New survey: Warren County Public Schools need feedback on fall back-to-school plans

The first day of school in Warren County is scheduled for Tuesday, August 11, and the County’s school district is requesting survey responses from parents and guardians to help it prepare for the 2020-2021 academic year.

As part of its preparation plans for the school year 2020-2021, Warren County Public Schools (WCPS) is requesting that parents and guardians take a short, online survey, which is available HERE.

The survey is available now through Monday, July 13 at 3 p.m. One form per school-aged child within a family must be filled out, according to the survey instructions.

The Warren County Back to School Parent Survey includes several yes-or-no questions, such as whether a family plans on utilizing bus transportation to and/or from school each day; and whether a family has internet access and if it provides the capability to upload, download and stream videos for all children within a household at the same time.

Additionally, there is a question regarding education preference. “Our desire is for your child(ren) to be in school as often as schedules will allow due to phased guidance,” according to the survey question. “However, we understand there are circumstances that may prevent this. We will work with you to provide the best and safest educational setting that you choose as we enter school this fall.”

Then, the possible answers are to select either:

A) I feel comfortable sending my child to school in the fall; or

B) I feel uncomfortable sending my child to school in the fall.

In the letter posted on the WCPS website for parents and guardians, WCPS Superintendent Chris Ballenger noted that school office staff will directly make calls to individual families who do not complete the survey online.

“WCPS needs this information to better prepare for what school life will be like next school year.,” Superintendent Ballenger told the Royal Examiner. “This information will help us to plan and schedule for next year.”

Ballenger also said that “families that do not respond to the survey will receive a call from the school in order to administer the survey. The school employee will enter data for the parent.”

WCPS also is working on plans for the upcoming school year following the Virginia Department of Education’s Recover, Redesign, Restart 2020 guidance, a comprehensive plan for school districts on providing educational instruction while effectively managing the public health risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Specifically, the state document provides guidance, technical support, best practices, and alternate solutions for school divisions throughout the Commonwealth on instructing all 1.3 million Virginia students “under uncertain and evolving circumstances.”

WCPS Superintendent Chris Ballenger, shown here during the July 1 Warren County School Board meeting, seeks survey responses by July 13 from parents and guardians regarding plans for the school year 2020-2021. Photo by Mark Williams, Royal Examiner.

“These procedures include increased cleaning and disinfecting of buildings and buses and social distancing,” wrote Ballenger.

Bus transportation this school year is going to require physical distancing, which will limit the number of students who can be transported by bus, according to Ballenger’s letter. “If possible, we encourage parents to transport their children to school,” he wrote.

WCPS also plans to provide new instruction this fall and grade all student work under one of these proposed scenarios:

1.) All students will participate through remote learning, using a device provided by Warren County Public Schools.

2.) A hybrid schedule where a set of students will be in school each day, while others will be taught through remote learning. Students will alternate days in school to limit the number of students in the buildings to maintain recommended social distancing guidelines.

3.) All students will attend in-person while observing all Virginia Department of Health guidelines that are in place at that time.

Additional guidance from the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Education will be provided to school divisions across the Commonwealth to help with the finalization of plans, according to Ballenger’s letter.

WCPS staff are likely to discuss the data obtained from the survey with members of the Warren County School Board during the board’s special meeting slated for July 22.