Manassas City Public Schools will begin the new academic year virtually, the school board announced Tuesday night. The board also pushed back the school start date to August 31 to give teachers and families additional time to prepare for the changes.

The district has joined several others in the area — Fairfax, Montgomery and Arlington — in its decision to begin the 2020-2021 school year through distance learning only. The board will review public health data on a monthly basis to determine when it’s safe to offer in-person instruction.

In an announcement on the district’s website,  Superintendent Dr. Kevin Newman said although there was a “strong desire” to have in-person classes, health and safety issues were the main priority. Newman says families can expect more information soon about how virtual learning would work for each school, and how to school district will distribute devices and meals.

The board considered several options: in-person learning with social distancing, a combination of in-person and virtual learning, 100% virtual learning and opt-in virtual learning.

A survey of almost 2,000 parents conducted in June showed more than half of parents (52%) felt “uncomfortable or somewhat uncomfortable” sending their children to in-person classes. A staff survey with almost 750 responses showed half the employees felt “comfortable or somewhat comfortable” returning to work, while 40% said they felt uncomfortable or somewhat uncomfortable.”

Certain special education and English-as-second-language students will be allowed to return for some in-person instruction at the beginning of the academic year, InsideNoVa reported. The total enrollment for the city’s public schools is approximately 7,800 students.

Neither Prince George’s County Public Schools nor D.C. Public Schools have shared their reopening plans yet, but announcements are expected soon.