Northam Announces School Reopening Plan, Phase 2 For NoVA

VIRGINIA — Gov. Ralph Northam outlined plans Tuesday to reopen Virginia's PreK to grade 12 public and private schools in phases. The governor also indicated he will allow Northern Virginia and Richmond to enter phase two of reopening on Friday, June 12.

Schools were ordered to close for the academic year on March 23 due to the pandemic and have implemented different strategies for remote learning. According to Virginia Superintendent of Public Education James Lane, schools will be required to give new instruction to students through in-person and virtual means in the 2020-2021 school year.

"All Virginia schools will open for students next year, but the school experience will look very different," said Northam. "These phases will allow in-person instruction, but slowly."

According to Northam, the three reopening phases for schools align with the state's reopening phases. In other words, most school divisions can be eligible to move to phase two. All schools can start phase one, but school divisions must submit plans to the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) on how they will comply with phase two and three guidance before moving into each. The Virginia Council for Private Education will receive plans from private schools to review in coordination with VDOE.

Phase one features predominately virtual education. There are exceptions to allow child care for working families and in-person programs for special education students. Lane said community feedback has shown a desire to get students with disabilities back to their services and programs immediately.

In phase two, schools can offer in-person instruction from pre-school to third grade and for English language learners, expanded programs for students with disabilities, expanded child care for working families, and summer camps in school buildings. Per Northam's phase two guidance, gatherings are limited to 50 people in phase two.

"We wanted to focus on getting education to our earliest learners because of the challenges that they were facing in the remote learning environment while also making sure that we can keep them safe," said Lane.

Phase three returns to in-person instruction for all students but with social distancing measures. This could require staggered schedules, blended in-person and virtual learning, and other strategies. Schools will be required to maintain six feet of distance between classroom desks and work stations as well as on school buses. Staggered use of communal spaces such as cafeterias will be required, which could result in serving students in classrooms. There will also be restrictions on mixing groups of students, cleaning and disinfecting measures, and remote learning and telework options for high-risk students and staff.

Staff will be required to wear face coverings when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Face coverings are encouraged for students, particularly among older students and when physical distancing cannot be maintained.

Beyond phase three will be the "new normal" based on future guidance.

The state guidelines allow flexibility so school districts can implement more strict measures depending on their needs.

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Schools can only submit a plan to VDOE to move into phase three once Virginia moves into phase three of reopening. Northam says there will be a minimum of two weeks between phases two and three; all areas but Northern Virginia and Richmond entered phase two on June 5.

The school reopening plan comes after VDOE held discussions with a Return to School Recovery Task Force, Accreditation Task Force, and the Continuity for Learning Task Force. Secretary of Education Atif Qarni held 35 strategy sessions with 800 education stakeholders between May 29 and June 8 to gather their thoughts on reopening scenarios. The stakeholders covered a variety of perspectives: English language learners, parents of students with special needs, career and technical education centers, early childhood educators, students, school nutrition workers, private school leaders, bus drivers, school psychologists, the Virginia High School League, counselors, nurses and more.

On the phased reopening of schools, Northam said, "We can only do this because we've been vigilant. We have followed the guidelines and I ask you all to continue to do that so that we could continue to move through these phases and eventually get out of the phases, get this health crisis behind us."

Phase Two Reopening

Northern Virginia and Richmond will join the rest of the state in phase two reopening on Friday, June 12.

Northam said Virginia as a whole continues to make progress on the public health metrics used to make reopening decisions. He pointed to a 14-day downward trend of positive tests, with the current average being 10 percent. Hospitalizations are also trending downward, with notable progress in the last week. The governor says hospital bed capacity and personal protective equipment supplies are sufficient, and the state is working on PPE supplies in other settings. The state is also boosting testing capacity and contact tracing efforts.

The Virginia Department of Health has 872 contact tracers on staff, a mix of new hires and previous staff, according to Northam. The goal is to have 15 contact tracers for every 100,000 people — 1,200 contact tracers — by July.

In light of racial justice protests after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Northam said he supports individuals' right to protest but believes it should be done safely with social distancing and face coverings. He said testing is available and encouraged if participants are concerned about contact with others. The Virginia Department of Health has a searchable map of testing locations.

Phase two reopening guidance allows gatherings up to 50 people and continues easing restrictions on businesses. Restaurants can provide indoor dining at 50 percent capacity, while indoor fitness centers may open at 30 percent capacity. Personal care and grooming businesses must be limited to 50 percent capacity with no more than two appointments per service provider at a time and six feet of space between work stations. Non-essential brick-and-mortar retail remains limited to 50 percent capacity.

Indoor and outdoor pools can open for exercise, diving and swim instruction. Indoor and outdoor recreational sports are permitted with restrictions such as no shared equipment. Certain recreation and entertainment venues without shared equipment — including museums, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, and outdoor concert, sporting, and performing arts venues — may open with restrictions.

Facilities remaining closed in phase two include indoor theaters, indoor performing arts centers, indoor concert venues, and indoor entertainment centers, historic horse racing facilities, bowling alleys, skating rinks, arcades, amusement parks, trampoline parks, fairs, carnivals, arts and craft facilities, escape rooms, and other indoor public amusement facilities. Race tracks have opened, but spectators or members of the public are not allowed during phase two.

All areas moved from "stay at home" guidance to "safer at home" guidance under phase one. The requirement for wearing face masks at indoor public places will continue, as well as recommendations for social distancing and teleworking. Businesses are asked to continue physical distancing and workplace safety measures.

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