Gov. Ralph Northam announced today that Virginia is on track to enter Phase Three next Wednesday (July 1).

“That gives us about three and a half weeks in Phase Two, where we have been able to follow the data,” Northam said, adding that he wants people to keep wearing masks and follow guidelines to avoid recent spikes on other states.

During his press conference today, Northam and state health department officials said that Virginia is seeing a decline in cases and hospitalizations.

Phase Three guidelines will:

• allow social gatherings with groups of 250 or less
• lift the restrictions on non-essential retail stores
• allow fitness centers and pools to open at 75% capacity
• reopen child care facilities

Still, things such as overnight summer camps for kids will not be allowed, Northam said. Northam said that the “safer at home” recommendation is still in place for people who are immunocompromised, and remote work is encouraged.

Other changes include public access to online data from nursing homes and long term care facilities throughout the state, according to Northam. This data includes the number of cases and number of deaths, one of Northam’s advisers said.

“Now that there are more cases in the facilities, we can release the information without compromising the confidentiality,” he said.

To track and limit the spread of COVID-19 in care facilities, Northam also announced that $56 million will be available for testing of both residents and care-takers.

Image via Facebook Live

As restrictions ease, restaurants around Reston Town Center are starting to reopen for in-house dining with alternative services to keep customers and staff safe.

Many restaurants in the area are taking to social media letting customers know that they’re open for business. Still, for those who don’t feel comfortable dining around other people yet, many locations are also offering takeout and delivery.

Here is a list of updates from eateries around Reston Town Center.

Sit Down Options: 

Barcelona Wine Bar (2900 Larimer Street) has reopened on-site dining with five tables that are available on a first-come-first-serve basis, according to one of the location’s staff members.

Bartaco (12021 Town Square Street) appears to be open for take-out and delivery only, according to its Facebook page. Dine-in options are also available.

Clyde’s (11905 Market Street) is now offering both indoor and outdoor seating, its Facebook page said.

Crafthouse (1888 Explorer Street) is open for indoor dining, its Facebook said, adding that the location will be operating with alternative hours which can be found on the restaurant’s social media sites.

Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls (11939 Democracy Drive) is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. everyday. The restaurant offers takeout, outdoor seating and limited indoor seating.

Mon Ami Gabi (11950 Democracy Drive) is another eatery at Reston Town Center which has opened for indoor and outdoor dining, according to a post on Facebook.

Jackson’s Mighty Fine Food & Lucky Lounge (11927 Democracy Drive) is open for take-out and indoor/outdoor in-person dining, its website said. Reservations can be made online.

Morton’s Steakhouse (11956 Market Street) is open for on-site dining, offering guests both lunch and dinner, the website said. Reservations and menus can be found online.

North Italia (11898 Market Street) is open for indoor and outdoor dining, a staff member told Reston Now.

PassionFish (11960 Democracy Drive) is open for patio dining, according to a Facebook post.

Ted Bulletin (11948 Market Street) opened its dining room and outdoor seating at varied capacity, the website said.

The Capital Burger (11853 Market Street) offers indoor seating, outdoor dining options and take-out, according to a staff member.

The Counter (11922 Democracy Drive) is also open for limited indoor and outdoor seating, an employee told Reston Now.

Takeout/Delivery 

&Pizza (1826 Library Street) is open, according to the Facebook page. But, it is unclear if they offer seating at this time.

Ben and Jerry’s ice cream shop (11916 Market Street) is open, according to its website.

Pitango Gelato (11942 Democracy Drive) is open for takeout, its website said.

Starbucks (1444 North Point Village Center) is open for takeout, its Facebook page said.

Sweetgreen is also open at 11935 Democracy Drive, according to Facebook.

Temporary Closures: 

Community Canteen is still closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic according to the Facebook page. It has not yet announced a reopening date.

Le Pain Quotidien is also still closed, according to its website.

Peet’s Coffee is also temporarily closed, according to its Facebook page.

Permanent Closures:

Big Bowl at the Reston Town Center said on its website that the location closed permanently.

Photo via Mon Ami Gabi/Facebook

After a months-long shutdown, Reston Community Center is opening its doors to the public within limited programming next month. The center’s Hunters Woods and Lake Anne facilities will reopen on July 6, including the Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center.

Summer camps are still canceled and on-site concerts are delayed until at least August. RCC will also resume room rental reservations in late August.

Registration for summer programming will kick off online at 9 a.m. on June 26. Printed registration forms will be accepted at the entrance of RCC Hunters Woods the same day from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. All participants must either register or reserve their pass use time.

