A New School Day: ACPS Releases Sample Schedules for Virtual Fall Semester
ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Zebra Press has continued to keep the community updated on Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) plans for the fall semester. Last week, The Zebra reported that the Alexandria School Board approved the Virtual PLUS+ learning model.
On the afternoon of August 12, ACPS provided information about how schedules will look for students from Pre-K to high school and discussed how they will spend their days, starting September 8.
“A virtual learning environment is not best educational practice. However, at this time a virtual approach is the most feasible with our current constraints, recent community/staff input, and alignment with our 2025 Strategic Plan: Equity for All,” wrote ACPS Superintendent Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr. in the latest ACPS Express. “At present, this is not about what is right or wrong for our students, but it is about doing all that is feasible within the current circumstances and in the most equitable way that stays true to our vision, mission, and core values outlined in the strategic plan.”
The sample schedules, along with a video providing an overview by Darrell Sampson, can be viewed below. Sampson is a licensed professional counselor and the executive director for ACPS Student Support Teams.
The schedules cover five important aspects. The schedules:
- Reflect the usual school day with a mix of asynchronous and synchronous learning during instructional times
- Are uniform across grade levels with the same number of minutes per subject area/grade level across the division
- Include brain breaks or movement breaks across all grade levels
- Ensure Special Education students will receive services based on their IEP. ACPS will be fully implementing IEPs in a virtual format
- Ensure English Learner students will receive 45 minutes of direct instruction each day
Individual student schedules and teacher/classroom placement information will be mailed in the Virtual PLUS+ Packet in late August.
Sample Schedules
For Pre-K, click HERE.
For elementary school, click HERE.
For middle school, click HERE.
For high school, click HERE.
Overview Video
An Uplifting Message
Hutchings, in his writing, reminded the ACPS community that “things can change quickly and we all look forward to the day when we can open the doors of our school buildings and welcome everyone inside again in a safe and healthy manner. Like you all, I hope that is not too far away.”
A Final Note
This Friday, August 14, ACPS will send the Virtual PLUS+ program to the Virginia Department of Education for approval.
RELATED: Alexandria School Board Approves Virtual PLUS+ Learning Program for Fall
