HCPS 'Will Evaluate The Updated Guidance' On Reopening

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Leaders at Harford County Public Schools are regrouping after the governor and state superintendent of schools urged a return to in-person learning by March 1.

"Harford County Public Schools will evaluate the updated guidance from the state on how best to reopen schools in accordance with the Governor’s expectations," Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Sean Bulson said in a statement Thursday.

No later than March 1, the governor said school systems are strongly encouraged to allow students to participate in hybrid learning if they so choose.

"The guidance indicates that students returning to in-person learning will need to do so while maintaining social distancing and other public health guidelines and precautions," Bulson said.

"This new guidance is a vast departure from the guidance that was in place prior to today," he added. "We had no advance notice of the extent of these changes, so we will need some time to consider the impact they will have on our plans moving forward. I assure you, I will continue to elicit feedback from staff, administrators, students, and families, as we update our plans."

By the time the school board meets, Bulson told The Aegis he hoped to have a draft plan for reopening.

The Harford County Board of Education is slated to meet virtually at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 25. Vaccination clinics for elementary school staff members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine are slated to begin that day as well in Harford County Public Schools.

"Social distancing is the greatest barrier,” Bulson told The Aegis. Maintaining 6 feet of distance is the guideline from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to minimize the likelihood of transmitting the coronavirus. That means limited batches of students may return.

Guidance from the Maryland State Department of Education encourages returning certain populations first for in-person learning: Career/technology students and those with disabilities, special learning needs and difficulty learning remotely.

Harford County Public Schools began a hybrid model in October that enabled some students to return for in-person learning.

Instruction returned to 100 percent virtual Nov. 13 after about four weeks of in-person instruction that enabled some students to return to school buildings.

See Also:

• COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics Scheduled For HCPS Staff
• MD Schools Should Reopen, Governor Says
• Board Of Education Of Harford County To Meet Virtually Jan. 25
• Harford County Public Schools: Vaccines, In-Person Plans

Here is the letter in full from Bulson published on the Harford County Public Schools website:

UPDATE: JANUARY 21, 2021
An Important Message from Superintendent Bulson

Good evening,
Earlier today, Governor Larry Hogan, State Superintendent of Schools, Karen Salmon, and interim state health officer, Jinlene Chan, announced their expectation that all Maryland school systems return students to in-person learning in some capacity by March first of this year. In addition to announcing these expectations during a press conference, they have also published a document entitled Maryland School Reopening Guidance.

Harford County Public Schools will evaluate the updated guidance from the state on how best to reopen schools in accordance with the Governor’s expectations.

The guidance indicates that students returning to in-person learning will need to do so while maintaining social distancing and other public health guidelines and precautions.

This new guidance is a vast departure from the guidance that was in place prior to today. We had no advance notice of the extent of these changes, so we will need some time to consider the impact they will have on our plans moving forward. I assure you, I will continue to elicit feedback from staff, administrators, students, and families, as we update our plans.

Sincerely,
Sean Bulson Ed. D.
Superintendent
Harford County Public Schools