MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — A number of Montgomery County, Maryland teachers and staff will return to schools in person for the first time since March 2020 on Monday.
The move comes after the county's school board voted to start back in-person learning in early February.
Beginning March 1, children with special needs along with students in certain technical programs, such as automotive and cosmetics, will go back on a hybrid model. On March 15, students in Pre-K through 3rd grade will go back to hybrid. However, some schools will be participating in a weekly A/B day rotation — with Group A attending in person one week and Group B attending virtually, alternating each week.
Starting April 6, the remaining grades, beginning with seniors, will begin to go back to in-person learning.
The Board also voted to adjust the 2020-2021 school calendar to make March 8 a noninstructional day for staff to finish the preparation of buildings and participate in professional development before students return, officials said in a release.
When students return to the classroom, officials urge that it will look and feel much different from what they previously experienced in school buildings. Face coverings, physical distancing and frequent hand-washing will be required to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
During the Board meeting, staff shared an outline of what parents, students and staff can expect for in-person and virtual learning. In addition to direct instruction, students will experience the following:
- Academic interventions or small group instruction in English Language Arts/Math
- Reteaching and review of concepts
- Structured class discussions or peer-to-peer collaborative learning opportunities
- Opportunities to participate in recess, lunch and other activities
- Social-emotional learning or well-being activities (i.e., classroom community building)
Back in January, Montgomery County announced that the county has partnered with Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) to start vaccinating teachers and eligible staff this week, in an effort to reopen schools.