School To Start On The Same Day For Anne Arundel Students

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — School will not start on staggered days for Anne Arundel County Public School students due to the school year beginning virtually. Students in first through 12th grades will all start school Sept. 8. Students in half-day pre-kindergarten, full-day pre-kindergarten, early childhood intervention and kindergarten will have a staggered start so those teachers can conduct conferences with parents and guardians. Specific conference dates for those families will be provided by schools.

When the school system returns to full in-person instruction in buildings, the district will hold a special day for sixth and ninth grade students to become acclimated to their new buildings.

Virtual instruction days for students will begin at either 8:30 or 9 a.m. depending upon the grade level. Classes will be held in the mornings and afternoons four days a week and in the morning on the fifth day, according to schedules released today by the district.

Teachers will work from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and provide real-time instruction in the morning and afternoon on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Real-time learning also will take place in the morning on Wednesdays with teachers holding office hours in the afternoon to connect with families and offer extra support for students who may need it.

The instructional day will start at:

• 9 a.m. for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 2
• 8:30 a.m. for students in grades 3 through 5
• 8:30 a.m. for students in grades 6–12

Students will have approximately two hours away from instruction for lunch with an option to participate in virtual clubs and activities during that time. Each day, time will be reserved at all levels to support the building of relationships and social-emotional growth.

To support a variety of different family circumstances that exist during the pandemic, lessons will be recorded so that students will have access at times that work for their family. Virtual tutoring opportunities are being planned for secondary students. Schedules and other information related to the 2020-2021 school year can be found at www.aacps.org/fall2020.