Dear Colleagues,

At their upcoming meeting on October 8, the Albemarle County School Board will decide whether the school division will progress to the next stage of reopening (from Stage 2 to Stage 3). The school division will remain in its current stage (Stage 2) through at least the end of the first quarter. The Board’s decision will impact the second quarter of the school year, which begins on November 9.

A decision to move to Stage 3 would mean that most students would continue with virtual learning, but in-person access would expand to include additional students in Grades 4-12 who meet certain criteria, including additional English Learners, additional students who qualify for special education, and students who are exhibiting a lack of engagement in the virtual learning experience. Stage 3 also includes a hybrid learning option for all students in Grades PK-3; however, families can elect for their child to continue in a fully virtual learning option.

On Friday, September 25, the division invited all employees to provide feedback to inform this impending decision. Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to participate so far. If you haven’t yet provided your opinion, please refer to the “Stage 3 Staff Feedback” message emailed to you on Friday, September 25, from Albemarle County Public Schools <acps-surveys@k12albemarle.org>. If you cannot locate the email and you would like to participate in the survey, please contact Chris Gilman. The staff survey will remain open through Friday, October 2.

Later today, the school division will open parent/guardian and student versions of the survey as well. As part of our invitation to participate, we will share the following with families:

• A link to our Stages of Returning web page for more details on Stages 2 and 3, including answers to frequently asked questions about Stage 3.
• A video about How We’re Protecting Students & Staff During COVID-19; and
• A link to preview a subset of slides drafted for presentation to the School Board on October 8.

Some of you previewed an earlier version of these slides during faculty meetings last Friday. Since then, based primarily on feedback from elementary school principals and teachers, we have altered the hybrid learning component of Stage 3 to include two days per week of face-to-face learning for students in Grades PK-3, rather than four days per week.

You may view an updated version of the Stage 3 Details slides in Google, including slides that address staffing in Stage 3. Please note the speaker icon in the upper-right corner of each slide. Should you wish to listen to a narrative that accompanies the presentation, please view the slides in Present mode. Depending on your internet browser, you may need to hover over the speaker icon and click the Play icon to start the audio.

Thank you for your partnership.