In this issue:
Superintendent’s Update
Information about Autism Awareness Month
COVID Reminders & Information
FCCPS COVID by the Numbers
SUPERINTENDENT’S UPDATES
Dear FCCPS Families,
Welcome back from Spring Break! I hope you all had an opportunity to be together, rest, and renew as we head toward the end of the year. This is the time of year that things move fast…we will be celebrating graduation at Meridian before we know it. Enjoy the fun times and the end of the year celebrations.
The Fifth Grade PYP Exhibition took place on Thursday in person! Congratulations to all 5th-grade students and teachers and mentors on your hard work and achievements.
This is a reminder of the message that went out just before spring break…FCCPS, along with many school divisions in the US, had the incorrect date for the holiday of Eid al-Fitr. The school calendar holiday for Eid is changing from Tuesday, May 3, 2022, to Monday, May 2, 2022. FCCPS and surrounding school systems originally scheduled the day off for the 3rd. I want to thank our employees and community members who celebrate Eid al-Fitr for educating us on how Islamic holiday dates are determined based on the lunar calendar.
If you made previous arrangements and as a result, your student will need to be out of school on Tuesday, May 3rd, please report the excused absence to your student’s school. Also, our Daycare Program and Rec and Parks have moved their respective programs from Tuesday the 3rd to Monday the 2nd.
Have a great weekend!
Peter Peter J. Noonan, EdD
Superintendent
#BetterTogether #WeAreIB #IBforAll
Autism Acceptance Month
April is recognized as Autism Acceptance month throughout the United States. Through inclusive practices, talented staff, and student support, our amazing FCCPS classrooms create and sustain environments where everyone thrives. We celebrate all that individuals with autism bring to our community.
COVID Reminders & Information
Falls Church Covid Status –MEDIUM
Falls Church City has seen a slight increase in case numbers which moved the COVID status to medium. Please continue to be vigilant, participate in testing if exposed or symptomatic, and get vaccinated.
FCCPS follows the CDC Guidelines based on community transmission levels and information available in our FCCPS Pandemic/Communicable Disease Response Matrix for daily operations.
Symptomatic Students/Staff
Any student/staff member who is displaying COVID-like symptoms should not attend school/work until symptoms are resolving (including being fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication), AND
They provide a negative COVID test (lab, proctored, or home tests are accepted) OR an alternate diagnosis or clearance from a medical professional.
Adjustments will be made for students with known health conditions based on the guidance of our nursing staff.
BinaxNow Rapid Testing
Proctored rapid tests are available in each school health clinic.
Please contact the School Health Aide or go to the health clinic to get a rapid test.
All BinaxNow tests are proctored tests. Users must set up a Navica account and visit http://virginia.emed.com/ to begin the “test for school” process. FCCPS BinaxNow Tip Sheet.pdf
Each school health clinic has an iPad to help support testing. Parents (not school staff) must administer the test to their students. FCCPS BinaxNow Tip Sheet.pdf
PCR Testing
Free PCR testing is available to students and staff every Tuesday and Thursday.
To join, register here! It only takes a minute and continues to be an essential part of our Covid-19 mitigation strategy.
FCCPS COVID By The Numbers
Weekly updates to the data below ensure that all community members are informed about positive cases, and testing.
Data: | Number Positive of Cases for Weeks 33-34 | Cumulative Since August 1 |
# of Student Cases: | 23 | 453 |
# of Staff Cases | 7 | 97 |
# of Students in Quarantine as a Close Contact | 0 | 208 |
FCCPS Rate of Transmission | MEDIUM for Falls Church City MEDIUM for Fairfax Health District | |
Please note that this data is just a snapshot of FCCPS in total and is adjusted based on the outcomes of each contact tracing investigation.
All FCCPS positive cases are included regardless of source. These data include parent/staff reports, ViSSTA results, HD notifications, and healthcare providers.
ViSSTA Testing Data Weeks of | Number Tested | # Positive |
Week of April 18-22 Tuesday Thursday |
227 269 |
3 TBD |
Important COVID Links for Parents:
Important Mental Health Resources for Families:
Call 911 should you need immediate support in a life-threatening situation.
CrisisLink Regional Hotline: 703-527-4077 CrisisText: Text HOME to 741741
Mobile Crisis Unit: 703-573-5679
Merrifield Center Emergency Services: 703-573-5679
National Hope Line: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
LGBTQ Lifeline: 1-866-488-7386
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357)