RICHMOND — Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane is reminding parents to make sure that their children’s immunizations are up to date — especially students and young children subject to new requirements that went into effect on July 1.

“I encourage school divisions to collaborate with local health districts to provide multiple opportunities for children and students to receive all of the required immunizations and booster shots before the beginning of the school year,” Lane said. “Many of our divisions are already doing this by taking advantage of summer learning and nutrition programs to increase convenience for parents and children, especially for families that rely on school-based clinics and public health agencies for much of their care.”

To align with recommendations of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the 2020 General Assembly passed House Bill 1090 amending Virginia’s immunization requirements for attending public and private schools, child care centers, nursery schools, family home day care centers, and developmental centers.

The 2020 legislation amended the Code of Virginia to require the following new immunizations and booster shots:

• Two doses of properly spaced human papillomavirus vaccine for all children. The first dose is required before the child enters the seventh grade.
• Two or three properly spaced doses of rotavirus vaccine, depending on the manufacturer, for children up to eight months of age.
• Two properly spaced doses of hepatitis A vaccine. The first dose must be administered at age 12 months or older. The new hepatitis A vaccine requirement is an addition to the existing kindergarten immunization requirements.
• Two properly spaced doses of meningococcal conjugate vaccine. The first is required prior to entry to the seventh grade. The second dose is required prior to entry to the twelfth grade.

See Paragraph C of § 22.1-271.2 for information on religious and medical exemptions.

The Virginia Department of Health has created a list of frequently asked questions to help parents understand the new immunization requirements. The FAQ is available in both English and Spanish. A printable poster explaining all of Virginia’s immunization requirements also is available on the VDH website.

In addition, VDH and VDOE have created a Healthy Back-to-School webpage to help parents keep their children healthy this summer and prepare them for returning to school. The site provides resources about immunizations, COVID-19, well-child visits, routine oral care and mental health. There is also a "Back to School Checklist" to help parents track and organize back-to-school tasks.

The new immunization requirements do not include vaccination against COVID-19. While the CDC recommends the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for children age 12 and up, Virginia state law does not require COVID-19 vaccines for enrollment in public schools.

Superintendent's Letter to Families and Staff 5-28-21

Superintendent's Letter to Families and Staff 5-28-21 - Spanish

Visit the Health Services page to read all prior communication.

Superintendent's Statement Regarding Racism

Visit this link for a full list of VDOE School Reopening Frequently Asked Question

Are fully vaccinated K-12 school staff required to wear a mask if no students are present in the school?
No, the intent of the K-12 school mask requirement in Executive Order 79 is to ensure that, while school is in session, masking continues in school settings, regardless of vaccination status, until more students aged 12 and older are fully vaccinated and until younger students become eligible for vaccination. Faculty, staff, and visitors, even if fully vaccinated, were included in the mask mandate in order to achieve better mask adherence by setting a good example to students who are not yet vaccinated. Additionally, CDC still recommends universal masking, regardless of vaccination status, in the K-12 setting.  

When school is not in session (or anytime students are not attending programs in the school building), individuals should follow masking recommendations in accordance with CDC Guidance, which allows for fully vaccinated individuals to participate in most activities without masking or distancing. Individuals who are not yet fully vaccinated should continue to mask and distance in order to protect themselves and the people around them. 

What if camps are being offered at a K-12 school? Are campers and staff required to wear masks while on school property regardless of vaccination status? Are K-12 school staff required to wear masks while on school property regardless of vaccination status?
If a school is no longer in session and no student programs are being offered in a K-12 school, camps may follow CDC Guidance for Operating Youth Camps, which allows for fully vaccinated staff and campers to participate without masking and distancing. If levels of community transmission are substantial or high, universal masking indoors should be considered for the day camp setting, regardless of vaccination status. At overnight camps taking place at K-12 schools, camps should follow CDC guidance for overnight camps, which recommends masking for campers who are not fully vaccinated while those campers are in settings outside their cohort. 

If a camp is held on school property while K-12 faculty and staff are present on-site, those K-12 faculty and staff may follow masking recommendations in accordance with CDC Guidance, which allows for fully vaccinated individuals to participate in most activities without masking or distancing. Individuals who are not yet fully vaccinated should continue to mask and distance in order to protect themselves and the people around them. 

Are children under age 5 required to wear a mask if in a K-12 school?
CDC and VDH currently recommend children aged 2-4 wear a mask in schools, but it is not required. The school mask mandate outlined in Executive Order 79 applies to individuals aged 5 and older. Parents and caregivers should use their best judgement when placing a mask on a child aged 2-4. Masks should not be worn by children under age 2.

If programs taking place at K-12 schools have a scheduled nap time, do children need to wear masks while napping?
No, masks should be removed for nap time. The mask exceptions in Executive Order 79 may be utilized in schools. “Any person who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance” is exempt from the mask requirement.  

Additionally, CDC Guidance clarifies that child care providers should remove masks “before sleeping, napping, [and] when they may fall asleep (such as in a car seat or stroller)”. Sleeping children may be unable to remove their mask if their breathing is obstructed, and children should not wear masks during nap time.

Read the Superintendent's Memo #158-21 to learn more. 

