Smith is expected to hold a press conference on Wednesday afternoon about the decision. When schools do reopen, MCPS plans a gradual return for students and staff. Montgomery County students’ return to schools will be pushed back again as local COVID-19 cases continue to surge. — In a clear rebuke to Montgomery County's order for private schools to start the year virtually, Governor Larry Hogan on Monday issued an executive order clarifying that private schools and public school systems have the primary authority to determine when to safely reopen for in-person classes. "The blanket closure mandate imposed by Montgomery County was overly broad and inconsistent with the powers intended to be delegated to the county health officer," said Hogan. Schools who have the capacity to reopen while strictly adhering to CDC guidelines should be permitted to do so. — In a clear rebuke to Montgomery County's order for private schools to start the year virtually, Governor Larry Hogan on Monday issued an executive order clarifying that private schools and public school systems have the primary authority to determine when to safely reopen for in … Smondrowski questioned whether all students could be brought back at once, rather than using a phased approach. “I agree we want to get children back into schools for education … but I think my biggest consternation is that we know there’s going to be substantial educational loss at this point, but what we don’t know is what the medical and long-term risks are.”. Meanwhile the Archdiocese of Maryland has chosen to give most Catholic school students the choice to have online or in person classes. The Montgomery County Board of Education on Tuesday voted to delay students' return to buildings until at least March 15. It is a very complex picture,” Stoddard said. Under the new order local health departments still have the power to close any individual facility deemed unsafe. Maryland's State Department of Education has given schools until August 14 to submit their proposals for the new academic year. The school board on Tuesday also voted to continue allowing all students to be eligible for extracurricular activities, regardless of their grades. “To be clear, Maryland’s recovery continues to be based on a flexible, community-based approach that follows science, not politics. 1 priority.”. On Friday, officials in Maryland’s most populous county said that private schools, including some of the nation’s most elite, had to join them. The current positivity rate in Montgomery County, MD is 3.1% and has been on a consistent downward trend. During a meeting on Tuesday, the Montgomery County Board of Education voted 7-1 to delay its reopening plan for the third time, pushing back the Feb. 1 start date until at least March 15 — more than a year after buildings closed. It has been 305 days since MCPS students were last in schools for regular in-person classes. So far many public school systems including Anne Arundel, Harford, Howard, Carroll, Cecil, Queen Anne's and Baltimore Counties and City have decided to start the year off virtually. Montgomery County private and charter schools are allowed to reopen now after county rescinds original ban On August 7, Montgomery County announced it … Berkholtz said that should be attainable, especially because educators will likely begin to be vaccinated in the coming weeks. In Montgomery County, where most of the metrics are in the “high” or “very high” tiers of transmission, that is not true. Last week, the Montgomery County school board voted to delay its reopening plan from Feb. 1 to March 15, two weeks later than Hogan’s deadline. Montgomery County schools outlines all-virtual reopening plan Montgomery County Schools Superintendent Jack R. Smith, pictured in 2018, released a … If countywide data are lower than the established benchmarks, some students — those in special education programs, pre-kindergarten through sixth-grade, high school seniors and those in certain career and technical education programs — who chose to participate in face-to-face classes will be welcomed back to schools. Larry Hogan that had thrown private … The county had ordered private and parochial schools to close, but the governor said they could reopen. Montgomery County says private schools can hold in-person instruction after a struggle with the governor over their ability to reopen. On July 31, Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles issued an executive order to prohibit Montgomery County private schools from reopening, citing health and safety reasons. Montgomery County students’ return to schools … As long as schools develop safe and detailed plans that follow CDC and state guidelines, they should be empowered to do what’s best for their community," Hogan said. Montgomery County’s business community is a key partner in ensuring the safety and well-being of its employees and County residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) – Officials in Montgomery County released school reopening guidelines on Friday. Those metrics are a COVID-19 case rate of 15 per 100,000 residents or less, or a test positivity rate below 5%. Then, when the county hits a threshold of 5 to 10 cases per 100,000 (given the test positivity rate remains below 5%), the rest of the students who opted for in-person classes would be allowed to return to buildings. Prince George's County was specifically mentioned by Hogan on Thursday. As of Tuesday afternoon, Montgomery County had a case rate of 49.8 per 100,000 people and a test positivity rate of 7.7%, both well above the district’s reopening thresholds and trending worse. Private and parochial schools in Maryland can choose when to reopen, the governor said Monday, after Montgomery County ordered all private schools to … Still, some parents continued to lobby for in-person classes during the public comment portion of Tuesday’s school board meeting. