Category: School Notebook

Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams has announced the school system’s timeline for staff and student reentry.

“Since the pandemic began, we have had two primary concerns – the health and wellbeing of our students, staff, and community and continuing to support our students’ academic progress,” said Williams. “As I announced on August 27, we have been considering guidance from Governor Hogan and State Superintendent Dr. Karen Salmon about a phased-in process for bringing small groups of students back to school buildings for in-person instruction. We have been particularly concerned about students who might benefit most from in-person instruction – students with disabilities and our youngest learners. Our new timeline for staff and student reentry focuses on providing in-person services to those two groups of students. More details will be forthcoming, but we are pleased to announce our first steps back toward in-person instruction for all students.”

All Baltimore County schools reopened virtually on Sept. 8. Teachers who requested access have been allowed to teach from their school buildings as of Sept. 14.

Later this month and into early October, the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks, Y of Central Maryland, and local childcare providers will be opening Academic Support Centers for students in Kindergarten through Grade 5. Some of these centers will be in BCPS elementary schools; others in area PAL Centers. The centers will offer full-day childcare included recreation, meals, and support for virtual learning. In total, more than 1,500 students will be served by these centers.

From Friday, Oct. 2, through Friday, Oct. 9, BCPS will survey parents of identified students about returning to school buildings for in-person instruction. This group of identified students includes both students with disabilities who attend separate public day schools and self-contained regional programs and students in preschool, PreKindergarten, and Kindergarten.

Beginning Monday, Oct. 19, all teachers and remaining school staff will return to work from their school buildings.

Small groups of identified students will return to school buildings for in-person instruction by Friday, Nov. 13

The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc., in partnership with Federal Realty celebrated its second location of The Exchangeree, a resource center for BCPS teachers at the Avenue in White Marsh with a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, Sept. 2

The Education Foundation’s Exchangeree offers BCPS teachers free school supplies and resources as well as opportunities to collaborate. Last year, The Exchangeree at Windsor Mill, created in partnership with Merritt Companies and American Design Associates, distributed more than $165,000 in school supplies to more than 2,100 educators.

The new Exchangeree location is opening in partnership with Federal Realty, The AVENUE at White Marsh, American Design Associates and Douron Furniture Solutions.

In addition, the foundation has announced the first dates on which BCPS educators can visit The Exchangeree to pick up free (donated) school supplies to share with their students. Online registration is required for the shopping dates.

First 2020-2021 BCPS Educators Shopping Opportunities
(Online Registration Required)

The Exchangeree at White Marsh
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
THE AVENUE at White Marsh
8153-D Honeygo Blvd. (between the Hallmark Store and Visionworks), 21236

The Exchangeree at Windsor Mill
Thursday, September 10, 2020
2034-F Lord Baltimore Dr., 21244

Meal delivery for all students at 87 BCPS schools will begin on the first day of the school year, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, thanks to approval of a BCPS application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

CEP allows schools in high-poverty neighborhoods to serve breakfast and lunch, at no cost, to all enrolled students without collecting household applications.

In addition, the USDA announced Monday that, considering the global pandemic, its meals program, which allowed BCPS and other organizations to provide free meals to all youth throughout the summer, will be extended through December 31, 2020.

More details about CEP and the free meals program for all students will be released by BCPS in the next few days.

BCPS COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROVISION PROGRAM SCHOOLS 2020-2021

Arbutus Elementary
Baltimore Highlands Elementary
Battle Grove Elementary
Battle Monument School
Bear Creek Elementary
Bedford Elementary
Berkshire Elementary
Campfield Elementary
Carney Elementary
Catonsville Ctr
Chadwick Elementary
Charlesmont Elementary
Chase Elementary
Chesapeake High
Church Lane Elementary
Colgate Elementary
Crossroads Center
Deep Creek Elementary
Deep Creek Middle
Deer Park Elementary
Deer Park Middle
Dogwood Elementary
Dundalk Elementary
Dundalk High
Dundalk Middle
Edmondson Heights Elementary
Elmwood Elementary
Featherbed Lane Elementary
General John Stricker Middle
Glenmar Elementary
Glyndon Elementary
Golden Ring Middle
Grange Elementary
Halethorpe Elementary
Halstead Academy
Hawthorne Elementary
Hebbville Elementary
Hernwood Elementary
Holabird Middle
Johnnycake Elementary
Kenwood High
Lansdowne Elementary
Lansdowne High
Lansdowne Middle
Loch Raven Technical Acad
Logan Elementary
Maiden Choice School
Mars Estates Elementary
Martin Blvd Elementary
McCormick Elementary
Meadowood Education Ctr.
Middle River Middle
Middlesex Elementary
Milbrook Elementary
Milford Mill Academy
Northwest Academy
Norwood Elementary
Oakleigh Elementary
Orems Elementary
Overlea High
Owings Mills Elementary
Patapsco High
Pikesville Middle
Pleasant Plains Elementary
Powhatan Elementary
Randallstown Elementary
Red House Run Elementary
Riverview Elementary
Rosedale Center
Sandalwood Elementary
Sandy Plains Elementary
Scotts Branch Elementary
Seneca Elementary
Shady Springs Elementary
Southwest Academy
Stemmers Run Middle
Sussex Elementary
Timber Grove Elementary
Victory Villa Elementary
White Oak School
Winand Elementary
Windsor Mill Middle
Winfield Elementary
Woodholme Elementary
Woodlawn High
Woodlawn Middle
Woodmoor Elementary

Schools reopened today and unlike public schools that are scheduled to open online, many Baltimore area Catholic schools return to the classroom with students for the first time since last March.