Read the updated plan presented at the May 18 Special Called School Board meeting.

Read the letter delivered by SCPS Superintendent Dr. Scott Kizner during the Special Called School Board meeting on May 18, 2021.

Students interested in participating in the SCPS Summer Behind the Wheel program must fill out this form. 

Summer 2021 Behind the Wheel Registration

What is VMPI?

• The Virginia Mathematics Pathways Initiative (VMPI) is a joint initiative of the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) to consider how to modernize and update math instruction to Virginia’s K-12 students to prepare them all to be life ready and succeed in their post-secondary pursuits. 
• VMPI is a proposal to modernize and update Virginia’s mathematics curriculum in grades K-12 to align instruction with the essential knowledge and skills students need to succeed in the 21st-century economy. The proposals would update Virginia's Mathematics Standards of Learning and Virginia’s public school divisions would then be responsible for creating courses and designing curricula to implement those state standards, as they do now.
• VMPI maintains Virginia’s rigorous mathematics instruction for all students and strives to provide all students with opportunities to receive high quality, highly-relevant math instruction that is tailored to their specific post-secondary goals.
• The implementation of VMPI would still allow for student acceleration in mathematics content according to ability and achievement. It does not dictate how and when students take specific courses. Those decisions remain with students and school divisions based on individualized learning needs. 
• The traditional high school pathway culminating in the study of Calculus or other advanced courses is not being eliminated. Additional course pathways will include engaging semester courses in statistics, data science, modeling, design, and logic, among others.
• Local school divisions will continue to have flexibility to create courses aligned to the standards to meet the needs of all students; and provide opportunities for all students to advance through the curriculum based on their learning needs. School divisions will also be able to offer advanced sections and acceleration through the courses. 
• VMPI will increase rigor by integrating mathematical content and concepts, emphasizing reasoning and problem solving, and providing a highly-relevant experience for all students. It will also include a new focus on statistical literacy, essential for success in a data-rich world.
• VMPI proposes math standards in kindergarten through high school that focus on reasoning, real-world problem solving, communication, and conceptual connections while shifting away from an emphasis on computation and routine problem practice. 
• The VMPI initiative imagines math instruction for students that integrates existing math content into blended courses for students typically in grades 8-10. 
• The content from Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II is not being eliminated by VMPI, but rather the content of these courses will be blended into a seamless progression of connected learning. This encourages students to connect mathematical concepts and develop a much deeper and more relevant understanding of each concept within its context and relevance.
• VMPI envisions additional and innovative opportunities for students to access content that is not currently widely available to all students. This foundation can then be built upon with specific coursework tailored to post-secondary goals. 
• The foundation of VMPI’s integrated mathematics content approach is common in many countries, including in countries that are our chief global competitors.
• VMPI is aligned with research and supported by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

What is the timeline for implementing VMPI?

• VMPI is in the development stage, and the changes being proposed are under discussion with a wide variety of stakeholders, including the Board of Education. No final decisions have been made at this time.
• The changes being considered as a part of VMPI will ultimately be decided upon and put into effect with the regularly scheduled 2023 update to the Virginia Mathematics Standards of Learning. These standards cover grades K-12 and are updated once every 7 years by the Board of Education. As with all new mathematics standards, there will be many opportunities for public comment and revisions.
• Any changes made to the Mathematics Standards of Learning would be scheduled for classroom level implementation in the 2025-2026 school year. 

How can I learn more or provide feedback?

• VMPI community meetings being offered this spring are intended to provide initial information regarding the initiative, but also be a venue in which feedback can be collected. The schedule for the sessions is:
  • Tuesday, March 23, 2021 - Why Change Mathematics Instruction?
  • Tuesday, April 13, 2021 - How does VMPI affect Virginia Children’s Futures?
  • Tuesday, April 27, 2021 - Essential Concepts in Grades 8 - 10
  • Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - Advanced Pathways in Grades 11 - 12
• All sessions will be live streamed on the VDOE YouTube Channel beginning at 6:30 p.m., with a 20-minute presentation from members of the VMPI Planning Committees, followed by a question and answer session for the community. 
• Participants may submit questions to be addressed during the sessions through the Virginia Mathematics Pathways Initiative form. 
• The Virginia Department of Education welcomes feedback via email at vdoe.mathematics@doe.virginia.gov as the Virginia Mathematics Pathways Initiative moves forward.  

Tyler Technologies has released a new version of the MyStop Parent App. The app allows users to track their student’s bus from a computer or mobile device. My Stop displays the school bus’s approximate location on a map, as well as the estimated time of arrival (ETA) to a specific student’s bus stop.

If you are using this app, you must install the latest version available in the Google Playstore and Apple Store. Please see these instructions if you need assistance completing this process.

Read the Superintendent's updated information regarding proper face coverings when aboard SCPS property. Bandanas, gaiters, and vented masks are not considered proper face coverings.

This document outlines the Student and Parent Expectations for Success in the Virtual Classroom.  Please refer to this document frequently, and remember to reach out to your teacher for support when needed.

Our school district needs your help! Everyone is responsible for an orderly and safe school environmenet. Information you provide can help. Call Stafford Crime Solvers at 540-658-2020.

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