When students come back to Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) later this month, they will be wearing face masks.
The School Board voted unanimously last night (Tuesday) to require all students, faculty, staff and visitors to ACPS facilities to wear face masks when inside for the time being.
Staff said at the meeting last night that the city is seeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases. Julie Crawford, chief of Student Services and Equity, said that among the factors being considered is the new Delta variant. While earlier CDC guidance had said it was safe for vaccinated individuals to go without masks indoors — guidance that has since changed — Crawford said ACPS not requiring vaccination to return to school means it’s impossible to tell which students are safe to go unmasked and which aren’t.
“We’re going back to five-days in-person… we know that we are going to have full classrooms and we will not be able to physically distance in our schools and in our programs,” Crawford said. “When we’re not able to do that distancing, the importance of the other mitigating measures kicks it up a notch.”
Crawford said that staff will continue to review health guidelines and data throughout the year and will reassess masking at a later date.
In a press release, ACPS said masking is one of several health mitigation measures planned for the upcoming school year.
“These include daily online health screening, temperature screenings in school entrances, continued enhanced cleaning, and procedures to limit the number of visitors in school facilities,” the press release said. “Families are asked to drop off students outside of school and visitors will be limited. All essential, approved visitors will be expected to adhere to the established safety mitigation strategies.
Visiting of the schools will also be limited to those working with in-person student supports, like in partner programs, those working on ACPS operations and maintenance, and those picking up students who have become ill during the school day.
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Monarch Montessori School located in the heart of Del Ray is enrolling children 6 weeks to 6 years of age for our half day and full day program.
Our hours of operation are 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday-Friday. Monarch Montessori School is open year round, with intermittent breaks.
Children engage in self-directed, self-initiated activities under the guidance of a trained Montessori teacher. Classroom sizes range from 8-12 students. Our robust curriculum includes botany, sensorial activities, the social graces, culture, math, science, practical life, geography, music appreciation and language arts.
You’ll get half off of the registration fee when you register and begin care with us before April 30, 2023.
Press Release:
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The HIPAA Seal of Compliance is issued to organizations that have implemented an effective HIPAA compliance program through the use of The Guard, Compliancy Group’s proprietary compliance tracking solution.
Clients and patients are becoming more aware of the requirements of HIPAA compliance and how the regulation protects their personal information. Forward-thinking providers like EDBS Dental Billing Solutions choose the HIPAA Seal of Compliance to differentiate their services.
Del Ray Dog Fest & Yappy Hour
The 1st Annual Del Ray Dog Fest is a fun outdoor event that will include dog-centered activities, dog menu items, live music, vendors and food on Sunday, April 2 from 11am- 3pm at the George Washington Middle School parking lot.
