Category Archives: COVID-19

Registration for Staff Child Care Program Now Open!

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Online Registration Form

Dear Colleagues:

Thank you to those of you who participated in our child care survey earlier this month. Your responses helped us assess the needs of our employees and informed our planning.

We are happy to announce that the Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) Staff Child Care Program (SCCP) will open on Tuesday, September 8, at three locations: Brownsville Elementary School, Hollymead Elementary School, and Monticello High School.

The program is currently staffed to serve about 150 students division-wide from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each school day. The SCCP will operate as a self-sustaining, non-profit program with a flat weekly rate of $150 per child (regardless of the number of days a child attends). Children aged 4-12 are eligible to participate.

Registration is now open! Parents should submit one registration form per child. Continue reading →

Superintendent Haas Welcomes Educators to the 2020-21 School Year

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Dr. Haas shares his thoughts about the division’s potential for greatness and the essential part our educators play in making Albemarle County Public Schools a high-performing school division focused on improving equity of opportunity and delivering high-quality teaching and learning.

ACPS Child Care Program Survey – Please Respond by Aug. 17

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Two children wearing masks ready for school

Dear Colleagues:

We are in the process of developing a program to provide child care for our teachers and classified staff when schools reopen on September 8. If you are interested in using this program, please take a few moments to complete the ACPS Employee Child Care Survey by Monday, August 17. Your responses will help us continue our planning.

Here’s what we have determined so far: Continue reading →

Technology Update: Internet Access Options

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Wi-Fi Symbol on Laptop

The Department of Technology is working to support you and your students by making sure each family has a stable, reliable internet connection that is capable of streaming video and can be used for a sustained period of time. We will support each school as they work on a case-by-case basis to determine the best solution for each family’s internet connection need(s) based on several factors, including financial need and service area location.

Currently, we have the following Internet Access Options for students and families who do not currently have internet, or adequate internet: Continue reading →

Return to School Accommodation and Leave Requests

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ACPS Logo

As we approach the start of the 2020-21 school year on Tuesday, September 8, we understand that staff may need to request leave or other accommodations because they are unable to fulfill the duties and work expectations of their positions. Human Resources has provided information about accommodation requests; leave requests; separation of employment; outstanding contracts; and important dates and deadlines in the following document: Return to School Accommodation and Leave Requests.

Continue reading →

Child Care Update for Teachers & Essential Classified Staff

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Bernard Hairston

Dear Colleagues:

As Dr. Haas noted in his message to you earlier this month, our school division is looking into the possibility of providing child care for our teachers and essential classified staff when schools reopen on September 8. This one-time program would operate only as long as the primary form of instruction provided to students is virtual. At their meeting yesterday, the School Board approved this method of instruction for the first nine weeks of the new school year. Continue reading →

School Board Decides: Most Students Will Begin the New School Year With Virtual Instruction

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Superintendent Matthew Haas

Dear Colleagues:

Just a short while ago, our School Board approved a return to school plan for September 8 that will have most of our students beginning the new year with virtual instruction. There will be provisions for students who do not have internet access or whose internet access is not adequate for virtual learning. These students, along with some who have special needs and some who are English Learners, will be able to come into schools to work with learning coaches in accessing virtual instruction assignments. Continue reading →

Special Information Session on July 29: A Discussion With Area Physicians on COVID-19 and Children

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Child and Adult Wear Masks and Use Hand Sanitizer

Wednesday, July 29, 2020 | 5 p.m. | Zoom Meeting Link

In an effort to help provide up-to-date information as our school division and community prepare for the start of school, please join us for a panel discussion about COVID-19 and children via Zoom on Wednesday, July 29, at 5 p.m. The panel will feature two physicians who are faculty members in UVa’s Department of Pediatric Medicine and Eileen Gomez, School Health Coordinator for ACPS. They will provide current information and be available for questions. Continue reading →

Return to School Update: Virtual Reopening Under Consideration

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Superintendent Matthew Haas

Dear Colleagues:

The early results from our employee survey are making it understandably clear that there is a great deal of concern and even fear among many of you regarding a physical return to school in September.

I got a personal view of how you feel this past Friday at one of our schools. I was visiting with employees and sharing some of their job responsibilities to give me more insight into their working conditions. It caused me to think about the risk any one of these employees could face in September, especially those with underlying health conditions or with connections to someone at risk. Continue reading →

Update: Annual Leave Overages

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Man Working and Daydreaming of Vacation

The school division recognizes that due to the disruptions to personal and work schedules related to the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees are not able to take time off. We previously announced that the conversion of annual leave at or above 320 hours that normally occurs at the end of an employee’s birth month has been temporarily disabled. In recognition that employees may not be able to take time off for the immediate foreseeable future, the suspension will be extended until February 28, 2021. Continue reading →