2020-21: Mission Forward

Henrico families,

Today I’d like to give you a first look at newly detailed “virtual school day” sample schedules. These schedules are freshly updated and contain many more aspects of the school day than previously communicated.

To see the newly detailed sample schedules, please visit our website: https://henricoschools.us/returntoschool/

Of course, we know our students and families need more than just samples. Later this week, elementary families should please be on the lookout for a new message from your school’s principal. That message will contain your elementary school’s master schedule for the virtual learning period. The master schedules will be mostly similar to the samples, but some learning activities may occur at different times as determined by school-based administrative teams. Middle school and high school schedules will be released later in August.

Additionally, we’ll be releasing the full HCPS Learning Plan on Thursday as part of our School Board work session that afternoon.

As for the newly detailed sample schedules which are available now, you can skip straight to a particular grade level by using these links:

Pre-K sample schedule (pdf)
(*Official Pre-K schedules are expected to be finalized by Monday, Aug. 17.)

Grades K-2 sample schedule (pdf)

Grades 3-5 sample schedule (pdf)
(*Official elementary school master schedules will be released by your school on Thursday, Aug. 13. Teacher assignments will be available the week of Aug. 17)

Middle school sample schedule (pdf)
(*Official middle school master schedules and teacher assignments will be released after 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28)

High school sample schedule (pdf)
(*Official high school master schedules and teacher assignments will be released after 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28)

Again, families of elementary school students will receive communication from their school this Thursday with additional schedule information. To see additional information related to our predominantly virtual start, please visit our website: https://henricoschools.us/returntoschool/

Thank you for your patience and support of Henrico County Public Schools! 

Sincerely,

Amy E. Cashwell, Ed. D.
Superintendent

Henrico families,

I’m happy to share new answers to “Frequently Asked Questions” about our plan to begin the 2020-21 school year in a predominantly virtual format. To get started, please visit the newly updated “Mission Forward” page of our website. These questions and answers are written primarily with you, our families, in mind: https://henricoschools.us/returntoschool/

This week, the “FAQs” reflect new or updated information on a variety of topics, including:

• Key definitions
• Support for working families
• iPads, Chromebooks or Dell laptops for all students
• Special Education and IEPs
• Support for students who are English learners
• Transportation for limited, in-person learning

As we move forward, you can expect us to post updates to this page on a weekly basis. Thank you in advance for your questions, and I appreciate the grace and patience of our community as we work to provide quality information as quickly as possible.

Sincerely,

Amy
Amy E. Cashwell, Ed. D.
Superintendent

Henrico families,

Earlier this evening, the Henrico School Board voted unanimously to approve a fully virtual start to the school year, in order to prioritize the health and safety of our staff, students, families and community. 

In deciding to begin the year with a fully virtual school day, we asked and were asked a thousand important questions. However, in the end, we had to focus on just one: Right now, based on the information we have today, our expertise and our best efforts, can we assure our families and staff members that returning to school in person will be safe and healthy? Until we can answer that question with confidence, your School Board and I believe a fully virtual school day is the most feasible way to engage our students while prioritizing student, staff and community safety.

This decision to start with a fully virtual school year isn’t the one any of us had hoped to make. I share the same feelings of deep disappointment and frustration that many of you have shared with me in recent days, about the loss of the spring 2020 school year and the chance to start school this fall in the way we always have. But this approach will enable us to build a foundation, in a gradual and strategic manner, as we work to bring our students back to full in-person learning. I also have the utmost confidence in the abilities of our incredible teachers and staff to make us proud until all our students can safely return to their buildings. 

I know that a fully virtual nine weeks presents challenges for many of you. I pledge that we will work with families to address those hurdles however we can. I understand you may be feeling trepidation and concern about what’s next. I know that any path toward the new school year comes with challenges and bumps along the way, yet I am inspired by the Henrico community and the way we have and will continue to come together in creative and innovative ways, in service of our children during this unprecedented and challenging time.

