School Board Meeting - Tuesday, August 11, 2020

The School Board will meet on Tuesday, August 11^th, where they will be voting on the reopening of school plan which allows families to choose from two options. Additionally, the board will also decide whether the students in the Continuum of Learning will begin school on September 8^th in a fully virtual or hybrid model. 

Due to the current limit on the size of gatherings, we are collecting public comments virtually for the Tuesday, August 11th School Board meeting. Please submit any public comment by 5:00pm on Monday, August 10th using this form.  If you need a paper copy of the form, there are copies available at the School Board Office located at 500 City Hall Avenue. Please note that these forms are for public comment only and will be shared at the School Board meeting. If you have questions or comments that are student specific, please submit them through the “Let’s Talk” platform, use the Return to School Questions form, or direct your questions to the appropriate school or department. Links to these resources can be found on our Reopening of School webpage.

Reopening of School Webpage

Up-to-date information for faculty, staff, students and parents on the reopening of schools in September can be found HERE.

VHSL Announces Sports/Activities Plan for 2020-2021

The VHSL Executive Committee meeting in special session today voted (34-1-0) to move forward with Model 3 in its re-opening of sports and activities for the 2020-21 school year. Model 3 delays all VHSL sports and activities until December 14 and adopts the Condensed Interscholastic Plan.  This model leaves all sports in the season where they are currently aligned.

Model 3 – Condensed Interscholastic Plan.

• Season 1 (Winter) December 14 – February 20 (First Contest Date – December 28)
• basketball, gymnastics, indoor track, swim/dive, wrestling
• Season 2 (Fall) February 15 – May 1 (First Contest Date – March 1)
• cheer, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, volleyball
• Season 3 (Spring) April 12 – June 26 (First Contest Date – April 26)
• baseball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field

“We all understand the physical and mental health benefits of getting our students back to a level of participation. The Condensed Interscholastic Plan Leaves open the opportunity to play all sports in all three seasons if Virginia moves beyond Phase III and/or Phase III guidelines are revised and High Risk Activities are allowed,” said VHSL Executive Director Dr. John W. “Billy” Haun.  “This plan also allows schools the opportunity to open the year and get school started and deal with issues such as schedules, academic plans, transportation, dealing with possible outbreaks of COVID in the school.

“The VHSL will continue to work closely with the best available information and directives provided by the Governor, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).” Haun said.

Return to School Webpage

For the most up-to-date information on the reopening of schools in the fall, please visit our Return to School Webpage. Access it through the Parents & Students tab at the top, or by clicking HERE.

School Entrance Physicals

School entrance physicals and immunization requirements for admission to school remain unchanged for the 2020-2021 school year. Please pay attention to the important information below to ensure that your child has met the requirements prior to the start of the 2020-2021 school year.

The Code of Virginia requires that children receive a comprehensive physical examination (§ 22.1-270) within 12 months prior to the start of school and be adequately immunized (§ 22.1-271.2) before entering public kindergarten or elementary school. Other required immunizations include Human Papillomavirus (HPV) for girls entering sixth grade; and a Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (Tdap) booster for entry into seventh grade.

Additional resources are available for families of uninsured and underinsured children or those impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• The VDH, Vaccines for Children (VFC) map indicates participating providers for immunizations by region. Parents may contact local clinics directly for information and hours of service.
• The Virginia Community Healthcare Association works with a statewide network of clinics that bill for public and some private insurance. Many clinics provide a sliding scale for those without insurance and offer free immunizations in partnership with the VDH.
• The Virginia Association of Free Clinics are independent, nonprofit, volunteer-driven and community-based organizations. Each clinic sets its own eligibility requirements and guidelines, and all must be contacted directly for assistance.