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles has directed nonpublic schools in the county to stay closed for in-person learning through at least October 1. Social distancing and masks will be required when schools reopen, and classes will still “look a lot different” than they did pre-pandemic. Three days after Montgomery County’s top public health official said that private and parochial schools would have to stick to online teaching until … But in most states, many Catholic and private schools are planning to reopen without incident. Hogan earlier this month clashed with local officials in Montgomery County who ordered private schools to institute all-virtual schooling. Classes will begin virtually on Sept. 1. But MCPS — the state’s largest school district, with more than 161,000 students — has remained all-virtual as some parents push for a return to classrooms. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. On March 12, Gov. This story was updated at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 12, 2021, to include more information about the reopening vote. ANNAPOLIS, Md. Montgomery County rescinded Friday its order closing for non-public schools for in-person learning, ending the weeklong back-and-forth with Maryland Gov. All businesses, as a condition of reopening, are required to abide by the following rules. Smith said he doesn’t think the “ordering or priority will change, unless the board directs us otherwise.”, The question, he said, is “how quickly we can accelerate that process.”. The governor said this is to ensure schools and school systems will have the primary authority to determine when to safely reopen schools for in-person instruction. Montgomery County Public Schools » Reopening 2020 The page will be used to provide more information on MCPS plans for educating students during the 2020-21 school year. School board member Pat O’Neill added: “Everyone can offer an opinion, but it’s harder to take the responsibility for health and safety, and health and safety has to be the No. We strongly urge Governor Hogan to overturn Montgomery County’s mandate to close private schools. “Because you agree or disagree with what is done today that does not change the commitment … to the best education we can provide in the most difficult, strange, unusual, unprecedented, whatever cliche word we want to use, that any of us have lived through in our lifetimes,” Smith said. She urged the school board to commit to bringing all special education back into schools by March 1. On Friday, Montgomery County announced an order prohibiting the reopening of private and religiously affiliated schools until at least Oct. 1. Montgomery County rescinds ban on private schools reopening this fall Mary Beth Albertini attends an Aug. 5 rally outside the Montgomery County … The board will also review the district’s academic calendar to determine if changes should be made to the scheduled spring break, in late March into early April. Sara Berkholtz said her student in a special education program does not receive adequate services, and has regressed academically since buildings closed. Academy of the Holy Cross, Kensington. On Friday, County Health Officer Travis Gayles ordered all nonpublic schools … During Tuesday’s meeting, the school board, with advice from county officials, determined those metrics cannot be met by Feb. 1. In response, Montgomery County withdrew its order, which was based on Hogan's emergency directive. Larry Hogan ordered a two-week, statewide closure of all schools in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The decision comes after … ANNAPOLIS, Md. The suspension will remain in effect through the first quarter of the 2021-22 academic year. RELATED: Governor Hogan criticizes online-only private school order. So far, the county has received plans from about a dozen nonpublic schools planning to reopen, said Dr. Earl Stoddard, director of the Montgomery County Office of … Website by Web Publisher PRO, Central office staffers collect largest paychecks, data shows, Plus: Student school board nominations open through next week, Montgomery public school buildings were to stay closed until at least March 15, The top 20 highest-paid employees in MCPS in 2020, School Notes: School board will meet Thursday, discuss reopening plans, UPDATED: Governor tells Maryland schools to reopen by March 1, earlier than MCPS planned, Opinion: As school district leaders take a pass on leadership, students suffer at home, Opinion: Executive was wrong to urge people to forfeit fundamental right of protest, Police investigate death of male found in apartment, Montgomery delegation backs bill to reimburse, waive alcohol license fee, Man accused of killing his mother will move from psychiatric hospital to jail. All rights reserved. — Montgomery County health officials are doubling down on their prohibition of nonpublic schools opening for in-person instruction before … “There’s no logical reason to delay the return of special education students past March 1, regardless of the community case rates,” she said. … The only board member who voted against the new delay was Rebecca Smondrowski. Montgomery County's anti-private-school health czar doesn't have the numbers on his side. “I know this