District 9, Prince George's Public Schools Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

District 9 Community,

In Honor of Black History Month

 

 

Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) Update

PGCPS Reopening Update

On Monday, April 8, 2021, PGCPS will begin Phase 1, of its reopening plan. PGCPS will continue to adhere to the Matrix for Safe School Reopening Based, on COVID-19 Indicators and will begin hybrid learning, with 2 days of in-person learning per week, for families that select this option.

Special Education (Grades PreK-12)

Pre-K through Grade 6 students

12th Grade students

 

On Monday, April 15, 2021, PGCPS will begin Phase 2, of its reopening plan (contingent on the successful implementation of Phase 1). PGCPS will continue to adhere to the Matrix for Safe School Reopening Based, on COVID-19 Indicators and will begin hybrid learning, with 2 days of in-person learning per week, for families that select this option.

Middle School (Grades 7 and 8 students)

High School (Grades 9, 10, and 11 students)

 

PGCPS Virtual Town Halls

Join us for a Telephone Town Hall on Thursday, February 18 at 6 p.m. Parents and guardians will receive a direct call from the school system. If you do not receive a call, please contact 855-756-7520, ext. 71961#. The Spanish-only call-in number is 508-924-5155.

 

For additional information, please go to PGCPS to Reopen and PGCPS Reopening Guide .

 

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CEO Dr. Monica Goldson’s Message

Over the past year, our PGCPS family has worked hard to maintain a balance between safety, academics and overall well-being amid the COVID-19 pandemic. I am proud of our students and staff for their resilience during this unprecedented global pandemic. 

 

While we have made substantial investments to implement a virtual learning experience for all of our students, we know that nothing can truly replace the experience of interacting with their educators and classmates in a classroom. At the same time, our highest priority from the very beginning of this pandemic and to this day continues to be the safety of our students and staff. 

Today, I am pleased to announce our plans to resume in-person teaching and learning this spring. In April, we will implement a hybrid learning schedule, where students can split their time between in-person and remote learning, and that families may opt into. We believe this plan prioritizes health, safety, equity and excellence.

 

Family Survey

We will distribute a survey through our schools today to all families so they can select to either continue virtual learning for the remainder of the school year or begin hybrid instruction two days a week in April until the end of the school year. Families will have until Sunday, February 28 to complete the survey. The hybrid learning model will include staggered scheduling with students divided into two groups for in-person instruction on back to back days with appropriate social distancing in classrooms and throughout the school building. The remaining three days will be spent in distance learning sessions each week.

 

Return to Teaching and Learning

Next month, we will welcome all educators back into classrooms ahead of our students and return our central office staff to their assigned work locations. On Thursday, April 8, Phase 1 instruction will begin with a two-day hybrid learning schedule for all special education students in kindergarten through 12th grade and for students in prekindergarten through sixth grade and 12th grade. On Thursday, April 15, Phase 2 instruction will begin for all remaining seventh- through 11th-graders.

 

Athletics/Key Spring Dates

For students involved in athletic activities, coaches may begin in-person afterschool conditioning and outdoor workouts on Wednesday, March 10. Spring sports season practice will begin Tuesday, April 6. In addition, our Spring Break will proceed as scheduled from Monday, March 29 through Monday, April 5. Please note the last day of school for students will be Tuesday, June 15; for teachers, the last day will be Wednesday, June 16.

 

Academic and Safety Enhancements

Over the last several months, we have made record investments to help improve distance learning and implement hybrid educational models. We’ve focused on professional development for our educators around virtual teaching and learning, and used federal funding to help purchase cutting-edge technology to assist these efforts. We remain focused on providing safe environments for all.

 

Vaccination clinics will continue in collaboration with the Prince George’s County Health Department and Kaiser Permanente. The Maryland COVID Testing Program will allow PGCPS to offer rapid and diagnostic testing for both symptomatic and asymptomatic students and staff. We currently conduct contact tracing for staff and will adopt similar protocols for students upon their return. Personal protective equipment (PPE) will be available to all staff and students when in-person learning resumes. We have upgraded all air filters in schools and office buildings to the CDC-recommended Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating of 13 and conducted appropriate air quality testing for all schools.

 

Our current cleaning protocols require the PGCPS Environmental Team to respond with thorough cleaning and disinfecting of any facilities or areas within 24 hours of a known case of COVID-19. As a school system, we have shown restraint in not rushing to reopen and we will continue to adhere to metrics for safe school reopening based on COVID-19 indicators. Additional information is available on the PGCPS website.

 

Virtual Town Halls

I look forward to discussing our reopening plans with families and community members in more detail during a Telephone Town Hall on Thursday, February 18 at 6 p.m. Parents and guardians will receive a direct call from the school system. If you do not receive a call, please contact 855-756-7520, ext. 71961#. The Spanish-only call-in number is 508-924-5155. A separate town hall for employees will be held this evening.

 

I want to thank everyone who has provided feedback to me about your experiences with distance learning and working from home. I have taken those considerations into account while developing this reopening plan. 

 

I will always be proud of the way that you stepped up in unbelievable ways to keep learning on track when our schoolhouse doors closed without warning last spring. Whether turning kitchens into science labs or dining rooms into classrooms, you made whatever space you had in your homes conducive to teaching and learning. I want to offer special acknowledgement to our food service staff and building services team who never stopped working in our schools and offices, along with our bus drivers who took meals on the road and delivered them to communities across the county.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

 

All of us have been working toward the day that we can reopen our doors to students. And I am so grateful that day is on the horizon. 

 

Thank you for your continued support.

 

Sincerely,

Monica Goldson, Ed.D. Chief Executive Officer

 

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Please wear your mask, frequently wash your hands, and practice social distancing.

Council Member Sydney J. Harrison, District 9