Fairfax County Public Schools is expanding the number of grab-and-go sites and adding several pop-up options throughout the county.

Students can pick up breakfast from 8-10:30 a.m. and lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at one of the 39 sites in the county. The service is intended for students under the age of 18 who rely on free and reduced-price school meals. Adults can also purchase meals for $2.

On Wednesday (March 18), the county announced that its food truck will travel to nine pop-up sites in the county. The truck is expected to swing by South Lakes High School between 11-11:30 a.m.

Beginning today (Thursday), school buses will also deliver meals along some bus routes by stopping at designated intersections. The schedule is available online.

Local grab-and-go sites are below:

• Herndon Elementary School (630 Dranesville Road)
• Dogwood Elementary School (12300 Glade Drive)
• Hutchison Elementary School (13209 Parcher Avenue)
• Forest Edge Elementary School (1501 Becontree Lane)
• Coates Elementary School (2460 River Burch Road)

The complete list is available online. An online map created by the county also allows users to search for food distribution sites in the area.

Photo via FCPS

To prevent the risk of spreading the coronavirus, Fairfax County announced today (Sunday) that all of the county’s senior centers and adult day health care centers are now closed.

The centers in the Tysons-area include the Providence Senior Center (3001 Vaden Drive), Lewinsville Senior Center (1613 Great Falls Street) and the Pimmit Hills Senior Center (7510 Lisle Avenue).

The centers are closed until further center, according to the county. “We are continuing to re-evaluate the need for closure and will reopen when it is appropriate to do so,” the announcement said.

Starting tomorrow (Monday), the county will provide meal delivery service to people are who registered.

As of Sunday afternoon, the Virginia Department of Health says there are 45 presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in the commonwealth, with 10 in Fairfax County.

The pandemic has prompted schools to close or switch to online learning and companies to ask employees to work from home in the D.C. area.

Fairfax County Public Schools closed Friday for four weeks until April 10. A laptop distribution to students that was supposed to take place tomorrow (Monday), has been postponed, FCPS said.

FCPS announced yesterday (Saturday) the first FCPS-related case, saying that a staff member at Lynbrook Elementary School has tested presumptive positive for coronavirus.

“The Fairfax County Health Department is conducting an investigation to identify individuals who are at risk of exposure and will be contacting those individuals directly to provide further guidance and testing if necessary,” according to the county.

While the schools are closed, FCPS plans to expand its free grab-and-go meals to 18 sites by Monday, including the following in the Tysons area:

• Bailey’s Primary ES (6111 Knollwood Drive)
• Cunningham Park ES (1001 Park Street)
• Graham Road Community Center (3036 Graham Road)

Families can find the food distribution outside the schools from 8-10:30 a.m. for breakfast and from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. for lunch.

Additionally, civil jury trials have been suspended for 30 days, starting Friday (March 13).

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Updated at 4:10 p.m. — All Fairfax County public schools will be closed through school break until April 10, FCPS announced today (Friday).

While the staff development day scheduled for Monday, March 16, is postponed, school offices and central offices will be open that day to let students and staff get their things.

“We will promote digital and online resources to FCPS students that will help student learning continue,” FCPS said. “This work will not be required nor graded. Additionally, FCPS cable channels with learning activities are now available.”

Food distribution will also continue throughout the closures, FCPS said.

Earlier: Fairfax County Public Schools will be closed for two weeks as the state scrambles to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The move was mandated by Gov. Ralph Northam for all state schools earlier this afternoon. Northam ordered all K-12 schools in Virginia to close for a minimum of two weeks in response to the spread to the respiratory disease.

A spokesperson for FCPS said that more details on the closure are forthcoming, Reston Now reported.

As of Friday afternoon, Virginia has 30 cases of coronavirus with six in Fairfax County, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Test results have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation.

Here’s more from Northam’s office:

“We are taking this action to keep Virginians as safe and healthy as possible, and to minimize exposure to COVID-19,” said Governor Northam.

“I recognize this will pose a hardship on many families, but closing our schools for two weeks will not only give our staff time to clean and disinfect school facilities, it will help slow the spread of this virus. This is a fluid and fast-changing situation. We will do everything possible to ensure that students who rely on school nutrition programs continue to have access to meals, and that the disruption to academics is as minimal as possible.”

Virginia Department of Education officials are working closely with school divisions and the Department of Social Services to ensure students who qualify for free or reduced lunch programs are able to access those programs while schools are closed.

The Department of Education will issue guidance and memos to superintendents across the Commonwealth to provide specifics about the continuity of education, school nutrition, and updated public health guidelines.

Alexandria, the City of Falls Church and Arlington County announced places to remain closed beginning today (Friday) through spring break.

This story was written by Fatimah Waseem and appeared on our sister site Reston Now.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Updated at 8:45 a.m. — FCPS schools will be closed today (Friday). Late last night (Thursday), FCPS reversed its decision to keep schools open on Friday.

All FCPS schools will be closed Friday, March 13, 2020.
School offices and central offices will open on time with an unscheduled leave policy in effect for 12-month employees. (Condition 2). More details to follow.