“We are following all the relevant guidance to keep the number of people in our spaces at any given time within the limits that will promote good health. More than anything, we want to be sure that people can come and go from RCC and our programs with confidence that they are not putting themselves at risk of compromising their well-being,” said Leila Gordon, RCC’s Executive Director. “It will take the cooperation of everyone – patrons and staff – to keep our operation as safe as is humanly possible.”   

Here’s more from RCC:

Aquatics – Aquatics visits will be by reservation or registration only; there will be no drop-in visiting. This will allow for the required distance and capacity restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For more information, visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com/aquatics.

Other programming – Please visit myRCC to see other RCC summer program offerings. Smaller class maximums will be in place to assure the required social distancing. Registration is best accomplished online via myRCC. Paper registration forms will be accepted at the entrance area of RCC Hunters Woods beginning Friday, June 26 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The RCC Customer Service Desks at both locations will open at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, July 6, for normal operations. 

Enhanced hygiene and social distancing – Patrons and staff must wear masks and maintain six feet of social distance in the public areas within the building; patrons in programs without physical exertion requirements are expected to keep wearing their masks. Program space will be designed to maintain six feet of social distance during the program. For fitness and water classes, masks will not need to be worn, but the distances required between people will be greater – 10 feet between people swimming will be enforced, and a 10-foot radius for each person in a fitness class will be provided.

Touchless hand sanitizer stations will be available in both facilities and patrons will be requested to wash hands before and after activities. Signage and other measures will be used to avoid traffic bottlenecks at the entrances.

Virtual Programming – RCC is uploading a variety of virtual youth, fitness and arts videos for instruction at home and entertainment. These include popular RCC offerings like Qi Gong Restorative Yoga, Hatha Yoga I, Pilates Mat, Zumba Fitness, and Hi Lo Strength fitness classes. For young people, How to Make a Mask, Learn to Cross Stitch, and Making Breakfast; as well as arts and craft ideas from the Lake Anne Art Rave for Kids (LARK) inventory of fun will be filmed and presented on the RCC YouTube channel. The Reduced Shakespeare Company is presenting a special program just for Reston audiences virtually on July 12. Four more concerts are being filmed for the RCC YouTube channel. 

Offsite programming – All of RCC’s summer events and concerts at Reston Town Square Park are canceled. RCC’s summer events and concerts at Lake Anne Plaza and Reston Station are postponed. If possible, performances at Lake Anne Plaza and Reston Station may begin with Thursday evening, July 30 and run through August with audience social distancing protocols in place. Concerts will only be presented if audiences maintain safe distances for these presentations.

For Reston residents, fall registration will be pushed from the traditional August 1 deadline to September 1 in order to give county health officials more time for planning. The deadline for all others is August 8 and September 8 respectively.

Photo via RCC

Metro to Reopen 15 Stations — “Metro today announced that 15 rail stations that had been closed as part of the transit agency’s Covid-19 response will reopen on Sunday, June 28. In addition, beginning Monday, June 29, buses will be added to the system’s 14 busiest bus lines to provide more capacity and more frequent service as the region reopens.” [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority]

Election Day is Today — Polls are open until 7 p.m on the ballot for the Republican primary for U.S. Senate and Democratic primary for the U.S. House, district 11. Residents are reminded to wear a face-covering while voting. [Fairfax County Government]

Reston Startup Raises $5 Million — “Reston, Virginia-based careMESH, curator of a healthcare communications platform, has closed on a $5 million seed funding round led by Assurance Capital and Pavey Family Investments. Dr. Peter S. Tippett, founder and CEO of careMESH, launched the company four years ago with a mission to improve healthcare communications with technology by streamlining patient information and maintaining data privacy.” [Technical.ly]

Supplies Needed for Child Care Programs — “The Office for Children (OFC) is seeking donations to support child care programs countywide in providing essential services to children and families. Donated supplies will support healthy hygiene practices and help child care centers and family child care programs maintain a clean and healthy environment.” [Fairfax County Government]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

In an attempt to embrace the new normal, Herndon co-working space Office Evolution (205 Van Buren Street Suite) made serious changes around the facility that are intended to keep people safe as they return to an office environment.

Martin Gruszka, the location’s owner, said that he only lost around 5 percent of total revenue because of COVID-19. The remainder of his 120 customers is slowly preparing to return.

