Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Craig County Public Schools will begin using Virtual Learning Days during certain school closures this semester to maintain instructional time while prioritizing student and staff safety, according to a letter sent to families this week.
Superintendent Jason A. Wheeler announced the policy in a Jan. 5 letter, explaining that Virtual Learning Days will be used when in-person instruction is not safe due to inclement weather or other events. Not every closure will automatically become a Virtual Learning Day, Wheeler said, noting that each situation will be evaluated individually based on timing, duration and severity.
Under Virginia Department of Education requirements, school divisions must provide 990 instructional hours each school year. With an average school day lasting about 6.5 hours, Craig County Public Schools can miss approximately 180 instructional hours — or about 27 to 28 days — before falling below the state minimum. Additional closure days can add up quickly, the letter stated.
Virtual Learning Days allow instruction to continue during closures, helping the division remain in compliance with state requirements and reducing the need to add make-up days at the end of the school year.
According to the division, the use of Virtual Learning Days is intended to maintain instructional continuity, protect student and staff safety, preserve required instructional hours and reduce the likelihood of extending the school year.
Wheeler said families and staff will receive clear communication whenever a Virtual Learning Day is implemented.