and working with over 200 teachers to further develop and transfer the curriculum to their online platform. DCPS has made some technical changes, implemented new attendance procedures, and restructured the school day to include more direct and one on one instruction. There will also be an additional focus on the social needs and emotional health of students. Based on parent feedback, DCPS has structured the school week so there will be greater predictability for students and their families and a new schedule of learning checks throughout the day and semester will help identify those students who may be falling behind. Further detail on DCPS's planning is available online: Reopen Strong.

Access to technology will be critical to the fall term's success. To help DCPS evaluate student access to laptops and tablets for full time virtual learning, parents are asked to share their student's technology needs through the following online survey: Request A Technology Device.

Regards,

Mary