To maintain his customer base, while the COVID-19 pandemic shut down many non-essential businesses, Gruszka allowed people to freeze their memberships for three months so they wouldn’t have to pay for space they couldn’t use.

Gruszka said he worked through the last months to institute “’emergency operation” procedures to keep tenants safe.

Changes include:

• thinning out seats in board rooms
• getting rid of certain furniture items
• spreading out desk
• putting up whiteboards between workspaces that act as dividers
• creating “sanitation stations” that offer cleaning products and hand sanitizer
• putting up traffic direction signs
• UV air sterilization systems

In addition to all the layout changes, Gruszka said that crews are coming in more frequently to dee-clean common areas in the space as well.

Though the co-working space didn’t host many virtual events because Gruszka said people didn’t really find value in them, he also said that the staff at the space work to create a welcoming “family” environment.

“We’ve had some networking groups that have been using our center,” he said.

As a national chain, Office Evolutions has locations around the United States and typically caters to mid-career adults who want a quiet, mature space to work, according to Gruszka.

To help its members, Office Evolution has used social media to promote things like small business loans, safety information, and other ways to help stay afloat during this crisis, Gruszka said.

Photos courtesy Office Evolution

People who have missed hitting the gym for the last few months are seeing options reopen.

Fitness centers are allowed to open indoor spaces at 30% occupancy under Phase Two, which Northern Virginia entered June 12. Several studios in the Reston area started offering outdoor classes earlier this month.

Fairfax County offers indoor and outdoor public swimming only for lap swimming, diving, exercise and instruction. Public pools, including community pools, are not allowed to open for recreational use.

When Virginia enters Phase Three, Gov. Ralph Northam said that pools and gyms may open at 75% capacity. The date for when Virginia will enter that phase has not been announced yet.

Just because pools and gyms can open in limited capacities doesn’t mean that they will. Some gyms, like 24 Hour Fitness in Tysons, won’t reopen at all.

We want to know how you feel about going back to the gym during the pandemic. Let us know in the poll below.

Photo by Danielle Cerullo on Unsplash

During his press conference yesterday, Gov. Ralph Northam outlined the plans for Phase Three of easing COVID-19 restrictions in Virginia.

While Northam said that the statewide numbers “are trending in a positive direction,” the date to enter Phase Three has not been determined yet. The earliest date under consideration is next Friday, June 26, he said.

“People need and they deserve to be able to plan, so I want Virginians to see what Phase Three will generally look like,” Northam said. Northern Virginia entered Phase Two last Friday, June 12.

Here’s what Phase Three may look like, according to Northam:

• fitness centers/gyms may open at 75% capacity
• pools may open at 75% capacity with physical distancing
• childcare services may open
• social gatherings may include up to 250 people

The cap on the capacity for non-essential retail, restaurants and beverage services will be lifted, but physical distancing will still be required.

Meanwhile, entertainment venues like zoos, museums and other outdoor venues may open at 50% capacity with a maximum of 1,000 people.

Just like in Phase Two, the safer at home and teleworking recommendations will still be in place, Northam said, adding that face coverings will still be required in indoor public spaces.

“Studies increasingly show how effective face coverings can be to reduce the spread of this virus, but we all need to wear them and wear them properly,” Northam said. “This is easy to do.”

Personal grooming services and recreational sports will still need to follow physical distancing and overnight summer camps must remain closed.

“We are going to be cautious and careful and watch the data for a little while longer before we move forward,” Northam said, noting that other states have seen surges after easing COVID-19 restrictions “prematurely.”

Image via Facebook, image via Governor of Virginia

Instead of his usual press briefings in Richmond, Gov. Ralph Northam headed to Fairfax County to address the coronavirus pandemic’s racial disparities in Virginia.

Surrounded by state and local elected officials, Northam held a bilingual press briefing at the Fairfax County Government Center today (Thursday) to talk about the disproportionate impacts of the virus on Black and Hispanic communities.

Northam said that 45% of the COVID-19 cases and 35% of the resulting hospitalizations affect the Hispanic and Latino communities, even though they account for approximately 10% of Virginia’s population.

The concern is not new. For the last several months, Fairfax County’s Hispanic population has been hit hard by COVID-19. Local officials working to address the growing racial disparity say the county needs more testing and increased outreach to vulnerable communities.

“Everyone, everyone in Virginia deserves to have access to testing and access to care,” Northam said.

Jeff McKay, the chairman of Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors, highlighted that the county has seen more than 69,000 PCR testing encounters so far — the highest in Virginia.

