PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — Maryland's second-largest school district recently announced plans for the next school year.
The plans for the 2021-22 school year will welcome most students back to classrooms for full-time, in-person learning this fall.
PGCPS Chief Executive Officer Dr. Monica Goldson said a limited virtual learning program and an "Online Campus" will also be options for families.
On Thursday evening, more than 20,000 people tuned in to a telephone town hall to learn what the school day will look like this fall.
Parents asked about options for before and after school care, the new safety protocols in place, and how to best prepare if students plan to return to the classroom for the first time in more than a year.
“Our community has shown incredible resilience during these challenging times. Looking ahead to next school year, our goal is to have students back in our buildings full-time and in-person daily,” Goldson said in her announcement video.
Many parents asked if there would be an option to stay virtual after the fall semester. School administrators said a lot depends on the vaccine eligibility for kids.
Since there is currently no COVID-19 vaccine available for students under 12 years old, the school district plans to offer virtual learning this fall for a limited number of students.
For families of children in kindergarten through sixth grade who are not yet eligible for a vaccine, PGCPS said they will offer a limited, application-based virtual learning option for the fall semester.
PGCPS will also introduce a new "Online Campus" this fall for students in seventh through 12th grades, designed for those who thrived during virtual learning this past school year and want to continue in a virtual learning environment with live and recorded instruction.
This will be an application-based program with limited slots.
As for school sports, administrators expect all athletic activities will resume in the fall. Even if students plan to continue learning virtually, those students can still enroll in afterschool activities.
Currently, there are vaccination clinics running at some of the high schools across the county. It is another push to help get young people vaccinated before the start of school this fall.
From Monday, June 7, through Tuesday, June 15, Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) students ages 12 and over may receive a free COVID-19 vaccine at select high schools.
Families may also receive the vaccine. Hosted by the Prince George’s County Health Department, all clinics will run from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Vaccines will be administered in a mobile unit on school grounds.
Parental consent is required for vaccination. Parents/guardians are welcome to accompany their child to the clinic but are not required to do so. Students must bring completed consent forms to be vaccinated.
Here are the list of schools providing free COVID vaccines:
- Monday, June 7
- Northwestern High School — 7000 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville
- Suitland High School — 5200 Silver Hill Road, Forestville
- Thursday, June 10
- Crossland High School — 6901 Temple Hill Road, Camp Springs
- Gwynn Park High School — 13800 Brandywine Rd, Brandywine
- Friday, June 11
- Frederick Douglass High School — 8000 Croom Road, Upper Marlboro
- Bladensburg High School — 4200 57th Ave., Bladensburg
- Monday, June 14
- Potomac High School — 5211 Boydell Ave., Oxon Hill
- Tuesday, June 15
- Friendly High School — 10000 Allentown Road., Fort Washington
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