July Board Meeting

Just in case you missed it, at the school board’s regular meeting last Tuesday, the school board discussed various policies (including the policy on Student Conduct: see here and here) and received a presentation from the counseling staff about how the schools will address the many and varied effects that the pandemic has had on our children.

Rebecca Sharp began that presentation with a recognition that even within our small community, there has not been an average Covid experience. Some families experienced the loss of loved ones while others did not experience any severe ill health effects, even in their extended family. For some families, the pandemic did not have any material effect on their economic well-being, while others experienced devastating income loss either through a job lost due to economic conditions or from making the difficult decision to leave employment in order to stay at home with their children. For others, the pain does not come from experiencing the death of a loved one or severe illness or economic hardship; it comes from being isolated from close friends and family for the better part of a year. The public recognition of the varied experiences in our community was thoughtful and moving and is much appreciated. All experiences need to be heard so that schools can respond in the most appropriate way.

As a relative new-comer to the schools in Falls Church City (my oldest son’s kindergarten year was last school year and attended Jessie Thackrey Preschool for 2 years), I appreciated all the information provided by the counseling staff about what they can do and how they operate. I know that there are only so many things school staff can do, and (given legal liability issues) they are also limited in where they can refer children for more services. Continued communication about the availability of various services will help ensure students receive the help they need to succeed not only in school but in all aspects of life.