Winter Sports and School-Related Events Update

Winter Sports and School-Related Events Update
Posted on 12/16/2020
HCPS LogoDecember 16, 2020 Update:

Dear Families, Faculty, and Staff,

We hope this email finds you safe and well. We are writing today to share an important update with you regarding the winter sports season.

After careful consideration and with the support of our School Board, we have decided the following:

- The high school winter sports season may begin on Monday, January 4. 
- Middle school winter sports will not be permitted.
- Eighth grade students will be allowed to try out for high school teams.
- Winter sports competitions will be limited to only Hanover schools.
- All conditioning programs, tryouts, and practices at all schools will remain suspended until January 4, which is the first day after Winter Break.
- Teams that qualify for postseason play will be allowed to compete.

We understand the importance of sports and other extracurricular activities to our students’ well-being beyond the playing field and believe this decision to offer a limited season allows us to continue offering a holistic education in these uncertain times. 

Nevertheless, we remain concerned about the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases reported recently in our county and school division.  We will continue to monitor this closely and make any decisions regarding sports or our daily operations that may be necessary. In order to ensure a successful sports season, we need every person in our community to stay vigilant in mitigating the spread of COVID-19. 

This collective effort will allow us to continue offering a face-to-face learning option and now field sports teams. As we announced earlier this month, spectators’ attendance at extracurricular school-related events remains suspended. This includes athletic activities.

Athletic directors and coaches at each school will share more specific information soon.

Thank you for your continued patience, support, and vigilance.

Sincerely,

Dr. Michael Gill, Superintendent of Schools
Jennifer Greif, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Leadership
Dr. Robert Staley, Director of Secondary Education

Original December 4, 2020 Message:

Dear Families, Faculty, and Staff,

We hope this email finds you and your loved ones well.  We are writing to share important updates with you regarding winter sports and attendance at school-related events.   

Winter Sports

Hanover County Public Schools is committed to protecting the health and safety of our students, employees, and community. As we shared with you last week, we remain concerned about the noticeable increase in the number of COVID-19 cases reported in recent weeks in our county. This is especially true within some of our middle and high schools.

In collaboration with Chickahominy Health District officials, we continue to review guidance and data as it relates to participating in Virginia High School League winter sports this school year. While no final decision has been made at this time, we believe it is necessary to suspend all conditioning programs, tryouts, and practices, effective Monday, December 7. This applies to all high school and middle school athletics programs.  

We will communicate our final decision about the winter sports season no later than Friday, December 18.   

We do not make these decisions lightly as we understand the importance and benefits of athletics in our students’ lives that go far beyond the court, field, and mat.  We made this decision after close consultation with Chickahominy Health District officials, and with the support of our School Board, middle and high school principals, and athletic directors. We will continue to do so moving forward.  

Above all, we collectively believe that we must do everything possible to protect our core mission, which is to educate our students.  We encourage you to join us in our efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 to help protect each other and keep our schools safe, healthy, and open. In the meantime, we will continue to monitor all health-related data and guidance carefully over the next two weeks as we work to make our final decision about the winter sports season.    

Attendance at School-Related Events


For the same reasons, we believe it is necessary to temporarily suspend spectators from attending extracurricular school-related events, effective Monday, December 7. This includes extracurricular events, such as student performances and PTA/PTO gatherings on school property (e.g. movie nights).   

Please note that students are still allowed to participate in extracurricular activities connected to instruction that are in alignment with our current health protocols.  Additionally, PTA/PTO activities that do not involve group gatherings, such as drive-thru or virtual events, may still take place. 

***

As we stated above, these decisions will help protect our core mission of educating students. We are proud to continue to offer an in-person instructional option and this assists in that effort.

You can help us by remaining vigilant in your efforts to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Michael Gill
Superintendent of Schools

Jennifer Greif
Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Leadership

Dr. Robert Staley
Director of Secondary Education

***

Estimadas familias, facultad y personal:

Esperamos que este correo electrónico los encuentre bien a usted y a sus seres queridos. Le escribimos para compartir con usted actualizaciones importantes sobre los deportes de invierno y la asistencia a eventos relacionados con la escuela.

Deportes de Invierno

Las Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Hanover (Hanover County Public Schools) están comprometidas a proteger la salud y la seguridad de nuestros estudiantes, empleados, y comunidad. Como compartimos con usted la semana pasada, seguimos preocupados por el notable aumento en la cantidad de casos de COVID-19 reportados en las últimas semanas en nuestro condado. Esto es especialmente cierto en algunas de nuestras escuelas intermedias y secundarias.

En colaboración con los funcionarios del Distrito de Salud de Chickahominy, (Chickahominy Health District) continuamos revisando la guía y los datos relacionados con la participación en los deportes de invierno de la Liga de Escuelas Secundarias de Virginia (Virginia High School League) este año escolar. Mientras no se ha tomado una decisión final en este momento, creemos que es necesario suspender todos los programas de acondicionamiento, pruebas y prácticas, a partir del lunes 7 de diciembre. Esto se aplica a todos los programas de atletismo de la escuela secundaria y intermedia (high school y middle school).

Comunicaremos nuestra decisión final sobre la temporada de deportes de invierno a más tardar el viernes, 18 de diciembre.

No tomamos estas decisiones a la ligera porque entendemos la importancia y los beneficios del atletismo en la vida de nuestros estudiantes que van mucho más allá de la cancha, el campo y la colchoneta. Tomamos esta decisión después de una estrecha consulta con los funcionarios del Distrito de Salud de Chickahominy (Chickahominy Health District), y con el apoyo de nuestra Junta Escolar, los directores de escuelas intermedias y secundarias y los directores deportivos. Seguiremos haciéndolo en el futuro.

Sobre todo, creemos colectivamente que debemos hacer todo lo posible para proteger nuestra misión principal, el que es educar a nuestros estudiantes. Lo/la alentamos a unirse a nosotros en nuestros esfuerzos por mitigar la propagación de COVID-19 para ayudar a protegernos mutuamente y mantener nuestras escuelas seguras, saludables y abiertas. Mientras tanto, continuaremos monitoreando todos los datos relacionados con la salud y la orientación cuidadosamente durante las próximas dos semanas mientras trabajamos para tomar nuestra decisión final sobre la temporada de deportes de invierno.

Asistencia a eventos relacionados con la escuela

Por las mismas razones, creemos que es necesario suspender temporalmente a los espectadores para que no asistan a eventos extracurriculares relacionados con la escuela, a partir del lunes 7 de diciembre. Esto incluye eventos extracurriculares, como presentaciones de estudiantes y reuniones de PTA / PTO en la propiedad escolar (por ejemplo, noches de cine).

Tenga en cuenta por favor que los estudiantes todavía pueden participar en actividades extracurriculares relacionadas con la instrucción que están alineadas con nuestros protocolos de salud actuales. Además, las actividades de PTA / PTO que no involucran reuniones de grupo, como eventos virtuales o de autoservicio, aún pueden llevarse a cabo.

***

Como dijimos anteriormente, estas decisiones ayudarán a proteger nuestra misión principal de educar a los estudiantes. Estamos orgullosos de continuar ofreciendo una opción de instrucción en persona y esto ayuda en ese esfuerzo.

Puede ayudarnos permaneciendo atento/a en sus esfuerzos para ayudar a reducir la propagación de COVID-19 en nuestra comunidad. Gracias.

Cordialmente,

Dr. Michael Gill
Superintendente de Escuelas

Jennifer Greif
Superintendente Asistente de Liderazgo Educativo

Dr. Robert Staley
Director de Educación Secundaria
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