Loudoun Schools Will Offer In-Person Instruction 4 Days A Week

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Students in Loudoun County will attend in-person learning for four days per week, according to an announcement from the school system. Starting on Tuesday, April 20, the school system will reduce social distancing to accommodate more children in classrooms.

Originally, the county's hybrid learning model provided students with in-person instruction twice a week. Half of the county's hybrid students attend class on Tuesday and Thursday, while the other half go to school on Wednesday and Friday.

The change will affect students who have opted in to the hybrid learning models. Parents who would like to switch from one learning model to another should contact their school from April 5 through April 9.

Most of the school system's coronavirus mitigation strategies will be unchanged, but physical distancing guidelines will shift to accommodate more students. "Distance between students will be reduced to 3 feet nose-to-nose in classrooms," according to a document published by Loudoun County Schools. The new physical distancing is based on a recommendation from the Virginia Department of Education.

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"In most instances, students will be less than six feet apart," the document said. Classrooms will be set up to allow six feet of space between teachers and students.

The school district will continue other mitigation strategies. Each desk is equipped with a plexiglass shield. Each school also has a thermal camera installed at the most-used entrance to record temperatures as people come into the building. All students, staff, and visitors will still be required to wear a mask.

Dr. Scott Ziegler is the interim superintendent for Loudoun County Public Schools. "Both our in-person and our distance learning students will continue to receive high quality instruction," Dr. Ziegler said in a video explaining the change. "With the continued cooperation of our students and parents, I know that we will be successful as we pass this important milestone in our collective journey on April 20."