The county is now shifting to community testing sites and is continuing to hire contact tracers, who “reflect the demographics of the populations they are serving,” McKay said.

McKay also pointed to other county resources, like a list of COVID-19 testing sites and the multi-lingual call center (703-222-0880) to connect residents to housing, food, financial assistance and more.

“Our board feels strongly that the disproportionality of this pandemic affects all of our residents in this county,” McKay said.

During the press conference, Northam applauded recent news: Prince William County ending its program between local police and ICE and the Supreme Court’s decision to extend DACA protections.

“I hope that this will help set a new tone of trust and support with our Latino communities,” Northam said about Prince William County’s decision.

Phase Three 

Northam also addressed the current and future plans for rolling back more COVID-19 restrictions.

While Virginia’s COVID-19 data are “trending in a positive direction,” the state will not enter Phase Three this week, he said. He did, though, unveil what that phase will look like.

Phase Three includes:

• safer at home recommendation
• encourage teleworking
• face coverings required in indoor public spaces
• social gatherings may include up to 250 people
• cap on non-essential retail lifted

“Just because there are more places to go does not mean you need to go there,” Northam said. “The virus has not gone anywhere. We are adapting our lives around it, but it has not changed.”

Northam said that health officials need more time to evaluate the COVID-19 data. Next Friday, June 26, is the earliest date under consideration for Virginia to enter Phase Three, he said.

“We want to make sure that we are inclusive,” Northam said in response to why he chose to hold his press briefing in Northern Virginia instead of Richmond, adding that he met with local leaders before the press briefing.

Image via Facebook

At the Dulles Health and Rehab Center in Herndon, the COVID-19 situation appears to have taken a turn for the better.

As of earlier this week, the nursing center announced that it is now free of COVID-19. At the center, 66 residents and 20 staff members recovered from the virus.

Recent data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shed new light on the impact of COVID-19 on long-term care facilities.

Overall, nursing homes in Northern Virginia have had 903 cases of COVID-19, according to the newly released data, which provides the first comprehensive look at individual nursing homes. Several facilities have 10 deaths each.

Long-term care facilities have been hit hard by the spread of the novel coronavirus. In late April, 11 patients died from coronavirus-related complications.

The first positive case was reported on March 28.

The 166-bed facility celebrated on Tuesday, June 16, by surprising residents with banana splits and ice cream sundaes.

Photo via Dulles Health and Rehab Center

Updated 6:25 p.m. — Corrects a reference to the survey as a study and that the 825 were FCPS staff members — not all teachers. 

After COVID-19 disrupted Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) earlier this spring, teachers, staff and school board members are trying to find ways to offer more mental health support.

Throughout the last several months of remote learning, the focus has been on a combination of peer-led programs, remote family check-ins with school-sponsored mental health staff and a message of “resiliency,” according to Bethany Koszelak, a mental health specialist for FCPS.

“Yes, this has been hard on a lot of people, but most youth are resilient and bounce back,” she said, adding that FCPS has been coordinating with teachers to keep an eye on students who might need help.

Mental Health Chain of Command in FCPS

In the FCPS system, regardless of age or year, students typically have access to a therapist, psychologist and social worker who can provide social-emotional support.

Counselors, which Koszelak considers to provide something called “tier one” support, provide guidance lessons to cope with emotions and social issues. If students need additional support, they will be referred to the school-sanctioned therapists and psychologists by the counselors.

As the county’s school board considers a boost in funding for social-emotional learning in the next school year, part of the funds — if approved in the next few weeks — would go toward hiring more staff and possibly bringing on additional mental health professionals full time, according to Koszelak.

Though nothing is set in stone, Karl Frisch, who presents the Providence District on the school board, said he wants to improve the infrastructure for mental health.

“The last several months have likely caused some trauma here and we need to be in a position to respond to it,” he said. We anticipate students will have an increased need.”

Rising Demand for Mental Health Support

Though Koszelak said she doesn’t have statistics to back up an increase request, a survey released by the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers reported that 55% of the 825 staff members who responded said that their students’ mental health had deteriorated since the start of distance learning.

Still, students are not the only ones at risk for mental health challenges.

More than 90% of the teachers said that their stress level has increased since the start of distance learning in March.

“Respondents chose school counselors to have the highest positive direct impact on student mental health and social-emotional needs, followed by social workers, psychologists and parent liaisons,” the survey takeaway said, backing up the school board’s idea.

Among top sources of stress for teachers, many said that they felt anxiety over technology failures, a lack of direction from FCPS leadership and difficulty adjusting to new technology.

