Hybrid Classes Start Thursday In Prince George's County

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Hybrid students will head back to the classroom Thursday in Prince George's County. This will end more than a year of mandatory virtual instruction. Learners who feel more comfortable at home can continue online classes through the end of the school year, however.

"The benefits of in-person learning are irreplaceable," said Monica Goldson, CEO of Prince George's County Public Schools. "We are grateful to be prepared for this critical first step toward a return to normalcy."

Hybrid Schedule

About 32 percent of students will take optional hybrid classes. That means around 42,000 learners will head back to school buildings.

Hybrid instruction starts Thursday for everybody in:

• Special education programs at any grade level
• Pre-K through sixth grade
• 12th grade

The remaining learners can return on April 15 if all goes well with the first round.

Students with last names starting in A through J will have in-person instruction on Mondays and Tuesdays. Everybody else will go in on Thursdays and Fridays.

Learners will work from home on the other three days. Wednesdays will be reserved from supplemental lessons and teacher office hours. All students will stay home on Wednesdays.

Safety Precautions

PGCPS said it "has made record investments in safety, technology and professional development to support a successful hybrid learning environment."

Officials also noted that they have:

• Implemented cleaning procedures that follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Upgraded air filtration systems
• Installed signage throughout buildings
• Purchased personal protective equipment for students and staff
• Created a COVID Compliance Committee at each school to assess weekly health and safety needs

Buses

The school system also mentioned that it trained bus drivers on coronavirus procedures. They will enforce safety, sanitization and physical distancing policies.

Buses now have cloud-connected cameras to monitor students, ensure safety rules are followed and help with contact tracing. Crews also installed cameras to take a video of drivers who illegally pass stopped buses. The Prince George's County Police Department will send tickets to these violators.

Student Meals

PGCPS will distribute free breakfast, lunch and take-home dinner to all hybrid students. Distance learners can now pick up meals at any school on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

CEO Visit

Goldson will visit kindergarten and physical education classes at Bowie's Tulip Grove Elementary on Thursday at 7:30 a.m. She will see how teachers "prepared safe, creative and engaging learning spaces for in-person and at-home learners."

"Whether students return to our school buildings on a hybrid schedule or continue learning at home, we will make every effort to meet the needs of our learners and the families that we serve," the CEO said.

Town Halls

PGCPS hosted these telephone discussions to prepare families for hybrid classes:

• Academics: Virtual Learning and Hybrid Learning
• Health, Transportation and Operations
• Student Town Hall

More Information

Explore our back-to-school guide for more details on hybrid classes.

Coronavirus Vaccine Resources

To see when you'll be eligible for the inoculation, read Patch's explainer. Check out our how-to guide to learn how to sign up for the shot.

Catch up on the latest coronavirus infection and vaccination metrics in Prince George's County with our most recent numbers update. Head to Patch's immunization page to keep up with Maryland's latest vaccine news.

RELATED:

• Vaccine Milestones Approach, But Cases Climb In Prince George's
• Coronavirus Vaccine: Prince George's County Lays Out Timeline
• How To Get COVID-19 Vaccine In Prince George's County
• Greenbelt Mass Vaccination Site Announced, Applauded For Equity
• COVID-19 Vaccine Open To Marylanders 16 And Up Starting April 6

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