School Board Voting Tonight on Phased Plan to Reopen Alexandria Elementary and Middle Schools

The Alexandria School Board will vote tonight on the Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr.’s phased plan to reopen elementary and middle schools starting next month.

The board will discuss and then vote on the proposal, which was unveiled on October 15. The meeting starts at 7 p.m.

Under the proposal, kindergarten through second graders with disabilities would go to Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 International Baccalaureate School on November 5.

The full proposed schedule, which does not include T.C. Williams High School, is below.

• November 17: Expand to include Students with Disabilities in grades 3-5 who are enrolled in the Citywide Special Education program who opt into in-person learning
• November 30: Expand to include ECSE students who opt into in-person learning [to be housed at the Early Childhood Center (ECC)]
• November 30: Expand to include Students with Disabilities in grades K-5 who receive self-contained Language Arts and Math instruction who opt into in-person learning
• December 2020: Expand to include Students with Disabilities in grades 6-8 who are enrolled in the Citywide Special Education program who opt into in-person learning
• January 2021: Expand to include all remaining students in grades PreK-5 who opt into in-person learning
• February 2021: Expand to include all remaining students in grades 6-8 who opt into in-person learning

The phased approach will help with some staffing issues.

A recent survey found that 56% of staff would be very or somewhat likely to go back to school in the event of facilities reopening with COVID restrictions. The same survey found that younger grade levels are having more challenges with screen time than older students, and that younger families need child care.