While virtual learning will be school, it can never replace the many benefits of the in-person school experience. Please know that we will do everything we can to plan for an engaging virtual school day while we navigate this global pandemic. Our families and staff told us what worked and what didn’t with online learning in the spring. We listened. Students will learn through direct instruction from their teachers, receive feedback on their work and foster relationships with both teachers and classmates. 

Some additional points I want to make clear:

• Virtual learning does not mean students and teachers must be in front of their screens all day, every day. We’re responsible for teaching certain subjects, but this can take on different forms such as independent work, or creating a non-digital project.
• No matter the educational format, we have and will continue to have high expectations for our students. A fully virtual school day will not be a time for students to “check out.”
• We will continue to work to get students back in school, starting with select groups of students for limited in-person instruction during the first nine weeks.

I know that you have many more questions about this decision and what comes next. We will look to answer all your questions as we move forward. You’ll receive more information in messages from me, as well as regular updates at our “Mission Forward” return-to-school page at https://henricoschools.us/returntoschool/.

Thank you for your continued support and input. Despite its unconventional format, I am excited for the 2020-21 school year. Together we are meeting the challenges of this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Amy

Amy E. Cashwell, Ed. D.
Superintendent

HCPS families,

I’m writing this morning with some important news. At Thursday’s School Board meeting, my leadership team and I will be recommending a fully virtual start to the 2020-21 school year. This recommendation, which goes to our School Board for a vote on Thursday, aligns with our Board’s desire to prioritize health and safety, and is the result of an intense examination of all angles and approaches while monitoring current health conditions in our region.

As heartbreaking as it would be to not see all our students in person on September 8, it is clear to me that this is the most prudent recommendation at this time, based on evolving health information. Since mid-June, average reported cases of COVID-19 in Virginia have been on the rise, and other Southeastern states have been seeing significant spikes. At present, I believe the virtual start, which would occur for at least the first nine weeks of the school year, is the most feasible way to protect the health and safety of all our staff members and students.

VIDEO: A deeper explanation of the fully virtual recommendation

As Virginia moved to “Phase 3” and the number of community cases seemed to be falling, the prospects looked promising for bringing our students back for some form of in-person instruction. However, recent health data raises significant concerns about whether the mitigation strategies (such as those recommended in Phase 3) provide the level of health and safety assurances that HCPS families and employees need to bring students back for in-person learning. 

Of course, I’ve also considered important input from you, whether that was in our survey, our Community Meeting, and more recently, in email messages filled with thoughtful questions and creative solutions. Thank you so much for sharing your concerns, opinions, ideas and hopes! 

While this recommendation may ease many minds, it also comes with questions about what “fully virtual” learning will look like. Fully virtual learning would not resemble the “emergency learning” that was implemented back in March and April. Our plan calls for a strong, structured and graded experience that is newly designed and developmentally appropriate. You may be familiar with Henrico Edflix, which offers a lot of great material, and we’re very proud of it. It was an emergency learning tool that provided flexibility for staff and students (primarily in elementary schools) in bringing the school year to a sudden close in the middle of a crisis. For months, we have known that a virtual option would be included for the 2020-21 school year and our staff members have been working long hours to create a redesigned, developmentally appropriate experience that is rich, structured, robust and graded. 

In other words, this won’t be a collection of online activities. This will be school.

Visit our “HCPS 2020-21: Mission Forward” page for additional details as they stand today, including sample schedules that may help you begin to envision what a typical week might look like. Please be assured that we will continue to provide you with information, guidance and answers to your questions.

As we move forward, we’ll strive to gradually increase opportunities — as health and safety conditions allow — for limited in-person learning, by focusing on groups of students for whom distance learning presents more challenges. For example, at the start of the school year, we’ll be looking at many of the recommendations in Virginia’s Phase 2 which call for virtual instruction for most students, with limited in-person learning for students who receive special education services, English learners, early learners and other small groups. 

Finally, I want to assure you that HCPS is invested in education, innovation and the journey toward excellence. We will continue to monitor local health information and make decisions that are grounded in data and the recommendations of health experts. By proceeding in this way and implementing our health-risk mitigation strategies, we can work toward a measured, gradual return to in-person teaching and learning.

