There will be no high school sports this year in Alexandria unless they can adhere to 10-foot distancing as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr.
As of Friday, ACPS was determining which sports will be allowed in the school system, and a decision is expected to be released in ACPS Express on Monday.
With case counts rising in Northern Virginia, Alexandria has 180.7 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people within the last 14 days, according to the Dr. Stephen Haering, director of the Alexandria Health Department. That means that residents are at a high risk of infection.
Haering told Hutchings and the Virtual Plus Learning Advisory Team on Wednesday (Nov. 11) that Virginia High School League requirements allowing fall and winter high school sports to continue do not meet CDC guidelines, particularly athletes not distancing or having to wear masks while competing.
“If it’s an outdoor track event where people are staying 10 feet apart, I believe that would be okay,” Haering said. “As long as you don’t have spectators.”
VHSL released guidelines for public schools to return to sports last month, and they include no handshakes between teams, cheerleaders must be distanced and the first row of bleachers must be empty.
Hutchings said that he has “very serious concerns” regarding sports, and that VHSL guidance is contradictory since sports like wrestling are permitted without face masks.
“Even with trying to keep the 10 feet guidelines that have been recommended by the CDC, that is going to limit the number of winter sports that are available, so I am going to follow the guidance that you have provided,” Hutchings told Haering at the meeting. “If there are any winter sports that can afford us to be 10 feet apart and to follow those guidelines, then of course we will adhere to that and we will be able to participate in those particular sports.”
Hutchings acknowledged that he will likely get emails and calls from the community on his decision.
“What I’m trying to do is make sure we are following those CDC guidelines and adhering to them at all times and not when we think it’s convenient,” Hutchings said.
As previously reported, T.C. Williams High School has been gearing up for cheerleading and basketball to start on Dec. 7, followed by winter sports (indoor track, wrestling and swimming) on Dec. 14. The VHSL schedule for public schools also has football games set for February and spring sports (soccer, tennis, baseball, softball, outdoor track and lacrosse) beginning in April.
Recent Stories
Just Listed includes a 6 BD/4.5 BA home with 10ft ceilings, a gas fireplace and a private balcony.
Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) is the biggest winner of a 2.5 cent tax rate increase being considered by City Council, but it still falls short of the budget voted…
Vermilion at 1120 King Street has some pretty prestigious fans. Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema shared a list of his five favorite spots around the area with an emphasis…
Good Friday morning, Alexandria! ☀️ Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 66. Still mostly cloudy tonight with a low around 47, then cloudy again…
For many remote workers, a messy home is distracting.
You’re getting pulled into meetings, and your unread emails keep ticking up. But you can’t focus because pet hair tumbleweeds keep floating across the floor, your desk has a fine layer of dust and you keep your video off in meetings so no one sees the chaos behind you.
It’s no secret a dirty home is distracting and even adds stress to your life. And who has the energy to clean after work? That’s why it’s smart to enlist the help of professionals, like Well-Paid Maids.
Monarch Montessori School is now enrolling infants, toddlers and three year-olds for its full-time Montessori program. We offer a seamless enrollment process which involves submitting an application for review, paying the enrollment fee and submitting the remaining enrollment materials before your proposed start date.
At Monarch Montessori School, we aim to provide an authentic Montessori learning experience. At our Alexandria location, we currently have 8 openings in our Primary classroom (ages 3-6), and 6 openings in our Toddler classroom. Additionally, there are 3 infant openings at this time.
Our first floor space is an open concept. Infants and toddlers share the same large classroom. Children ages 3-6 are in two classrooms on our second floor. Each classroom has one lead and assistant guide. We offer a year-round program, with intermittent breaks for Spring Break and Winter Break.
Scholarship Fund of Alexandria Annual Gala & Auction
Do good while having a good time at the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria’s 38th Annual Gala and Auction at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center. The fun begins with a 2-hour open bar reception while mingling with 499 other Alexandrians who
