Virtual learning to be available for quarantined students

Students at Columbia Elementary School in Annandale eat lunch outside. Tents have been set up at many schools for instruction and meals in an effort to limit physical contact indoors. [FCPS]

Fairfax County Public Schools plans to provide virtual learning to students who are paused, quarantined, or isolated due to COVID-19. 

The new system, called StreamIN/CheckIN, will be implemented by Sept. 27.

It will allow students to stay engaged with their classes so they won’t have to catch up when they return to in-person learning. 

The school will start providing StreamIN/CheckIN no later than the third day of a student’s COVID-related absence, FCPS states. This instruction includes the following:  

• Livestreaming (StreamIN) of direct instruction via Zoom or Google Meet. Teachers may choose to record lessons instead of live-streaming. This is not concurrent or hybrid learning. The remote student’s camera and audio will be off, but they will be able to watch and listen. 
• Asynchronous access to class assignments.
• Interactive check-ins with teachers every other school day for academic and social-emotional support. Students will also have weekly check-ins with an assigned staff member.

StreamIN/CheckIN is not available to students who are absent from school for any reason not related to COVID. 

StreamIN/CheckIN allows elementary students to watch and listen to their language arts and math classes in real-time and/or access the recorded sessions. Social studies and science classes at the elementary level will not be available for StreamIN.

Secondary students will be able to watch and listen to their whole group direct instruction in all classes other than PE and/or access recorded lessons.

FCPS’ Special Services team is working with individual classroom settings to help put StreamIN/CheckIN into place for special education students. 

Families with confidentiality concerns need not participate in StreamIN, but can take part in predetermined asynchronous work and teacher check-ins.