FRONT ROYAL – While the Warren County School Board has a set calendar for the upcoming school year, exactly how and where students will learn remains unknown.

The School Board during a Wednesday meeting approved a calendar with the school year running from Aug. 27-June 8. Assistant Superintendent Melody Sheppard explained via email that this represents a slight delay as school was previously scheduled to begin Aug. 11.

Sheppard said that "we are changing the way our teachers teach and with that in mind we felt we needed additional time for professional development."

During the same meeting, Superintendent Chris Ballenger presented the board with four options for how learning could take place amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Exactly what mix of remote and in-person learning will be conducted will remain under consideration until the School Board's Aug. 5 meeting.

According to a news release, two of the options are similar in that grades pre-kindergarden through four would receive in-person instruction four days a week with online reinforcements. 

The first option, however, would see students in grades six-12 in which students would receive in-person instruction one day per week with online reinforcements. Fifth-graders would receive in-person instruction four days per week. 

In the second option, students in grades five-eight would receive in-person instruction two days per week. Half of the schools' students would report on Monday and Tuesday or Thursday and Friday with remote learning conducted on Wednesdays. Grades nine-12 would receive in-person learning one day per week with teachers available during office hours. 

The third option would see students being given an "A or B day," according to the release, and receive in-person instruction either Monday and Tuesday or Thursday and Friday. 

In the final option presented, all instruction would be conducted remotely but teachers would be available to students during office hours. 

Parents will also have the option to have their children learn solely remotely, no matter which option the School Board selects. 

Ballenger notes in the release that surveys regarding the options will be sent to all families and school employees. 

Tim Grant, the schools’ director of technology, explained that every student will be given a computer to assist in the remote learning aspects of the upcoming year.

No matter how the school year unfolds, Director of Elementary Education Lisa Rudacille said temperatures will be taken of everyone entering schools.

Sheppard explained the typical 25-desk classroom will be reduced to about 12 desks. Where possible, she added that there will be one-way hallways.

Transportation Director Aaron Mitchell explained that there will be one student allowed in bus seats and masks will be required.

Rudacille explained that state guidelines require areas such as cafeterias to be avoided and for recess to be rearranged. She added that social distancing will impact how many students can fit on buses and in classrooms.

School Board member Cathy Bower said she would like to see every student in school every day “but right now I don’t see how that’s going to happen.” She added that grades pre-kindergarden through five need to be in the classroom for socialization and instruction. She also questioned whether the schools will need to provide meals to students for when they are not in school.

Dr. Colin Greene, director of the Lord Fairfax Health District, explained that protecting children is not the issue at hand when schools open, but it is instead protecting elderly staff and families.

In Virginia, he said the 80-plus demographic has had the most deaths at 1,022. That figure declines with with each younger demographic. He said 516 people in their 70s died, 308 in their 60s, 127 in their 50s, 56 in their 40s, 16 in their 30s and four in their 20s. He said no Virginian under 20 has died from the virus.

Of the 82 people who died in the Lord Fairfax Health District, Greene said 45 were over 80 and none were under 30.

“It is not really a threat to children…at least as far as we know in four months of time. And that’s something to keep in mind when we’re talking about what we’re doing with the school,” Greene said.