“They need to check in with teachers and really care how we’re doing. Right now, the only message we hear is you’re failing. Not providing mental health support to elementary during this time is so WRONG! These kids need it just as much as the middle and high school kids… If anything, we will all need increased mental health support when returning to school because we are all struggling right now,” one survey respondent wrote.

FCFT sent the survey results to Tysons Reporter on May 12, before the murder of George Floid that re-sparked wide-spread outrage over systemic racism and police brutality.

It is unclear how this might add a toll to students/staff mental health but Koszelak said that there are options for students to incorporate discussions about civil rights and current events in the classroom.  She added that students even begin to learn about civil rights and Martin Luther King Jr. in the second grade.

Meeting an Invisible Need 

In reality, though, the need for help is likely elevated since Frish said that students and families don’t always know how to ask for help when they need it or even realize that it could help.

Around the country, statistics show that issues like domestic violence and child abuse have risen since the start of lockdown since places like child care centers, schools and offices that would typically recognize signs of abuse in-person are closed.

“Children are specifically vulnerable to abuse during COVID-19. Research shows that increased stress levels among parents [are] often a major predictor of physical abuse and neglect of children,” the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said in an online article.

To combat this, FCPS teachers were told to look for signs of violence and abuse while interacting with their students over Zoom, Koszelak said, noting that if a student wasn’t coming to class, a school counselor would be sure to reach out to the family.

“The teachers still had live video conference calls with students,” according to Koszelak. “You can gauge when there are some concerns and the teachers know there are protocols to reach out to the clinicians.”

In addition to basic screening measures, FCPS mental health experts were also keeping a keen eye on families with a history of known problems, she added.

Additional Resources for Students and Families

FCPS offers a variety of programs to assist both students and families.

They include:

• Parent Resource Center: tips on how family support will benefit students
• KOGNITO: a walk through difficult conversations with students
• Student Voice Campaign: student sourced media on healthy coping mechanisms
• Mental Health First Aid for youth
• Our Minds Matter Virtual Club Meeting
• Parent Wellness Consultations: for middle and high school students

Some of these resources are met with concerns though: “I did Mental Health First Aid training several years ago, but it was never implemented at my school,” one teacher wrote in the FCFT survey.

“I think there needs to be widespread training in this program at each school for any and all teachers, coaches, counseling staff, and administrators who are willing and able to handle it because we need as many resources for students and staff as possible,” the teacher added.

Looking Ahead to Upcoming School Year

Though kids are on summer break, the Fairfax County School Board is considering hiring 10 more mental health care specialists and increasing funding for various social-emotional learning programs.

Board members are considering a $7 million addition to the program but it is still uncertain how the money would be distributed.

They are expected to vote on changes and plans for the upcoming school year during the upcoming June 26 meeting, according to Koszelak.

Photo via Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Reston Association to Host Meetings Today — The association’s fiscal committee will meet today (Wednesday) from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and its covenants committee will meet from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Both meetings will take place via Zoom and are open to RA members. [Reston Association]

New COVID-19 Case Count Dips — The number of new cases reported per day is decreasing in the Fairfax Health District. As of yesterday, 13 new cases were reported. More than 440 people have died from the respiratory illness. [Fairfax County Government]

Juneteenth May Become State Holiday — “Gov. Ralph Northam (D) said Tuesday that he will support legislation to make Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery, a state holiday in Virginia. He gave executive branch state employees the day off Friday — June 19 — in recognition of the event. On that date in 1865, federal troops told enslaved people in Texas they had been freed, more than two years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.” [Washington Post]

Photo via Marjorie Copson

With the COVID-19 pandemic restricting many recreational activities, Frying Pan farm Park is turning to a new kind of tour.

The park, which is located at 2739 West Ox Road, is offering a driving tour of the farm. Residents will get the chance to see animals “up close and personal,” according to the farm. An audio tour will also be offered.

Here’s more from the park on the tour:

Here is your chance to cruise the park like the farmer! Load the family up in the old pickup truck (or minivan!) and come to enjoy Frying Pan Farm Park like never before as you tour the park from the comfort of your car. Enjoy a custom audio tour on your smart phone while driving the park and learn about history, farming, and other parts of Frying Pan Farm that you may not have known about! Price $25 per car.

The cost of $25 per vehicle. Registration is open online for four sessions on Saturday, June 20.

Photo via Yvonne Johnson

The Herndon Municipal Center (777 Lynn Street) is opening its doors to the public for the first time since March.

