FCCPS The Road to Reopening

Dear FCCPS Families,

School reopens virtually on Monday, and we are excited to begin the 2020-2021 school year, even though this is not how we imagined it would start. Our amazing School Teams and Central Office staff have been working on getting things ready for Monday morning. Everyone has spent time preparing, deepening their knowledge of online instructional best practices, and, most importantly, developing strong approaches to creating learning environments that are inclusive, engaging, and encouraging. We are all committed to making this online learning experience positive for our students. Below you will find some information to help kick off the first week of school like...Morning Announcements, Technology Support, Attendance, Athletic Updates, and some additional resources to support you and your child as we kick off virtual learning for the 2020-2021 school year!

Morning Announcements

The beginning of the new school year brings the anticipated daily arrival of The Morning Announcements! Subscribe today, so you don’t miss an issue! www.fccps.org/ma

For those new to the division, The Morning Announcements is our daily newsletter of ‘all things FCCPS.” It will arrive in your inbox each school day at 7:15 a.m.

Technology Readiness and Troubleshooting

Cheers to our tech team, who have been working hard to make sure all of our students have technology. If your student’s FCCPS technology is not working, please submit a request for FCCPS Technology Team support using the following links 

The Technology Team will contact you to either resolve the issue remotely or schedule an in-person appointment at school.  During the first week of school (August 24 through August 28th), FCCPS technology staff will be at Mt. Daniel, Thomas, Jefferson, Mary Ellen Henderson, and George Mason each day from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.  If your technology needs require a visit to one of our schools, please come fully masked and adhere to proper social distance guidelines.  On campus, please request to see a Technology Team member. Throughout the virtual learning period, FCCPS technology teams will continue to work with you remotely. They will also be available in-person on Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School.

Athletics and Activities

We are excited that our athletic teams will be able to start practicing this fall in advance of the Virgina High School League’s timeline for sports to begin. Our new Athletic Director, Marvin Wooten, is working with coaches to ensure that students are safe and ready for athletic competitions to begin. Additional information regarding practices and requirements are available in George Mason’s Fall Return to Play information.

Attendance Message for the FCCPS Online Instructional Program

As we launch virtual learning, we will be taking attendance. Please take some time over the weekend to review the attendance document to familiarize your family with the attendance expectations, codes, and definitions. 

Resources for Parents

Below you will find a list of links to additional resources that parents, families, and caregivers may find helpful as virtual/distance learning begins at home on August 24th:

Please remember that we are all in this together, so take a deep breath and some time to relax this weekend. Celebrate the end of what has undoubtedly been a unique summer! We are a strong learning community, and we have come so far together. Please keep wearing your face coverings, washing your hands, and practicing social distancing. We continue to monitor the health data for our region, and when it improves we will all be able to be back together. Welcome 2020-2021! #bettertogether

Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

Peter