However, a ruling by Circuit Court Judge James Fisher immediately barred the countys public school system from enforcing its mask mandate. The school system, Brabrand said, will orchestrate contact tracing in limited circumstances when identified by local health officials and wont tell students to quarantine unless theyre identified as a close contact during a school-based outbreak. Fairfax County Public Schools will require masks for everyone inside schools whenever students are present, regardless of vaccination status, information posted on the school districts website said Wednesday. We anticipate that the CDC may update public health guidance early next week. Chevy Chase, MD 20815. Like WTOP on Facebook and follow WTOP on Twitter and Instagram to engage in conversation about this article and others. It is our hope that FCPS continues to follow CDC guidelines to protect ALL people in our educational environment. Citing continued high transmission rates, he said keeping the mask regulation is crucial in keeping schools safe for all children and staff. The school system said community transmission levels dropped into the substantial category and they hope it could reach moderate community transmission as early as next week. Layered prevention strategiescan serve to limit exposure and transmission of the virus. WUSA9 is now on Roku and Amazon Fire TVs. As Fairfax County public school students return to classes Tuesday following an extra-long weekend, school officials have outlined a plan to enforce the policy of mask-wearing in schools. FCPS does not plan to regularly test students or staff for COVID-19 so officials are asking anyone who enters our schools is asked to self-assess and stay home if they are feeling ill or experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19. Make an appointment at www.vaccines.gov or find a location near you. Another school district in the Washington, D.C., area will require face masks in schools this fall. D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Neighboring counties in Virginia such as Prince William, Loudoun, Arlington and the City of Alexandria have also made masks optional in schools. If you are a parent of a student/child at a private school, childcare setting, or camp, reach out to your school nurse oradministrator with questions aboutrequirements for isolation and quarantine. This announcement comes after Virginia Gov. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. In a letter, the group encouraged people to send letters to principals stating, forced masking is wrong. They asked people to be courteous and respectful to school staff. Screening testing wont be offered during low transmission. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. But, you won't have to wear masks in private businesses like restaurants and groceries. WTOP.com | Alexa | Google Home | WTOP App | 103.5 FM. Web4850 Slatestone Court, Fairfax, VA 22030 is a property listed available for rent at $4,300. Getting children and teens vaccinated against COVID-19 can help keep them from getting really sick if they do get COVID-19, and keeps them in school and activities. This announcement comes after Virginia Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Glenn Youngkin to stop his executive order making masks in schools optional, questioning the order's constitutionality. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order stating that parents can choose whether their child wears a face covering to school as of Monday, Jan. 24. Disclaimer. Efforts to vaccinate students are ongoing. Like WTOP on Facebook and follow WTOP on Twitter and Instagram to engage in conversation about this article and others. Looking for more information? Masks will be worn at all times by both staff and students indoors and on school buses, but are not required when eating or when outside during recess, PE, or other activities, FCPS said to families. Fairfax County Public School students will return to class Tuesday after a long weekend, and masks will still be required despite an order from the Virginia governor. Fairfax County Public School students will return to class Tuesday after a long weekend, and masks will still be required despite an order from the Virginia This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Example video title will go here for this video. COVID-19 call center hours are MondayFriday, 9am5pm. 5425 Wisconsin Ave Must have good credit. We believe strongly in a caring culture, respecting and understanding each other and how we can grow and thrive together in our school community, Brabrand said. State health and education officials recommended masks in elementary schools regardless of vaccination status, and in middle and high schools among students and staff who are not fully vaccinated, at a minimum. Charles County: Masks will be mandatory on school buses but optional in school buildings. January 26, 2022. Access the current versions of FCPS policies, regulations, and notices using ourpolicies index. Download the WUSA9 app to get breaking news, weather and important stories at your fingertips. The amendment was proposed by Sen. Chap Petersen, D-Fairfax, who recently described school mask mandates as an unscientific and inhumane in a letter urging Fairfax County Public Schools to end the policy soon as possible. Download the apps today for live newscasts and video on demand. As a school division, we continue to be concerned about the health of our Fairfax community and strongly recommend that all students continue to participate in universal masking for the protection of students and staff with health concerns, Brabrand wrote. The Fairfax County School Board has approved a new policy on Restraint and Seclusion, effective 12/17/2020. All Rights Reserved. The school district will regularly review their requirements, they said. "The more protections or layers of protection we can do is important to me," Perez said. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C. Rick Massimo came to WTOP, and to Washington, in 2013 after having lived in Providence, R.I., since he was a child. No more than 2 incomes to qualify. Reverts to original layout including graphics and images, Gloria Addo-Ayensu, M.D., M.P.H.,Director of Health. Students He's the author of "A Walking Tour of the Georgetown Set" and "I Got a Song: A History of the Newport Folk Festival.". Through the years, Neal has covered many of the crimes and trials that have gripped the region. Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you. Your news.Sign up for the Capitol Breach email newsletter, delivering the latest breaking news and a roundup of the investigation into the Capitol Riots on January 6, 2021. FCPS reiterated its belief that universal masking remains necessary in a statement to FFXnow, noting that Fairfax County is still seeing a high level of Covid In a message to the school community last Friday, Brabrand said not everyone will agree with the school systems course of action and hopes that the community will support each other and work together to find the right time for us to begin to remove some of our layered prevention strategies, but this is not the time.. