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SY 2021-22

Instruction and

Operation UpdateSeptember 21, 2021

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FCPS COVID Data August 13–September 15

TOTAL POSITIVE CASES: 677

% POSITIVE CASES: 0.33%

Epi-linked: A case in which the patient has/has had contact with one or more

persons who have/had the disease, and transmission of the agent by the usual

modes of transmission is plausible.

Outbreak: Two or more laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or

staff with onsets within a 14-day period, who are epidemiologically linked, do not

share a household, and were not identified as close contacts of each other in

another setting during standard case investigation or contact tracing.

Total In-Person

Students

178,110

Total In-Person

Staff

27,782

Students and staff count as of 9/7/21

Case Type Number of

Positive Cases

% Positive In-

Person

Students 546 0.31%

Staff 130 0.47%

Visitors 1

Total 677 0.33%

Epi-linked (from 8 outbreaks)

24 0.01%

Student Athletes 50 0.51%

Athletics Staff 7 0.62%

SACC- Students 13

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FCPS COVID Definitions

Isolation

Keeps someone who is sick or tested positive for COVID-19 without

symptoms away from others, even in their own home (directed by local

health officials)

Pause

FCPS is directed by the local health department to pause a student’s in-

person instruction while contact tracing is implemented as a matter of

public health

Quarantine

Keeps someone who was in close contact with someone who has

COVID-19 away from others (directed by local health officials)

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Impact of COVID-19 on FCPS: August 13–September 15

School LevelPause

(Potential Close Contact)

Quarantine

(Close Contact)

Isolation

(COVID-19 Positive Individual)

Students Staff Students Staff Students Staff Visitor

Elementary 1521 287 595 59 361 74 0

Middle 424 129 36 2 137 11 0

Secondary/High/

Non-Traditional960 86 51 6 48 28 1

Other (Offices) - - 0 0 0 17 0

Total 2905 502 682 67 546 130 1

Percent of In-Person

Individuals(1.6%) (1.8%) (0.38%) (0.24%) (0.31%) (0.47%) N/A

Note: The data for pause, quarantine, and isolation is not mutually exclusive

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14-Day Quarantine Remains Recommended Length

Virginia Department of Health

(VDH) overview of quarantine

options with associated risks

and additional considerations.

VDH notes that data

associated with the

quarantine options was

calculated prior to the Delta

variant becoming the

predominant variant in the

United States.

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Average Number of Days for COVID-19 Case Closure

Number of Days

Case was Open

Cases Week of

8/15-8/21

START OF SCHOOL

Cases Week of 8/22-

8/28

Cases Week of

8/29-9/4

0 2 12 3

1 13 22 4

2 15 9 5

3 7 9 3

4 12 9 3

5 4 7 3

6 1 4 7

7 0 7 9

8 0 8 10

9 0 9 22

10 0 31 26

11 0 7 19

12 0 18 47

13 0 4 21

14 0 0 10

Open 0 0 0

Average Number

of Days Case

Was Open 2.555555556 6.480769231 9.786458333

Total Cases 54 156 192

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COVID-19 RESPONSE ENHANCEMENTS/ UPDATES

Current Enhancements

● ESSER funds allocated to schools to hire staff to assist with COVID management

● COVID-19 Contact Vaccine Verification Survey (implemented 9/7/21)

○ Expedites return of fully vaccinated, asymptomatic students

○ Focuses contact tracers efforts on potential exposures who are not fully vaccinated or symptomatic

● Streamlined REDCap process for reporting COVID cases (implemented 9/16/21)

● FCHD contacting paused families via email or phone as a temporary solution to address backlog (implemented 9/16/21)

● Initial improvements to case lengths expected with week of 9/12/21 case data

Enhancements in Development

● FCPS/ FCHD Data Exchange (estimated implementation late Sept. / early Oct.)