The lobby, which was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will reopen  tomorrow (Wednesday) at 8 a.m.

Visitors must wear masks, which will be provided if needed. Entrances are open through the doors on Lynn Street. For now, entrances from the Town Green and the garage will remain closed. Additionally, the Town Clerk’s office and second floor of the building will remain closed.

Applications for zoning permits, development plans, and other materials that require review by the community development department are for drop-off only. Bins are available in the lobby and near the exit doors.

The center will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

The Herndon Farmers Market also opens on Thursday (June 18). Last week, park amenities in the town — with the exception of basketball Cours and restrooms — reopened.

The Herndon Community Center and Herndon Police Department’s lobby remains closed.

Image via Google Maps

Due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has three scenarios for reopening schools this fall.

In May, a task force was created to prepare recommendations for FCPS reopening. On June 9, Gov. Ralph Northam unveiled his phased reopening plan, which provides flexibility for schools in Virginia.

The school board discussed the proposed Return to School plan, which includes three reopening scenarios, Monday afternoon.

The three scenarios are:

1. virtual learning for all students
2. in-school learning with health and social distancing
3. online learning for students with a high risker of severe illness

In the first scenario, students would not be allowed in buildings but the staff would be. Students would have four days of synchronous learning per week and one day of asynchronous learning.

Meanwhile, the second scenario has two proposals for attendance in the buildings at any one time — 50% and 25%.

In-school learning would include cleaning of high-touch areas, daily health screening forms, social distancing in classrooms and on buses and restricting buildings to visitors.

Finally, the third scenario would make groups of students and teachers for online instruction. With the online model, students would receive four days of synchronous learning per week and one day of asynchronous learning.

Additionally, FCPS has proposals for what would happen if the pandemic prompted another shutdown. The plan also mentions shared elements of the three scenarios — middle and high school students having access to laptops via FCPSOn — and how they address equity.

Discussion during the meeting noted that FCPS needs to prepare for the possibility that more than one scenario might happen, especially if there’s a resurgence of COVID-19.

How to keep students and staff dominated the school board’s discussion.

Gloria Addo-Ayensu, the director of the Fairfax County Health Department, said that there aren’t plans to test students prior to them coming back to school. Addo-Ayensu noted that screening forms are a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Addo-Ayensu and Benjamin Schwartz, a medical epidemiologist with Fairfax County, said that data on the impact of COVID-19 on kids is limited.

They said that the infection rate is unknown for kids and added that information is emerging on Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome of Children (MIS-C) — a rare but serious COVID-19 complication.

Input from local health data and the Fairfax County Department of Health will inform the final decisions, according to the plan.

“You’re talking hundreds and hundreds of kids coming in at once,” Superintendent Scott Brabrand said, adding that social distancing cannot be guaranteed in schools.

Brabrand said that safety procedures are also important for retaining staff: “We don’t want folks resigning.”

FCPS is looking to get face shields for bus drivers and special education teachers, Brabrand noted. Ricardy Anderson, the representative for the Mason District, called for teachers to receive face shields as well.

If FCPS decides to go with an in-person reopening that alternates days for students, childcare could become an issue for families.

Dranesville District Representative Elaine Tholen suggested that FCPS coordinate with the Fairfax County Park Authority so that families and staff have childcare options.

Tholen proposed a “creative idea” to turn outdoor space at the schools and nearby parks into childcare centers contained in tents, adding that kids could access WiFi outside the schools.

Brabrand and Hunter Mill District Representative Melanie Meren agreed that more childcare is needed, with Brabrand calling it a “great idea.”

As FCPS moves forward with plans for the fall, the school board is aware that the botched rollout of online learning this spring puts more pressure on the school system to get the reopening right.

“We can’t risk another failure like we did before,” Providence District Representative Karl Frisch said.

Brabrand addressed the criticism of the distance learning attempts, saying it’s important that FCPS does not overpromise and under-deliver: “We did that before.”

Families will have several opportunities to provide feedback on the recommendations ahead of the deadline for FCPS to announce a reopening decision on June 26.

FCPS plans to host a town hall on Tuesday, June 16, that will talk about the Return to School plans. The town hall is set to run from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and will include Brabrand, the assistant superintendent of Facilities and Transportation Services and the manager of School Health Services.

People can also submit feedback by emailing the superintendent at [email protected] and fill out a survey.

FCPS also plans to hold a virtual public hearing on the Return to School plans at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 18. People can register online to speak.

Photo via Element5 Digital/Unsplash, infographics via FCPS