Loudoun Schools Suspend Overseas Travel Over Coronavirus Concerns

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Loudoun County Public Schools are suspending all school-sponsored international travel through through June 30 and canceling the upcoming Loudoun International Youth Leadership Summit, which was scheduled to begin on March 20, in response to the rapidly spreading novel cronavirus, or COVID-19, the school system said Sunday. The school system has not made a decision at this time whether to close any schools in the county.

The Loudoun County school system said it is working in coordination with the Loudoun County Health Department to monitor the coronavirus domestically and abroad. While there are no known cases of the coronavirus in Loudoun County, there are at least two confirmed cases in Virginia.

The school system will make decisions on school operations, including any closure of schools, in conjunction with local, state and federal health authorities. In case Loudoun County public schools must close schools for an extended period of time, school staff are developing contingency plans that involve online learning and other off-site learning.

"We rely heavily on parents and guardians as the first line of care and awareness for potentially ill students. Students who do not feel well should stay home," Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Eric Williams said Sunday in a letter to students, parents and staff.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued travel warnings for China, Iran, South Korea and Italy. "Given those facts, and the continuing spread of the virus to other parts of the world, LCPS at this time has decided to suspend all LCPS-sponsored international travel through June 30, and to cancel the upcoming Loudoun International Youth Leadership Summit," Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Eric Williams said Sunday in a letter to students, parents and staff.

Stay up-to-date on the new coronavirus in Virginia. Get Patch news alerts.

As part of the ninth annual Loudoun International Youth Leadership Summit, nine Loudoun County high schools were scheduled to host about 180 students from 45 countries March 20-29.

"We are taking these steps out of an abundance of caution, and in keeping with recent guidance from the Virginia Department of Health that school divisions should reconsider their travel plans," Williams said of the decision to cancel the summit and suspect school-sponsored international trips by Loudoun students.

For travel within the United States, the Loudoun County school system is working with local and state officials and will modify plans as appropriate in the future.

"Participation in instructional field trips, athletic trips and other student activity trips is optional. Schools will provide an appropriate alternative for students who do not participate in an instructional field trip," Williams said.

The school system has put together a COVID-19 Preparedness at LCPS webpage that seeks to answer frequently asked questions about the coronavirus and Loudoun schools.

Other school systems in Northern Virginia also are remaining open as Virginia deals with its first coronavirus cases. Fairfax County Public Schools decided to remain open Monday after a U.S Marine at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and a Fairfax City man tested positive for the coronavirus.