Board of Education discusses school reopening on Jan. 28

The Montgomery County Board of Education (BOE) met again on Jan. 28 to discuss reopening plans after Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan called on all Maryland school systems to return to hybrid instruction by March. 1.

Hogan said that the pandemic has caused a terrible learning loss and getting students back into classrooms as soon as possible is a priority during Thursday’s press conference. “We have heard the governor’s directive and we are continuing to work on that to see what is possible,” Superintendent Jack Smith said.

Although there were no new changes to the phase-in plans to begin on March. 15, Smith said that the board will present a plan on Feb. 9 to perhaps bring certain small groups of students in Special Education or career technology programs back around late February or early March. Additionally, fall sports registration has opened with the possibility of in-person programming for athletes.

More detailed plans will be shared with the community following the Feb. 9 meeting. On Feb. 23, the board will review the reopening plans anew and discuss adjustments to the academic calendar, which includes spring break.

In relation to the health metrics that guide reopening, a decrease in both case rate and test positivity rates was seen over the last couple of days. However, the total number of MCPS employees who have tested positive for the virus are still on the rise. Currently, 32 MCPS staff members are in quarantine.

As of Jan. 31, over 25,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Montgomery County. MCPS has been working with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Johns Hopkins University Medicine (JHUM) to coordinate efforts of a rollout for staff vaccinations. FAQs regarding the vaccine and staff communications have been sent out virtually to community members.

“We are already in the process of registering staff members and they will be going in for their appointments in the coming days and week,” MCPS Chief of Engagement, Innovation and Operations Derek Turner said during the meeting.

When and if schools reopen, the instruction process will be altered in order to prioritize the safety of staff and students attending in-person. Social distancing will be enforced through one-way hallways, staggered arrivals, and designated entrances and exits. Lockers will not be used and the public will not be able to enter school buildings as freely.

PPE like masks and gloves will also be provided if a student needs it. Additionally, hand sanitizer stations and cleaning supplies will be placed throughout the building.

“I am confident that everyone in this meeting today would like nothing more than to see all students in schools,” Smith said. MCPS will continue to release updates after board business meetings as plans are being finalized to ensure transparent communication with the community.