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, after his January executive order made masks in school optional. Download the apps today for live newscasts and video on demand. Gorgeous 5 bedroom/3.5 bath home located on a cul-de-sac. Other school districts in D.C., Maryland and Virginia have followed suit when it comes to universal masking in school. Arlington County will leave their mask mandate in place until March 1. Several school systems are lifting their mask mandates early. To change the language of this website, click the drop-down list and select the desired language. If there is an exposure in schools, the school will notify affected families, per FCPS. Instead, the Virginia school system is defying the states governor and enforcing a pointless universal-masking regime. To change the language of this website, click the drop-down list and select the desired language. Here's what we are predicting for winter this year, Virginia Senate passes bill to make masks optional in schools, CDC to significantly ease pandemic mask guidelines Friday, During off-campus activities where masks are required by the venue (ex: field trip), Students enrolled in Head Start Program (federal requirement), When attending school on days 6-10 of a quarantine (families who do not want their student to wear a mask on these days will need to complete the full 10-day quarantine at home. The Fairfax County Health Department is responsible for contact tracing. Scott Gelman is a digital editor and writer for WTOP. The Fauquier County School Board voted Thursday night to comply with Youngkins order, joining Spotsylvania and Culpeper counties in removing the mask All rights reserved. During his time in College Park, he worked for The Diamondback, the schools student newspaper. MPD: 26-year-old man arrested for engaging in unwanted sexual contact with a woman in NW DC, Man under arrest for engaging in unwanted sexual contact with a woman in Northwest DC, police say, 7 injured on flight to Germany that had emergency landing at Dulles, Snowy and cold or dry and warm? As we work through this change, we will honor our value of a caring culture.. Glenn Youngkins ). We think this will likely put a burden on the system because more educators will be forced to apply for ADA accommodations, take leave, or depart the field of education entirely. Fairfax County is in low community spread category. WTOP.com | Alexa | Google Home | WTOP App | 103.5 FM, Latest coronavirus test results in DC, Maryland and Virginia, Latest vaccination numbers in DC, Maryland and Virginia, Mother of unarmed man shot, killed by police near Tysons mall demands video, records, 1 killed in Fairfax Co. crash, police say. The School Board Office maintains the historical records of policies, regulations, and notices. In the end, we will respect the legal process, and we are confident that we have a strong legal case, Brabrand said. School Library Collections Universal masking will only be required during high or substantial community transmission rates, the schools system said. Including the following scenarios: In Fairfax County, masks will still be required on public transportation, indoor government facilities, healthcare settings, (including clinics operated by Fairfax County Health Department and Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board) and congregate settings (jails, shelters and group homes). News4s Justin Finch reports. The Fairfax County Web site is being translated through "machine translation" powered by Google Translate. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. "These changes are evidence that we are entering a new phase of the pandemic. This morning 30 Woodgrove students (out of a student body of 1,585) refused to wear a mask. Rick Massimo | rmassimo@wtop.com. "We'll have some outdoor classrooms and outdoor areas in many schools for eating," Brabrand said. Fairfax County Public Schools announced plans to scale back its COVID-19 prevention measures as cases decline. We want all families to be confident that their children are learning in a safe, supportive environment. Sign up for the Get Up DC newsletter:Your forecast. FAIRFAX, Va. Fairfax County Public Schools will make mask-wearing optional on school property starting Tuesday. Prince Georges County: Masks will be required for students, teachers and staff inside Prince Georges County Public Schools this fall, officials said Monday. FCPS says student screening testing will be available during moderate, substantial and high community transmission to the greatest extent possible, in alignment with CDC guidance. You can read the full item I introducedhere. The superintendent of the Fairfax County, Virginia, public schools said the school mask mandate will be lifted March 1 in accordance with a new law, but remains in place for now. Fairfax, VA 22035. Superintendent Scott Brabrand briefed school district principals Friday on the updated mask policy, which says, Any student who refuses to wear a face covering while indoors on school property or during FCPS-provided transportation, and who is not otherwise exempt will be precluded access to face-to-face instructional programming until This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Under new CDC guidelines, released Friday, people, including schoolchildren, should wear masks when the risk of COVID-19 is high. In the event of a regional surge, FCPS says it may need to adjust its layered prevention strategies to safely provide in-person instruction. This page explains how FCPS gathers information on our web site and with whom and under what conditions we share this information. Driver killed after crashing stolen Maserati on Beltway in Fairfax Co. Grand jury indicts DC employee charged with killing 13-year-old boy. Neal Augenstein has been a reporter at WTOP since 1997. Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here. Scott Gelman | sgelman@wtop.com. Fairfax County Public Schools announced its plans to safely scale back layered prevention measures, Thursday, as Virginias House of Delegates readies to vote on a bill that gives families the ability to opt-out of COVID-19 mask mandates issued by school systems. All rights reserved. Masks will also be enforced on school buses in accordance with the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) public transportation federal COVID-19 guidance. Here's what we are predicting for winter this year, Find out what your school district is doing about masks this upcoming semester, Masks required in Montgomery County schools for 2021-2022 school year, DCPS will require masks for all teachers and students in the fall, VERIFY: Here's why the CDC recommends masks for vaccinated people, CDC reverses course on indoor masks in parts of US where COVID is surging. The Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) system hasnt gotten the memo. Dear FCPS Families and Staff, On Wednesday, the Virginia General Assembly passed Senate Bill 739, which allows parents to opt their children out of mask Neighboring Fairfax County Public Schools was one of seven districts suing Gov. All Rights Reserved. The superintendent of Virginias largest school system said in a message to families Friday that parents and guardians can choose for their children to go maskless in schools and on buses beginning March 1. 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