ARLINGTON, Va. — Arlington Public Schools voted to start the 2020-2021 school year on September 8 during a meeting on Thursday night and will implement an all-virtual instruction option for students amid the pandemic.
The school system offered families a hybrid option with two days of in-person learning or all-virtual. The superintendent then made an operational decision to begin the school year through all-virtual learning for the safety of students and staff, the school system told WUSA9.
RELATED: Arlington schools superintendent proposes postponed start, virtual learning for 2020-21 year
"Throughout our planning, the health and safety of our staff and students has been our top priority, and beginning the year with a virtual model allows us to continue to monitor the situation until we are confident it is safe to return..." said Dr. Francisco Durán, Arlington Public Schools Superintendent in a statement released on July 14.
Teachers and staff are set to return for the academic year on August 24. The superintendent said the return date should give the teachers and staff enough time to prepare for the distance learning program.
The school system plans to continue to monitor health data in September in hopes of transitioning to in-person learning as early October, Dr. Durán said. They hope to have hybrid in-person learning by the second quarter.
Parents are asked to vote on a preferred learning scenario by July 20 to help the school system make future reopening plans.
Several districts in our region have decided on all-virtual learning plans and opted out of hybrid plans.
RELATED: Montgomery Co. Public Schools leans toward beginning school year online in most recent plan
