PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — A final plan is in place for some students in Prince William County to return to the classroom.
During a more than six hour meeting, Prince William County Schools Superintendent, Dr. Steve Walts, presented his 50/50 hybrid model to the school board.
The plan brings pre-k and kindergarten students back into the classroom Nov. 10, with first, second and third graders slowly returning in December and January.
It's a big change from the original proposal, which would have brought all grades back. At this point it is unclear if and when there will be an in-person return for middle and high school students in the county this school year.
The school board was still discussing the proposal late Wednesday, after hours of emotionally charged testimony from parents urging the school board to reopen, while some educators stressed the importance of sticking with virtual learning.
Eventually, it was decided for those younger students to return to class in November, but it's still unclear if older students will head back to school this year.
“We care about these students too, but we need to make sure our schools are safe," Chuck Ronco, the Vice President of the Prince William Education Association (PWEA) said. "Right now with approximately 2.5% of this county is positive for COVID it’s a very very dangerous situation to be putting that many students in any one school."
Ronco said teachers have transferred, quit and retired early over COVID-19 fears. The educator said teachers would do what they need to do when it comes to educating their students, but said it’s difficult to do your job when you’re scared for your life.
“We did a survey of over 1,200 respondents both educators and non-educators and people are definitely afraid of going back in,” Ronco said. “Their number one request is that we stay virtual. Our second-best option is to do the slow rollout K-3, and the least preferred way of going back into school is the 50/50 model that apparently we'll be going through tonight.”
The PWEA held a caravan protest outside of the school district’s headquarters prior to Wednesday evening’s meeting as parents and students protested from the sidewalk.
“My son is not getting an education right now,” PWCS parent Kari Chambers said. “It has been stifled by the virtual environment. Once again, he works with two teachers, nothing to do with that, it’s just the virtual environment that Prince William County Schools is saying is accessible and equitable and it is not.”
Chambers was one of dozens of parents who spoke at Wednesday’s meeting.
“My son's teacher is working tirelessly and hard to make her classroom work in third grade, but it is not working, not because it's not her fault, but because it is not a system set up for accessibility and equity,” Chambers said.
During the school board meeting, parents shared the stresses they and their children have encountered during virtual learning. Dozens of parents gave testimony to the school board Wednesday evening, as did teachers.