○ Increase system efficiency and reduce workload for staff

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Student Contact Tracing Responsibilities

Fairfax County Public Schools is responsible for…

● Notifying the Health Department of positive cases and providing potential close contacts and their

contact information

● Sending pause letters to potential close contacts as directed by the Health Department

● Communicating with families after the Health Department has determined a student’s return status

Fairfax County Health Department is responsible for…

● Conducting case investigation and contact tracing (determining close contacts and providing

quarantine or isolation guidance as appropriate)

● Reviewing documentation submitted including COVID testing and Vaccination Verification Surveys

● Determining when students can resume normal activities (e.g. school) and providing clearance letters

to families

● Communicating student return dates to families and designated FCPS staff

Families are responsible for…

● Notifying the school if their child tests positive for or is diagnosed with COVID-19 or is directed to

quarantine or isolate by the Health Department, child’s physician, or other medical provider

● Completing the Health Department Vaccination Verification Survey to expedite the return of

asymptomatic students on pause or quarantine, if applicable

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COVID-19 Response Flowchart for FCPS Families

Flowchart can be viewed on the FCPS Website:: https://www.fcps.edu/return-school/health-and-safety-guidance-document

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Testing and Vaccination Updates

● 87% contracted staff have responded to the Vaccination Survey (9/16 data)

● 96.8% respondents are fully vaccinated (9/16 data)

● Anticipated start date for student and staff testing - late October 2021

● Preparation for vaccinations for children under 12- seeking family input

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Mask Policy Enforcement

● All students, staff, and visitors are expected to follow current FCPS mask requirements unless specifically approved for an exemption

● Concerns about mask compliance should be directed to the principal or program manager

● If concerns are unable to be resolved with the principal or program manager, families and staff may share their concerns with the Region Office or make a confidential report to the Office of the Ombudsman (571-423-4014)

● Students who have concerns are encouraged to share them with their teacher, assistant principal, or another trusted adult in the building

● Students may also contact the Office of the Ombudsman

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Students who are unable to attend school in-person due to

COVID or possible exposure to COVID will be provided with

instructional support by FCPS educators.

No later than Day 3 of a student’s COVID related absence,

schools will provide student supports that include:

● Livestreaming or recordings of direct instruction

● Asynchronous assignments

● Connection to a staff member for individualized support

Instructional Support During COVID Related Absences

Supporting Students during COVID Related Absences

Class Instruction Asynchronous Work Teacher Support

Elementary

Livestreaming of whole group direct instruction in

Language Arts/Math or access to recorded lessons

(teacher choice)

Supports for students in specialized programs will

include:

● ELD instruction for ESOL students

● Support for students with disabilities in

meeting IEP goals

Morning meeting - optional

Daily tasks assigned by teacher

posted in Learning Management

System (Schoology)

Self-directed computer-based

instruction (e.g., ST Math,

Imagine Language and Literacy,

etc.)

Independent Reading

Teacher check-in via Zoom every other school

day with students (individual or group) to support

academic and SEL needs

Weekly check-in led by additional designated

staff member to support student (individual or

group) academic and SEL needs

Secondary

Livestreaming of whole group direct instruction or

access to recorded lessons (teacher choice)

Supports for students in specialized programs will

include:

● ELD instruction for ESOL students

● Support for students with disabilities in

meeting IEP goals

Daily tasks assigned by teacher

posted in Learning Management

System (Schoology)

Teacher check-in via Zoom every other school

day for after school office hours (individual or

group) to support academic and SEL needs

Weekly check-in led by additional designated

staff member to support student (individual or

group) academic and SEL needs

Optional for schools to assign a point of contact

for student(s)

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Recommended Staffing Updates

Increase pay for Schedule H - Transportation Employees through

a 2.5% MSA: $1.5M

● Bus Driver (excluding drivers already increased to $22.91 on 9/11/21)

● Bus Driver Floater

● Bus Driver Supervisor

● Transportation Attendant

● Transportation Van Driver

● Effective date for Transportation October 9, 2021

Increase pay for substitute teachers by $2/hour: $4.1M

● Effective date for Substitutes October 9, 2021

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School Board Questions and Discussion

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Appendix A-Sub Fill Rates

Week 1:

August 23-27

Week 2:

August 30-

September 3

Week 3:

September 6-10

Week 4:

September 13-17

Average Fill Rate:

Teacher and

Assistant Subs

78.8% 77.0% 69.3% 63.6%

Average Fill Rate:

Teacher Subs Only

82.1% 81.5% 72.6% 66.7%

Average Fill Rate:

Assistant Subs

Only

67.5% 63.7% 57.8% 52.5%

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Appendix B-Teacher Sub Hourly Pay Rates

Short-Term Rate Long-Term

Rate

Short-Term

Rate-Retiree

Long-Term

Rate-Retiree

Alexandria $14.66 $21.01

Arlington $15.59 $25.97

Fairfax $14.79 $20.91 $20.91 $26.52

Loudoun $16.10 $22.00

Montgomery $18.41 (non-degreed)

$19.58 (degreed)

$20.25

$21.54

Prince William $16.81 $21.00 $16.81 $24.61