Good afternoon, VBCPS families-
Haga clic aquí para ver este mensaje en españo.
As you know by now, Governor Ralph Northam declared that all K-12 schools in the state be closed for a minimum of two weeks. Thank you for your patience as we work through how this closure affects Virginia Beach City Public Schools. It is a rapidly evolving situation, so we promise to keep you updated throughout the process via AlertNow, our website and our official social media channels.
We apologize for the length of this email. However, we know you have questions, and we hope to answer many of them now.
Schedule Changes
Monday, March 16, will be a staff day for essential employees. This means that our school buildings will have minimal staff in place to assist with final preparations for the extended closure. If you need to pick up a Chromebook, medication or other personal items belonging to your child, please arrange to do so tomorrow. After Monday, school buildings will be closed to students and families through March 27 or until further notice. Should you need to collect materials or medication after Monday, please email your school principal to arrange for this, or call 757-263-1111 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Continuity of Learning
We aim to keep our students engaged and learning over the next two weeks. During this school closure, we ask that parents and guardians encourage students to utilize the materials and resources their teachers have provided. Parents of pre-K students have received information from their child’s teacher. Students in grades K-12, at a minimum, will receive one learning activity per content area each week during the extended closure. This information has either been sent home or will be available online. You will be contacted by your child’s teacher with their virtual “office hours” in order to set up regular online or email conversations as needed during the closure. The purpose of these office hours is to answer questions students or parents may have about instructional tasks or resources.
School counselors are also available to support our students with non-instructional needs based on a schedule that will be provided by the school. You may contact any counselor through email or Schoology message if you have any concern or issue that needs attention.
For more information about this, please see our continuity of learning webpage.
Special Education, Section 504 and Homebound Services
For students with disabilities instructed in the general curriculum, case managers will collaborate with general educators and ensure that students with disabilities have access to supports and any needed accommodations where reasonably feasible. Students served in early childhood special education classrooms and those instructed in adapted curriculum will receive learning materials aligned to their needs. If you have any questions, please contact your student’s case manager.
Special education students currently receiving home-based services through individualized education programs will receive materials to engage in learning at home during school closure. Home-based services will resume when schools reopen.
For students with a Section 504 plan, school counselors will collaborate with general educators and ensure that these students have access to supports and any needed accommodations where reasonably feasible. If you have any questions, please contact your school counselor during their virtual office hours.
General education students receiving homebound or home-based services will not be able to receive in-home support from VBCPS staff during this closure. These students will receive learning activities through the assigned school.
Internet access
We are committed to helping families without internet find options for connectivity. If you do not have internet access at home, please either complete this form or call (757) 263-1111 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can also contact your child’s school tomorrow so arrangements can be made for access to alternative learning materials.
Medication
A parent (or designated adult by the parent), should pick up, Monday, March 16, medications and/or treatment supplies from the school clinic that will be needed at home during the school closure time period. Parents should consider that the reopening of schools could be extended beyond the minimum 14 days order by the governor, based on the status of COVID-19 in our community.
Please contact your child’s school Monday if you have any questions or concerns regarding this pickup process.
Food services
Beginning Tuesday, March 17, meals will be offered to all students without charge at the school sites listed below. To maintain the safety guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), meals will be provided using a drive by/pickup model. They will be bagged and include both a breakfast and lunch. Should pickup dates or sites be changed, you will be notified via AlertNow, on our website and through our official social media channels.
Meals will be provided on weekdays beginning Tuesday, March 17, from 9 a.m. – noon, at the following schools:
| ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS | MIDDLE SCHOOLS | HIGH SCHOOLS |
| Arrowhead Elementary | Bayside Middle | Bayside High |
| Bayside Elementary | Bayside 6th Grade Campus | Green Run High |
| Birdneck Elementary | Brandon Middle | Renaissance Academy |
| Brookwood Elementary | Corporate Landing Middle | |
| College Park Elementary | Larkspur Middle | |
| Cooke Elementary | Lynnhaven Middle | |
| Green Run Elementary | Plaza Middle | |
| Holland Elementary | ||
| Kempsville Meadows Elementary | ||
| King’s Grant Elementary | ||
| Luxford Elementary | ||
| Lynnhaven Elementary | ||
| Malibu Elementary | ||
| Newtown Elementary | ||
| Parkway Elementary | ||
| Pembroke Meadows Elementary | ||
| Point O’View Elementary | ||
| Rosemont Elementary | ||
| Seatack Elementary | ||
| Shelton Park Elementary | ||
| Tallwood Elementary | ||
| Thalia Elementary | ||
| White Oaks Elementary | ||
| Williams Elementary | ||
| Windsor Oaks Elementary | ||
| Windsor Woods Elementary | ||
| Woodstock Elementary |
The division is investigating other methods for meal delivery and will be communicating about that in the coming days.
School Calendar/Spring Break
At this time, no decisions have been made about the nine weeks marking period or SOL testing. Information will be communicated as it becomes available and will be updated on our FAQ site online (see below).
No decision has been made to change Spring Break at this time. We will keep you updated on any changes in the school calendar.
Staying Healthy
We encourage your family to follow the CDC guidelines for keeping safe and minimizing the spread of COVID-19. Medical questions may be directed to the VDH Hotline: 877-275-8343 (877-ASK-VDH3).
We will keep you informed during and after this closure and continue to communicate any change in status through our traditional channels. Please also continue to refer to our FAQ page at www.vbschools.com/COVID19, this site is continually being updated with new information.
Again, thank you for your patience and flexibility, and as always, thank you for your support of Virginia Beach City Public Schools.