— Fairfax Schools 🌟 (@fcpsnews) March 13, 2020

The SAT scheduled for FCPS locations on 3/14 has been cancelled. Students registered to test will receive information from @CollegeBoard. Given high volume of closures, communication from College Board and options for rescheduling will likely be delayed.

— Fairfax Schools 🌟 (@fcpsnews) March 13, 2020

More from FCPS:

School offices and central offices will open on time with an unscheduled leave policy in effect for 12-month employees. (Condition 2). The following activities in schools and on school grounds are canceled:

• extracurricular activities
• interscholastic contests
• team practices
• field trips
• middle school after-school programs
• professional learning and training courses
• adult and community education classes
• recreation programs and community use by outside groups not affiliated with FCPS

School age child care (SACC) centers are closed.

Monday, March 16, will remain a student holiday/staff development day to allow our classroom teachers to prepare for the possibility of distance learning. 

Earlier: Fairfax County Public Schools plan to be open Friday, but will give students Monday off so staff can prepare for distance learning due to the recent spread of the coronavirus.

At a press conference today (Thursday) with Fairfax County officials, Superintendent Scott Brabrand said that the public schools are staying open because there is no evidence of “community spread” with the virus from health officials.

“FCPS takes very seriously the COVID-19 challenges that are before the community today,” Brabrand said, adding the school system is “working very closely” to monitor the virus with local public health officials.

The school system is under growing pressure to close its schools due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.

“We woke up to have a neighboring school division close,” he said, referring to Loudoun County’s announcement that it will close its schools through March 20.

FCPS announced earlier this week that there is a plan with different scenarios for school closures. FCPS will also have free digital learning and citizenship events on Wednesday (March 18) at Kilmer Middle School and South Lakes High School.

“If we were to have a positive response, we would make a decision to close that school or schools were that was to happen,” he said today.

Brabrand added that the schools are undergoing “deep cleans” with a protocol confirmed by medical officials that “kills viruses, including COVID-19.”

As of 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, the Virginia Department of Health says that there are 17 cases in the state, with Fairfax County having the most.

Two new presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 were announced earlier today in the county, bringing Fairfax County’s known count of coronavirus patients to four.

Also earlier today, Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency in Virginia.

“This is a very serious matter,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at the press conference. “We must accept this is a changing situation hourly.”

McKay said that Fairfax County is “well prepared” and looking to phase-in additional telework and remote work options for county employees.

While county buildings will remain open, McKay urged people to do transactions online if possible.

Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, the director for Fairfax Health, said the risk for the general public in Fairfax County is low.

FCPS announced after the press conference that all extracurricular activities, interscholastic contests, field trips, after-school programs, community use activities conducted by groups not affiliated with FCPS are canceled from March 14-April 12.

“SACC centers will remain open,” FCPS said. “We will share with you updates about today’s decisions by March 31.”

FCPS said it a review is underway for the food service and food handling procedures and that several parent-teacher associations are canceling school-based events “due to anticipated low turnout.”

Image via Fairfax County

(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) Fairfax County Public Schools will give students the day off next Monday (March 16) so that staff can make coronavirus preparations.

The student holiday will be a “staff development day” to give staff time to plan for distance learning if any of the schools close due to the virus.

FCPS tweeted the announcement shortly after 3 p.m. today (Tuesday).

“We will use this day as a staff training day and all staff will report to work,” according to the updated FCPS website.

FCPS said that all after-school extracurricular activities on Monday are still set to happen, along with adult and community education classes, recreation programs and “community use by outside groups not affiliated with FCPS.”

The middle school after-school program is canceled, FCPS said.

FCPS said in an email sent shortly after 4 p.m. that all overnight field trips in and out of Virginia have been canceled.

More from the email:

Any overnight trips scheduled on or after March 11 are canceled, and this cancellation notice is effective through April 12, 2020. Any trips scheduled to New York state are also canceled, including day trips. All other day trips will proceed as scheduled. We recognize that the decision to cancel overnight field trips may be disappointing; however, the decision is made in an abundance of caution for our students and staff.

Yesterday, FCPS announced two different scenarios for school closures due to the recent spread of coronavirus.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

With the recent spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, Fairfax County Public Schools has a plan with different scenarios for school closures.

Superintendent Scott Brabrand outlined the two different scenarios in a letter on Monday (March 9).

In the first scenario, most of the schools would stay open, but one school or a few would dismiss students to limit the spread of the virus.

“The superintendent may authorize the dismissal of students from class based on recommendations from the local health department director,” the letter said. “Instructional program support and division-wide support services may be limited due to high absenteeism rate or the redeployment of staff.”

In the second scenario, the schools would close either due to either a large absent number of students or staff or by the orders of the state health commissioner.

“FCPS facilities may remain open to faculty and staff to support continuity of learning,” the letter said, adding that snow days may be used if schools close.

“We learned [Sunday] at the [Fairfax County Health Department] briefing that the risk to the general public remains low,” the letter says.

As of this morning, 14 people in the D.C. area have coronavirus — six in Maryland, three in D.C. and five in NoVa — and no one has died from the virus, WTOP reported.

