As 14 committees continue their thorough examination of issues related to in-person, virtual, and hybrid models for reopening schools in the fall, Superintendent George Arlotto today announced that three additional items are no longer under consideration for the start of the school year.
They are:
- A/B days. Alternating student schedules on successive days creates significant issues related to cleaning of school buildings and childcare issues for families. Still under consideration in a hybrid model, however, is a scenario in which a cohort of students attends school on two consecutive days and a second cohort of students attends on two other consecutive days during a week.
- Full buses. In any transportation scenario, one student would sit in each row of a bus, with the exception that siblings in the same family could sit in the same row. The seat behind the driver would be left empty and another row would be left empty for a bus aide if one is assigned to the bus.
- Full classrooms. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines call for 6 feet of physical distancing. On average across the system, this means no more than 10 to 12 students per classroom, depending on the configuration of the space.
Dr. Arlotto previously announced that same-day split sessions and an A/B/C day rotation were no longer under consideration.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools is considering three models for students to return to school on September 8, 2020: an in-person model where all students return to school buildings; a virtual model in which all student engage in eTeaching; and a virtual plus model in which all students engage in eTeaching and some students return to buildings for two days each week.
Dr. Arlotto intends to have a plan finalized by the end of July. Further announcements will be forthcoming as decisions are made.