Thank you, our families, for your continued engagement and support. Together we are meeting the challenges of this difficult time. 

Sincerely,

Amy
Amy E. Cashwell, Ed. D.
Superintendent

Mission Forward: A recap, and an update

Henrico families,

Tuesday evening’s School Board Community Meeting provided attendees and livestream viewers with an update on return-to-school approaches currently under consideration for the fall. If you weren’t able to watch it, don’t worry: a full video recording is available on a new webpage that serves as the hub for ongoing information about HCPS’ return to school. There are a number of other ways to stay informed as this important process advances.

The “HCPS 2020-21: Mission Forward” webpage

The new “HCPS 2020-21 Mission Forward” page is available at https://henricoschools.us/returntoschool/, and is our hub for information about returning for the 2020-21 school year. 

The page contains material from last night’s community meeting, including:

• A full video recording of the meeting.
• The full slide presentation, which breaks down possibilities for fall learning, safety protocols, an overview of results from the staff and family surveys and more.  
• The 3-minute overview video, updated for July 14, presented at the start of the meeting.

The page also includes the in-depth survey results, a timeline, and a place to get a quick update on the latest return-to-school happenings. Coming soon, look for an FAQ section and additional information as it becomes available.

Return-to-school timeline

The following timeline has been laid out for making decisions:

• July 23: School Board expected to vote on a plan for reopening school in September (details for this public meeting will be communicated as they are determined).
• July 23-Aug. 2: Families and employees will get “intent forms” to select their plans for the first semester of the 2020-21 school year.
• 2: Deadline for families and employees to communicate their intended plans for the first semester of the school year, based on HCPS plans approved July 23.

What’s next?

HCPS will strive to keep you informed via a variety of communication channels. Check https://henricoschools.us/returntoschool/ as we add more details and specifics, and work to address more questions, situations and concerns from families and staff members.

Sincerely,

Amy

Amy E. Cashwell, Ed. D.
Superintendent

Dear HCPS families,

I’m writing to remind you about tonight’s 7 p.m. Community Meeting with the Henrico School Board. The in-person attendance at Glen Allen High School is limited to 250 people, who will be in distanced seating and wearing masks in order to comply with health and safety recommendations. However, I hope you will watch the livestream by going to henricoschools.us shortly before the meeting starts at 7 p.m.

What is tonight’s meeting about? The start of the meeting will be spent discussing where we stand with reopening plans for September. As you view the meeting, please keep in mind that this situation has been evolving since March, and will continue to change. The information you will hear tonight reflects the guidance and community health conditions as of today. Many angles are being examined, and our approaches to reopening may shift as we learn new information.

If you can’t watch tonight’s livestream, don’t worry. A full video of the event will be posted tomorrow at a new webpage: henricoschools.us/returntoschool/. Also, right now you can also take a closer look at all the presentation materials for the meeting.

What’s the agenda for the meeting? After a short video about the process, we’ll talk about the results of our recent survey — what you said about your priorities and concerns for the fall. We’ll talk about how we’re making our decisions, and where we’re getting our information. We’ll discuss employee safety as well as student safety, and some of the specific ideas we are putting in place to make our schools as safe as possible. We will also talk about the ever-important timeline for making some of these choices. Finally, we will be addressing some of your questions, both online submissions and those from the in-person audience.

While much will be discussed tonight, here are some things you won’t hear: It’s not a night where we’ll have all the answers.

As of 9 this morning, more than 300 questions had been submitted for tonight, many multi-part questions. The truth is we don’t have all the answers yet. We are working tirelessly to deliver those answers.

That being said, those questions do give us tremendous insight into what you’re thinking, and what you need to know. Many of the questions asked are reflective of the issues that we’re currently planning for. The good news is, it’s not the first time we’ve seen many of these questions or considered these issues.

We’re pleased to hear from our staff and community this evening as part of this ongoing dialogue. I hope you will view the meeting, and continue to stay engaged as, together, we move through this challenging and creative process.

Sincerely,

Amy

Amy E. Cashwell, Ed. D.
Superintendent
Henrico County Public Schools