is difficult for some, and for others, they’re relieved,” MCPS Superintendent Jack Smith said. Governor Hogan criticizes online-only private school order. In December, the school board approved its return plan, which outlines a phased return to buildings. Teams meet via Zoom for meetings and some conditioning. Smith said MCPS has contacted the state Department of Education about “building in time” for staff members to prepare buildings to reopen, likely canceling some virtual classes to allow teachers to set up their classrooms. Montgomery County private and charter schools are allowed to reopen now after county rescinds original ban Nonpublic schools are allowed to reopen in Montgomery County … Some schools across the state, including some private schools in Montgomery County, have since reopened for face-to-face classes. MCPS is not allowing in-person sports practices or competitions. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Montgomery County School Reopening Guidance (7/18/2020) for Pre-K to 12: As Montgomery County Pre-K to 12 schools start to plan for the upcoming 2020-21 school year while dealing with the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, Montgomery County Office of Public Health (OPH) in collaboration with Montgomery County Superintendents has developed general recommendations to support the prevention of disease transmission in the school … This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Montgomery County strongly encourages all schools to provide distance learning for the fall semester. Caitlynn Peetz can be reached at caitlynn.peetz@bethesdamagazine.com, Copyright 2021 Bethesda Magazine. This story was updated at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 12, 2021, to include more information about the reopening vote. Back to Reopening homepage » Considerations for Recovery of Education in Second Semester. “… We think this makes the most sense at this point.”. She voiced frustration with the lack of information about the rollout of the delayed reopening. Private schools in Montgomery County will stay closed for in-person instruction through Oct. 1, the county's top health official says. The data benchmarks could be adjusted, Smith said, if health officials determine it is safer to reopen once the majority of staff members are vaccinated. The school board will meet again in January and in February to review COVID-19 metrics more. MCPS Instructional Phases But on Monday night, the Carroll County school board voted to resume in-person learning on a hybrid schedule starting Jan. 7, after parents offered testimony asking for schools to reopen. However, according to a Washington Post report, the county responded by issuing a new order, based on different law, that once again directs private schools to remain closed until October.. Montgomery County health officer Travis Gayles said in a news conference earlier this week that he … The case rate is at its highest level since the pandemic began. When state and local health officials determine conditions in our county allow for students to return safely after the first semester, we will begin to implement a phased blended model in the second semester (beginning February 1, 2021). However, nonpublic schools may reopen for in-person instruction. A decision about the March 15 reopening will be made by Feb. 23. Montgomery County health officials have ordered private schools in the county to teach students online-only this fall, a move that sparked immediate blowback online … The plan, however, maintains two important metrics that must be met countywide before that can happen. Business Reopening Requirements. “I would argue that some of the biggest bullies … who have reached out to us are not MCPS employees,” O’Neill said. See Montgomery County Public Schools reopening information. During Tuesday’s school board meeting, he underscored that there are many different opinions about school reopening, but that the decision to keep schools closed “makes the most sense.”. “The long-term implications of COVID for children and adults is still very poorly understood. If schools begin reopening on March 15, students would have about three months of in-person classes before the end of the academic year on June 16. It will reassess the … In May, the board suspended grading policies that typically determine when students are eligible for extracurriculars. She also disputed claims that the county’s teachers union, the Montgomery County Education Association, has “forced” the school board to delay reopening. During a County Council meeting on Tuesday morning, Dr. Earl Stoddard, director of the county’s Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, said it is difficult to compare other countries’ or states’ school reopenings because each place has different circumstances. ... Also, Gayles refused to even look at the reopening plans put forth by schools. The parents cite national and international studies that suggest schools are not the sources of major coronavirus spread, lower grades, social isolation and learning loss in their arguments. And, he added, while children experience severe illness from the virus less often than adults, there is limited information about the long-term effects of contracting COVID-19. Some of the studies cited by the parents have one major caveat: They say school reopenings are safe if the rate of community transmission outside of the buildings is low. In Montgomery County, health officials won’t be giving private schools the option of reopening. 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