Coronavirus Update for March 13, 2020 – Schools to close March 16, 2020

During the past several days we have heard concerns from parents and staff about keeping our schools open while the coronavirus response escalates in our region and around the country.  Please know the safety and well being of our young people is always the top priority in ACPS. The mental, physical and emotional health of our students is at the forefront of our decision-making during this coronavirus situation.

At this time, we have no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in our schools, and the Alexandria Health Department has not determined community-spread of the coronavirus in the City of Alexandria. We have a number of staff and students who are self-quarantining and will be out for several weeks. Closures in our region are also impacting our ability to fully staff our schools.

Although the Alexandria Health Department is not recommending schools to close at this time, multiple issues are impacting the ability for our schools to function effectively and efficiently.

Therefore, all ACPS schools will be closed as of Monday, March 16, 2020. We are currently planning to close until after spring break (April 13, 2020) and will continue to monitor the situation throughout this period of time.

Our food services team is making arrangements for students to be provided meals while schools remain closed. Additional details will be sent later today. 

During our closure, a daily update will be sent out via ACPS Express around 1 p.m to all families and community members who are signed up to receive these updates. Sign up for ACPS Express now. There will be a webinar at 3 p.m. every day to answer questions from families. We will send more information with specific details about this on Monday, March 16, 2020.

Please make sure your contact information is current in our system so that you can receive all correspondence from the school division during this time. Please contact your registrar today if you need to update your contact information in our system. For more details, see the FAQ on the ACPS website, information below or visit our coronavirus webpage at www.acps.k12.va.us/coronavirus.

We thank you for your support during this difficult time and appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve our students and staff throughout this closure. More details about operations during closure will be provided later today. Daily updates will begin on Monday, March 16, 2020.

Sincerely,

Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr.
Superintendent of Schools

PARENT FAQs

What work will be happening in our school facilities while schools are closed?
Every building will be deep cleaned while schools are closed. Other contracted work will continue as planned.

How can I get internet access at home?
Sign up for Comcast Internet Essentials. Visit www.internetessentials.com.

  • Comcast is offering a FREE 60 day service and then $9.95/month
  • New customers receive a free self-install kit that includes a cable modem with a Wi-Fi router.  There will be no term contract or credit check and no shipping fee.
  • For assistance call 1-855-846-8376 for English and 1-855-765-6995 for Spanish.

How do I continue to get updates?
Make sure your contact information is up to date and you are able to receive information at this critical time.

Any member of the community can sign up to receive updates via ACPS Express. Sign up for ACPS Express now. An update will be shared via ACPS Express daily at 1 p.m.
An outline of emergency communication methods can be found on the ACPS website.

How will my child learn while schools are closed?
Instructional packets are going home today for elementary school students. Those students who have access to Chromebooks will be taking them home today. Instructional packets will be posted on the ACPS website for easy access.

Will there be other instructional supports?
ACPS-TV will be running educational content from 9 a.m. through noon each day. More information will be sent out on Monday.

Will there be continued access to food?
ACPS School Nutrition Services is continuing to develop a plan for providing food for students in need. Further information about meal availability will be communicated in the near future.

Families in need may also contact our local food pantry at https://www.alive-inc.org/ or 703-837-9300.

What should I do if someone in our family experiences coronavirus-like symptoms?
Individuals who need medical care should contact their primary care physician to report their illness or contact Neighborhood Health.

Will Rec and/or Campagna programs be open?
Please check their websites: https://www.alexandriava.gov/Recreation and https://www.campagnacenter.org.

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ACPS, Announcements, Coronavirus