Fairfax School Board Delays Decision On Hybrid Model For Students
FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — After Superintendent Scott Brabrand presented recommendations for phasing in hybrid learning, the school board could not reach a decision on hybrid learning in a Thursday meeting that ran into Friday.
In September, the school board approved a plan to bring back limited cohorts of students for in-person learning. The first group of students started returning on Oct. 5 for specialized Career and Technical Education classes, and additional groups are planned to return later in October and November.
This week's vote centered around the return of two groups for hybrid learning, or a mix of in-person and virtual learning. Under the superintendent's tentative timeline, there would be a January return for elementary school students in third through sixth grade, students in secondary public day programs-special education (Burke School middle school students, Cedar Lane School and Quander Road School) and Davis & Pulley Center (students with target learner profiles). The next group, middle and high school students in sixth through twelfth grade and Davis & Pulley Career Centers, would return in February.
The school board deadlocked on a motion to postpone discussions until Nov. 12 on bringing back those two groups for hybrid instruction. School board members who favored delaying the conversation were Ricardy Anderson, Melanie Meren, Tamara Kaufax, Abrar Omeish, Laura Jane H Cohen, and Karl Frisch. Members who were opposed were Megan McLaughlin, Rachna Heizer, Elaine Tholen, Karen Corbett Sanders, Karen Keys-Gamarra and Stella Pekarsky.
The return to school presentation focused on the school district's operational and readiness levels, an update on COVID notification and reporting, and tentative phases for bringing back remaining student groups.
This article originally appeared on the Kingstowne-Rose Hill Patch
