Quarantine/Closure Plan

Layered mitigation strategies are in place to ensure our staff and students remain safe and healthy and our schools remain open. However, should Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) in collaboration with the Virginia Beach Department of Public Health (VBDPH), Virginia Department of Health (VDH) or via Executive Order determine that one or more classrooms, a school building, or the division must close temporarily to protect to the health of students, staff, and community or to address staffing issues due to quarantine, the following plan will be utilized. (The plan is based on current understandings; changes based on the reality of each closure will be made as prudent.)

  An individual is quarantined
or there is a closure		 Expectations during
quarantine/closure
Individual Students Student(s) is directed by their health provider or local health department to quarantine or isolate, and the student’s school and class remain open for all other students. Student(s) will complete asynchronous assignments provided by the teacher(s). Assignments will be accessed through the Learning Management System (LMS), Schoology or other electronic communication. Students will communicate with their teachers through their LMS or other electronic communication, and online tutoring will be available.
Individual Teachers Teacher is directed by their health provider or local health department to quarantine or isolate, and the teacher’s school and class remain open for students. Schools will secure a substitute/alternate coverage, or the teacher, for continuity of instruction, may be given the opportunity to teach each class synchronously from home while a paraprofessional monitors students in the classroom.
Individual Class(es) VBCPS in consultation with the local health department chooses to temporarily close class(es) as a matter of public health while contact tracing and case investigation is conducted or to respond to an outbreak. All students and staff in the affected class will transition to synchronous virtual learning* for that class (or for the class period for secondary students) until the class can reopen.

*The first transition day will be asynchronous to allow for teacher planning.

Schools will maintain the same school hours and schedules. Screen breaks will be embedded throughout the day.

Elementary teachers will provide the 5-day per week synchronous learning schedule to parents and students.

Secondary students in the affected class will access work for their other classes via asynchronous assignments provided by their teacher(s) in our Learning Management System, Schoology or other electronic communication.

Teachers will instruct from the school site unless quarantined.
Individual School VBCPS, in consultation with the local health department, temporarily closes an entire school as a matter of public health to conduct contact tracing and case investigation, to respond to an outbreak, or to address staffing shortages due to staff quarantine. All students and staff at the school will transition to synchronous virtual learning* to ensure continuity of learning until in-person instruction can resume.

*The first two transition days will be asynchronous to allow for teacher planning.

Schools will maintain the same school hours and schedules. Screen breaks will be embedded throughout the day.

Elementary teachers will provide the 5-day per week synchronous learning schedule to parents and students.

Teachers will instruct from the school site unless quarantined or site is closed to staff.
Division VBCPS in consultation with local or state health officials, or by Executive Order temporarily closes the division as a matter of public health. All students and staff will transition to synchronous virtual learning* to ensure continuity of learning until in -person instruction can resume.

*The first two transition days will be asynchronous to allow for teacher / PLC planning.

Schools will maintain the same school hours and schedules. (Screen breaks will be embedded throughout the day.)

Elementary teachers will provide the 5-day per week synchronous learning schedule to parents and students.

Decisions on teacher instruction location TBD.

Asynchronous learning refers to opportunities that are “on demand” and allow for students to view materials and resources at convenient and flexible times, and to complete work independently within a certain timeframe. Synchronous learning is “live instruction” delivered at scheduled time frames, allowing student interaction and participation with the classroom teacher and peers while providing opportunities for immediate feedback and clarification.