Eastern Baltimore County Catholic schools opened at Our Lady of Hope/St. Luke’s school in Dundalk, St. Joseph School in Fullerton, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Essex and St. Michael-St. Clement School in Overlea. There are also students that have choosen to learn remotely.

Pictures show that students returned to school wearing masks. The Archdiocese of Baltimore Catholic Schools released a statement about the first day of school.

“As Catholic school students return to classes today in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, we pray for a safe and healthy academic year for both teachers and students.”

-Rev. Jesse Bolger welcomes students back to St. Joseph School. -Photo courtesy of St. Joseph School Fullerton Facebook page-

-Students are back in the class at St.Micheal/St.Clement school. -Photo courtesy of St.MichealSt.Clement Facebook page-

Students at Our Lady of Mount Carmel return to campus on Monday. -Photo courtesy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Facebook page-

As a result of improved COVID-19 health metrics across the state, Gov. Larry Hogan announced that every county school system in Maryland is now fully authorized to begin safely reopening.

The authority and decision making on safe openings continues to rest with county boards of education. Decisions should be based on a set of statewide metrics, guidelines, and benchmarks issued today by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) in collaboration with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).The governor was joined by Dr. Jinlene Chan, Acting Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services at MDH, and MSDE State Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Karen Salmon. Currently, 16 of the state’s 24 local school systems have developed plans for returning children to schools for some form of in-person instruction this calendar year, including students with special needs.

Governor Hogan and Dr. Salmon will visit school sites across the state in the coming weeks to observe systems that are bringing small groups of students back into a safe and educationally effective environment.

“As a result of our improved health metrics, every single county school system in the State of Maryland is now fully authorized to begin safely reopening,” said Governor Hogan. “Nearly everyone agrees that there is no substitute for in-person instruction. It is essential that we all work together on flexible hybrid plans to safely get some of our kids back into classrooms and into healthy and supportive learning environments.”

One of the school systems that did not developed plans for returning children to schools for some form of in-person instruction was Baltimore County.

Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Darryl Williams released a statement after Governor Larry Hogan and State Superintendent Dr. Karen Salmon authorized school systems to provide in-person instruction.

“From the start of the pandemic, and as we began planning for the reopening of schools, we indicated we would work with Baltimore County health officials to ensure we are following the guidance provided by them and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The safety and health of our students and staff have always been our top priorities. On Aug. 27, Governor Hogan and State Superintendent Salmon indicated that school systems across the state are now authorized to reopen with in-person instruction, but we must still ensure we can do so safely,” Williams said.

“At this time, we are still moving forward with a virtual reopening, beginning September 8, but we will immediately begin to look at our plan to incorporate already created hybrid models that include a phased-in plan for small groups of students to return to our buildings. As we implement this small-group phased-in approach and are sure students and staff are safe, we will continue to evaluate the implementation and add groups of students until all have returned to school. This will take time to implement, but we promise to keep you informed as we move forward. Please continue to check the website and look for messages we will send to our families and staff through our phone notification system.”

– photo courtesy of Towson university Facebook page-

update from TU on course modality.

Effective immediately, Towson University is moving all classes to remote learning for the first week of the fall semester due to an increase in positive COVID-19 results from one PCR testing sample conducted by the University Health Center this past week.

A sample of 627 tests conducted on campus between Wednesday, Aug. 19 and Thursday, Aug. 20 as part of TU’s mandatory baseline testing initiative returned a total of 55 positive results on Saturday, Aug. 22. Individuals with positive test results are being contacted by phone, per established protocol and contact tracing is underway in coordination with Baltimore County.

In accordance with the University System of Maryland requirement, TU requires a negative test for all students, faculty, staff and contract workers prior to coming to campus before the start of the fall semester in an effort to create a safe learning environment.

None of the 55 individuals who tested positive are on campus. TU’s positivity rate, including the 55 positive cases reported Saturday, is 1.63% for the most recent two weeks. The most recent Baltimore County positivity rate is 3.5%.

All TU classes, which were to resume for fall semester on Monday, August 24, will now be conducted in a remote modality through Sunday, Aug. 30.

In alignment with remote learning, Burdick Hall will be closed and all in-person activities on campus are canceled from Aug. 23 to Aug. 30. Move-in for residential students is temporarily suspended beginning Monday, Aug. 24. No visitors will be allowed on campus during this time.

All non-essential faculty and staff should continue to work remotely during this time.

The temporary move to fully remote learning is critical for the continued health and safety of our community, which remains TU’s top priority. These actions are being taken out of caution and concern for all students, faculty and staff.

As previously scheduled, the university’s COVID-19 test center will remain open for testing on Sunday, Aug. 23 and throughout the coming week.

Students who have already moved into on-campus residential facilities will receive specific guidance for this phase from the Office of Housing and Residence Life.

The university will continue to abide by all local, state and federal guidelines. We ask for your continued support and adherence to the protocols put in place to minimize the potential for the virus to come on campus. Please remember to wear your mask at all times when on campus, practice safe physical distancing of six feet or more, avoid large gatherings of people and wash your hands often.