ARLINGTON, Va. — Arlington Public Schools released an updated timeline Tuesday for getting students back to classrooms beginning in March. Families who indicated an interest in returning to hybrid in-person learning will be able to send kids back to school twice a week, with some students attending in person on a Tuesday/Wednesday schedule and others on a Thursday/Friday schedule.All students will learn virtually on Mondays.
"I am encouraged by recent improvements in the health metrics, with case positivity rates and other indicators currently decreasing in Arlington and neighboring communities," APS Superintendent Dr. Francisco Durán said. "Over the past two weeks, staff have returned to our buildings to prepare for the upcoming transition and to further strengthen our mitigation efforts."
Teachers and staff will transition back to buildings one week prior to students. Durán added that more than half of the school district's staff have received COVID-19 vaccinations thus far.
Currently, APS' COVID dashboard says the positivity rate for the last 14 days stands at 7% and 432.8 new cases per 100,000 residents over the last 14 days.
Return to class timeline for APS:
- Week of Tuesday, March 2:
- PreK-second-grade students
- All students enrolled in Countywide Elementary Special Education Programs (PreK-fitth grade – mini MIPA, MIPA, Life Skills, Communications and Deaf and Hard of Hearing – in person four days a week, Tues-Fri)
- Elementary students enrolled in Interlude
- Week of Tuesday, March 9:
- Third-fifth-grade students
- Sixth-grade and ninth-grade students
- All students enrolled in Countywide Secondary Special Education Programs (Sixth-12th grade – MIPA, Life Skills, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Shriver Program – in person four days a week, Tues-Fri)
- Secondary students enrolled in Interlude and PEP program
- Week of Tuesday, March 16:
- Seventh-eighth-grade students
- 10th – 12th-grade students