MCPS Students Won't Return To Classrooms This Semester

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Montgomery County Public Schools' students will not return to the classroom until Jan. 29, 2021, at the earliest, the school district announced in a letter on Tuesday.

Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Jack Smith said the decision was made on the guidance of county health officer Dr. Travis Gayles.

In a letter on Tuesday, Gayles wrote, “based upon the current state of surveillance and epidemiological data, I would not recommend in-person instruction for students inside school buildings at this time. I recommend investing in a virtual instruction model until, at earliest, the completion of the first quarter in November, with consideration for virtual instruction through the first semester.”

In an earlier letter on Saturday, Smith wrote that student and staff safety is a top priority and that in-person instruction will not return until state and local officials give a green light.

"Our goal for the 2020-2021 school year is to provide high-quality instruction and learning experiences for all MCPS students, whether virtually or in person," Smith wrote in a letter on Monday. "And while we hope to be able to bring back as many students as possible for in-person instruction on a consistent basis in the coming months, we cannot and will not do so until we have received clearance from state and local officials who continue to review local and national data very closely."

Smith also wrote that fall and winter sports have been canceled outright.

"We will reassess at the end of the first quarter (Nov. 9) to determine if we are able to implement a phased blended model in the second semester (starting Feb. 1, 2021)," Smith wrote. "We will continue to engage with our community as we continue to navigate this incredibly complex situation."

Smith said MCPS will provide an updated reopening plan to the Board of Education on Aug. 6. The update, he said, will include readjustments based on recommendations from local health officials and feedback from students, staff and the community.

Smith also said the district is working on systems to guarantee all students have access to digital devices and the internet when way from school.

"We are building on what we learned during the spring to provide a robust and dynamic virtual learning experience for our students," Smith wrote. "We are also streamlining digital tools and platforms to make it easier for our students, staff and families to engage in teaching and learning."

Cleaning and Disinfecting

Smith said the school has spent millions of dollars recently ordering personal protective equipment, soap, hand sanitizer and other cleaning supplies.

The school has also purchased face coverings that it will provide for staff and students to wear during the school day, but reusable masks are still encouraged.

Read more: MCPS — Considerations for MCPS Fall 2020 Recovery

"If you are hearing that MCPS has said we will only provide a specific number of face coverings for staff and students for the entire year, that is not true," the superintendent wrote. "I want to be clear that face coverings will be required every day and we will need your help to reinforce this message and prepare your children for this change."

The school district will also provide no-touch hand sanitizer dispensers throughout school buildings.

Smith wrote that MCPS building services will increase its regular cleaning duties. Teachers, meanwhile, are also asked to help regularly disinfect classrooms and supplies.

The school has ordered increased disinfecting wipes and other cleaning materials for teachers to use throughout the day.

Work Flexibility

MCPS staff will be permitted to work remotely if their circumstances require it, but teachers are also asked to understand "that the need for flexibility must be balanced with the needs of our students and school system," Smith wrote.

"We understand that there are employees who are immunocompromised, or may be caregivers for family members who are immunocompromised, and will be unable to physically return to the classroom for some time," he wrote. "We also understand that many members of our staff also have unique circumstances that may prevent them from working inside of a building during the pandemic."

For those who do return to the classroom in 2021, Smith said the district is working make sure effective health and safety measures are taken to keep students and staff safe.

Among those measures is physical distancing guidelines. Smith wrote that he estimates classrooms will accommodate an average of 12 to 15 students each, but the number could change by classroom based on its configuration.

"Our draft plan represents our current thinking and will be adjusted, refined and revised going forward based on feedback and public health conditions," Smith wrote.