RICHMOND, Va. -- Two weeks after voting to give parents the option of letting children return to school or begin the school year online, the New Kent County School Board took away that choice.
"At the August 17 School Board Work Session, the Board unanimously voted to start the 2020 - 2021 school year all virtual," the New Kent Public School system posted online. "The School Division and individual schools will be sending out additional information on student schedules, teacher assignments, Chromebook deployment, & virtual Open House schedules."
New Kent's two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school are scheduled to start class on September 8.
While the school system to not explain the reason for the change in its online post, it nowjoins numerous other Virginia school systems that have decided to start the school year online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield schools announced their decisions to start school online weeks ago.
Goochland Countyinitially planned to offer both in-school and virtual options, but recently decided to start the year virtually.
Hanover County Schools has given families the option to decide whether to begin the school year online or in person.
Schools in Louisa and Amelia counties have already opened with students learning inside of classrooms.
