Press

CNN | Fairfax County Schools Safely Re-open with Loftwall

By Loftwall August 6, 2020

While no sector has been shielded from the implications of COVID-19, our country’s education system has been dealt an especially difficult hand. Trusted with the safety of tens of thousands (and, at times, even hundreds of thousands) of students, school districts across the US are redesigning and reimagining their buildings to prepare for the upcoming school year.

To highlight one district’s plan, CNN traveled to Fairfax County, Virginia to speak with Scott Brabrand, the superintendent of Fairfax County schools. As one of the largest school districts in the country (the Fairfax County Public School system has more than than 188,000 students in grades pre-K-12), Brabrand and his team have spent months preparing for students to return this fall.

In accordance with the US Center of Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Fairfax County classrooms look much different now than they did last fall. Social distancing signage has been added to floors, desks have been moved 6 feet apart, and cleanable, transparent dividers now sit on every office counter and teacher’s desk. While the end result is a spectacular achievement, the logistics behind protecting 188,000 students is no small undertaking and Loftwall was honored to be trusted to play a role.

In May, Interiors by Guernsey (a Virginia-based dealership working with the Fairfax County school district) learned about our Back to the Office collection and gave us a call. For the school district to safely re-open, they would need 800 of our Counter Shields. It was a large ask, but one we were prepared for.

We received the order in June, and less than a month later 800 Counter Shields were on their way to Virginia.

Our “Classic” Counter Shield. One of our four standard designs.

But Fairfax County isn’t alone, thousands of districts are facing similar challenges. Do you know a school district who could use more protection for their staff and students? Whether it’s a mobile or static solution, Loftwall is poised to help schools re-open with confidence. Click here to get started crafting your solution.