By Jordan Schwartzberg
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Baltimore County Public Schools students will be permitted to return to in-person classes in several waves starting March 1, even as some parents and teachers worry if it is safe.
This first day will be unlike any other the county has seen before. Based on the back-to-school plan released Feb. 1 by BCPS Superintendent Darryl Williams, students will have to wear PPE, sit separately at lunch, and be constantly reminded to wash their hands.
The plan, which will bring students back in four phases, includes provisions to help keep buildings clean with disinfectants, students at least six feet apart, and measures designed to ensure that students with COVID-19 symptoms stay home.
In addition, the plan will require educators to teach students in the classroom as well as those who opt to say home and continue remote learning.
“By following the guidance of county, state and federal officials, BCPS believes now is the right time to have students return,” said Charles Herndon, a spokesman for the Baltimore County Public Schools. “We have looked at where the instances of close contact occur most frequently and have determined that we can get students back to school as safely as possible.”
Phases 1 and 2 will occur the week of March 1, according to the plan. Phase 1 will allow all students attending Battle Monument, Maiden Choice, Ridge Ruxton, and White Oak elementary schools to return. In phase 2, students can return if they are from any county preschool, kindergarten, first- and second-grade class, or in a Grades 2 and 3 special education regional program.
Students in all schools in Grades 3 to 12 who are part of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) will be allowed to return in Phase 3, which begins March 15.
This includes students who require Communication and Learning Support (CLS), Functional Academic Learning Support (FALS), Learning Support for Students who are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH), Social Emotional Learning Support (SEL), and Social Communication Learning Support (SCLS).
Herndon said, there are 15,500 IEP students in the county.
Phase 3 will also allow for students in Grades 3 to 12 who are part of a Career and Technical Education Program to return to classes.
These programs include the Academy of Health Professions, Apprenticeship of Maryland, Automotive Service Technology, Aviation Technology, Baking & Pastry Arts, all Building and Construction Trades, Construction Design & Management, Cosmetology Careers, Culinary Arts, Diesel Truck & Power Systems Technology, Engineering Careers, Food & Beverage Management, Graphic/Print Communication Technology, Information Technology, Interactive Media Production, and Project Lead The Way: Biomedical Sciences and Engineering.
There are 17,000 CTE students in the county, Herndon said.
Phase 4 will partially occur during the week of March 22, when all remaining county students, regardless of school, in Grades 6 through 9 will be permitted to return.
Phase 4 will finish during the week of April 6, the plan said. Remaining county students, regardless of school, in Grades 3 through 5, 7 through 8, and 10 through 12 will have the option to return as well.
Students in the classroom will be taught at the same time as their counterparts participating in virtual classes, Herndon said.
When teachers give the in-person students individualized assignments to do, the teachers will then have time to help those who are in the virtual learning environment. Students who are at home will be able to watch and listen to a feed of the classroom and teacher.
Aileen Losin, a mother of a Pikesville High School junior, believes that teaching both in-person and online students presents the greatest challenge to teachers.
“I don’t know how teachers are going to do it,” Losin said. “Hopefully, they will get webcams and wireless headsets to use in the classroom. I think that the teachers will find a way to do it successfully. They always find a way to do their jobs well.”
Of the BCPS families that were surveyed, roughly half have stated their child or children will be returning for in-person classes, Herndon said. He said the county will have a better estimate come March 1, the deadline for parents to report by email or phone call whether their student is returning to a hybrid environment.
Herndon said that families who do not respond by March 1 will automatically have their students registered for virtual learning.
Parents can only change their mind about their child’s learning situation if the county offers the opportunity to do so, Herndon said. He said a document was also sent to parents asking for their child’s preferred method of learning.
Students doing in-person learning will be in the school building twice a week and do virtual learning the other three days of the week, Herndon said. This will allow for different cohorts of students to attend in-person learning each day.
Pikesville High School senior Gina Melnik, who will be returning to school in phase 4, said she is anxious to get back into the classroom.
“It’s really exciting to go back in person,” Melnik said. “I think it’s much needed for my mental health and others too. I’m concerned about everyone taking wearing masks seriously, but I think everyone will adjust quickly.”
No school will allow all of its students in the building on any given day. The number of students allowed in each classroom depends on multiple factors, including the size of the room and students scheduled to return.
The re-opening plan says desks will be six feet apart and face one direction. Lunch periods will be staggered and some students will eat in classrooms, the plan says. Floor stickers will also be used to denote six-foot distances for students.
The plan also says school staff will regularly clean frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, bathroom space and countertops with federal government-approved supplies.
Areas believed to have been used by someone with COVID-19 will be closed off and sanitized, according to the plan. Each school will also be supplied with plenty of soap, hand sanitizer and other items so students, faculty and staff can wash their hands frequently.
Under the plan, parents will be responsible for screening their children before sending them to school. Herndon said parents will be asked to sign an agreement once a month saying they and their students will abide by school coronavirus rules each day.
Parents and teachers who were interviewed said they were concerned with the school system’s student screening process because it relies on all or most parents acting on the honor system. However, teachers said they do not want to be responsible themselves for screening each student before they enter the classroom.
Cindy Sexton, the president of the county’s teacher’s union, said teachers are already doing too much and should not be burdened with screening students as they come into the classroom.
“Teacher-based screening can take away from valuable instructional time,” Sexton said. “We are worried about every kid that enters every school. Educators are working hard to see what will work and what won’t.”
Teachers are not the only ones worried about parent-based screening.
Sherri Flaks, the president of Pikesville High School’s PTSA and the mother of a PHS senior, said she is concerned about a system that depends on parents being able to conduct proper screening. about how they are screening their students
“I do not think that every parent will effectively screen their student before sending them to school,” Flaks said. “We can hope that people act in good faith and that the protocols at school mitigate risk to a reasonable level.”
Dr. Elizabeth Wang, an infectious diseases physician with the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, said it’s important that public schools emphasize the importance of personal responsibility in stopping the spread of the coronavirus.
“Stressing to your child the importance of taking personal responsibility for his or her health is imperative,” Wang said. “Letting students know that their choices can contribute to school and community health is a great lesson in social responsibility.”
Wang said parents will have to decide whether to send their children back to school based on their individual circumstances and comfort level.
“Trust your instincts,” Wang said. “You know what’s best for your child and should take into account his or her age and maturity level, and needs, along with the benefits of returning to school. If you’re not sure about your school’s safety measures, ask questions. Your child’s and your family’s health is precious. Stay informed so that you can make the decision that’s best for you.”
As of this time, there is no set plan for the fall.
“We have no idea what to expect from the metrics in the fall,” Herndon said. “We hope they keep going down, but right now, we are focused on getting safely through this school year.”
Members of the BCPS Board of Education and the Baltimore County Health Department were both unavailable for comments.