The full letter is below the jump.

Read More

Fairfax Connector shared the steps being taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, as more cases are reported in the D.C. area.

Fairfax County’s Department of Transportation announced on Friday (March 6) that contractors are following these steps:

• reviewed and updated cleaning protocols based on guidance from public health officials
• increased vehicle cleaning cycles with a special focus on bus interiors and critical touchpoints such as door handles, handrails and other surfaces.
• initiated regular communication with Fairfax Connector workforce

Fairfax County also has suggestions for passengers to curtail the rapidly-spreading illness:

• wash hands often with soap and water and use hand sanitizer
• avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• cover your mouth/nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing
• avoid contact with people who are sick
• stay home while you are sick and avoid close contact with others

“FCDOT highly values the health and safety of Fairfax Connector customers and personnel,” the county said.

Virginia has three “presumptive” cases of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

Read More

Updated 2/28/2020 — Adds number of polling places in schools.

Students at Fairfax County’s public schools will get to stay home on March 3 for Super Tuesday.

Large crowds are expected to turn out for the primary election in Virginia. Brian Worthy, a spokesperson for the county, said that 167 polling places will be in the schools for voters casting their ballots for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Some of those polling spots will be at public schools, including George Marshall High School in Falls Church and Langley High School in McLean.

The county’s school board voted last spring to make Super Tuesday a student holiday for the 2019-2020 school year.

While students will have the day off, staff will still need to report to the schools, Lucy Caldwell, an FCPS spokesperson, said.

Eligible voters can find their polling location on the Virginia Department of Elections website or the My Neighborhood App.

Fairfax County’s public schools are preparing for a potential outbreak of the coronavirus.

In a message sent to parents and staff Wednesday evening, FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand said the school system is reviewing and revising its existing flu response plan to respond to the coronavirus. Currently, there are no confirmed cases in the county.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention directed school officials, childcare centers and workplaces to prepare for a possible outbreak.

Here’s more from Brabrand’s letter:

The plan is dynamic and sections will be revised and updated as new information becomes available. FCPS’s response plan addresses the specific activities necessary to keep schools open and operating while providing a clean and safe environment during an outbreak and the essential functions that must be performed by FCPS, if schools are closed.

Other variations of these scenarios could also be considered.  While the full impact of an outbreak cannot be predicted, planning for operations under such conditions can mitigate the impact of the event on our staff, facilities and mission. 

We recognize the growing concern about the possible spread of coronavirus to our region. To date, we have cancelled international field trips and short-term visitations to and from some countries, based on CDC guidelines. We have also updated our web page and will continue to work closely with health officials and monitor this evolving situation. Additional information is available at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/news/coronavirus-update. This link will be updated as we receive new information.

As a reminder, common cold and flu viruses are not unusual during the winter season. Precautions are recommended. We ask that everyone do their part to stay healthy. Wash hands frequently, monitor your health, and stay home when ill.

FCPS recently suspended international field trips and short-term visits to and from countries flagged by the CDC. The temporary suspension is valid through June 30.

Governments around the world are ramping up measures to battle what could be a looming global pandemic. So far, the virus has infected more than 80,000 people and killed nearly 2,800 individuals.

“FCPS will continue to monitor recommendations and information from the CDC and make any necessary changes based on updated information,” according to FCPS.

Additionally, the Fairfax County Health Department is working with FCPS, along with federal, state and local public health and safety partners, FCPS said.

This story was written by Fatimah Waseem and Catherine Douglas Moran. It also appeared on our sister site Reston Now.

Happy Friday! Here are the latest stories about the Tysons area that the Tysons Reporter team has been reading:

Job Shadowing For High School Students — “Approximately 20 local businesses and organizations are hosting Fairfax County Public Schools students in job-shadowing events that began in January and will run through March.” [Inside NoVa]

Local Pizza Places Now Hiring — “Baddpizza, a takeout restaurant bringing Buffalo-style pizza and wings to Northern Virginia, are hiring for future locations in McLean and Falls Church.” [Patch]

Tysons Building For Sale — “The Tysons office building where Booz Allen Hamilton maintains its global headquarters is under contract to trade for $10M less than its previous sale.” [Bisnow]

Local Company Tops Fortune List for Best Workplaces — “The business magazine Fortune, in partnership with analytics firm Great Place to Work, has released its annual list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in the United States… McLean-based Hilton took home the top spot on the list for the second year in a row, with Ultimate Software and Wegmans Food Markets rounding out the top three.” [Patch]

Former Dranesville District Supervisor Dies — “Barbara Phillips, a former ballet dancer and interpreter who once ran for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, died in her sleep Feb. 11 at age 85.” [Inside NoVa]

Starting this Sat, Feb. 22, there will be 13 #absenteevoting locations open across #FairfaxCounty for the March 3 Democratic Presidential Primary. Hours & addresses: https://t.co/HTUvwhSY0b#2020election #supertuesday #virginiaprimary #presidentialprimary #vote pic.twitter.com/m2xG7mhJJr

— Fairfax County Votes (@fairfaxvotes) February 21, 2020