Timeline On School Reopenings Could Come This Week: AACPS

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — The Anne Arundel County Board of Education hopes to set a hybrid reopening timeline this Wednesday. The school board scheduled this special session after it failed to reach an agreement last week.

Officials discussed reopenings for about four hours at that meeting. They have read and listened to hundreds of comments from constituents over the past month.

Board members have gotten regular reopening updates from Superintendent George Arlotto. Anne Arundel County Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman has also given frequent coronavirus briefings and guidelines.

In October, the school board voted to offer expanded hybrid classes to younger students starting in November. The board reversed that decision before kids returned to the classroom, keeping students online for several more months.

School officials, including Arlotto, hoped to advance hybrid classes by the Feb. 2 start of the spring semester. That date is inching closer, and cases are rolling in faster than ever. Local hospitalizations are also nearing a record high.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools on Tuesday requested that students complete a reopening survey. The questionnaire asks families whether their child will continue distance learning or take up hybrid classes when the option is available.

The survey is posted here. It will be open until Sunday at 5 p.m.

Wednesday's meeting starts at 6 p.m. It will be streamed via Comcast and Broadstripe on Channel 96, Verizon on Channel 36 and the internet on Anne Arundel County Public Schools' YouTube channel.

Follow this link to learn how to testify at the meeting. To catch up on the latest coronavirus trends in Anne Arundel County, read Patch's latest update.

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• AACPS Works Toward Hybrid System; Here Are The Remaining Kinks
• ACCPS Acts 'Aggressively But Prudently,' Remains Online This Fall
• Maryland Schools May Begin Safely Reopening: Governor Hogan

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