BCPS Releases Reopening Plan For Phased-In Hybrid Learning

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — Baltimore County Public Schools will begin the next phase of its reopening plan March 1. The school system aims for a hybrid setup in which families have the option of continuing virtual learning.

Most employees will return Feb. 16, and families will be able to opt for a combination of in-person and virtual learning or fully virtual instruction.

"We have heard loud and clear that some families are ready for in-person learning," Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Darryl L. Williams said in a statement Monday, Feb. 1.

State leaders including the governor and state superintendent urged school systems to offer in-person learning by March 1.

Families in Baltimore County have also organized and rallied for their students to return to in-person learning, last week announcing they were filing a legal claim demanding a start date from the Baltimore County superintendent and administration.

“While school operations will look different as we implement the CDC’s recommended practices for health and safety, I look forward to greeting students and staff as they return," Williams said. "I also commend staff across the organization for their hard work to prepare for reopening, despite not only the challenges of COVID-19, but also the ongoing and long-term effects of the ransomware attack on our systems."

Students Divided Into Cohorts

Baltimore County Public Schools plans to divide students into three cohorts.

Having students come to school at different times is designed to facilitate social distancing.

• Cohort A and B: Students whose families opt for hybrid learning will be assigned to one based on their address.
  • Cohort A students will report for in-person instruction Monday and Tuesday.
  • Cohort B students will come to school Thursday and Friday.
  • On the other three days, students in Cohorts A and B will continue virtual learning.
• Cohort C: Students whose families chose to continue fully virtual learning or who did not respond to the questionnaire will be assigned to this cohort.

Wednesday will be a day of independent, or asynchronous, virtual instruction for all students, with scheduled small groups, according to the plan.

Students in grades prekindergarten to third grade will return March 1, and elementary schools will return to using their 2019–2020 start times effective that day as well.

Here is the plan for phased-in learning in person from Baltimore County Public Schools:

The week of March 1 (Phases I and II):

• Phase I: Students in public separate day schools (Battle Monument, Maiden Choice, Ridge Ruxton, and White Oak schools) will return.
• Phase II: Students in preschool to second grade will return, including students in 3-year-old programs; 4-year-old programs; prekindergarten; kindergarten; grades 1 and 2; and grade 3 students in grades 2/3 class in a special education regional program.

The week of March 15 (Phase III):

• Students in Grades 3-12 whose individualized education program includes a least restrictive environment primarily outside the general education classroom setting will return.
  • 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)
  • Social Communication Learning Support (SCLS)

• Students in select Career and Technical Education programs that require hands-on learning experiences (schools will contact families)
  • Academy of Health Professions
  • Apprenticeship Maryland
  • Automotive Service Technology
  • Aviation Technology
• Baking and Pastry Arts (ACF)
• Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, Building and Construction Trades
• Construction Design and Management
• Cosmetology Careers
• Culinary Arts (American Culinary Federation – ACF)
• Diesel Truck and Power Systems Technology
• Engineering Careers
• Food and Beverage Management (ProStart)
• Graphic/Print Communications Technology
• Information Technology: Networking
• Interactive Media Production
• Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH)
• Project Lead The Way: Biomedical Sciences
• Project Lead The Way: Engineering

The week of March 22 (partial Phase IV):

• Remaining students in grades 6 and 9

The week of April 6 (remaining students in Phase IV) :

• Remaining students in grades 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12

Employee Return Timeline

Most employees will return to schools and offices Feb. 16, except for the following cases:

• Athletic directors will return Feb. 1 to prepare for the first practice for fall athletics on Feb. 13. High school coaches have a meeting on Feb. 10.
• Elementary Teachers Association of Baltimore County (TABCO) 10-month staff will return Feb. 22.
• Secondary TABCO 10-month staff will return March 8.
• Elementary Education Support Professionals of Baltimore County (ESPBC) 10-month staff will return Feb. 22.
• Secondary ESPBC 10-month staff will return March 8.
• Staff will have the option to work remotely on Wednesdays during asynchronous learning.

Here is the phased-in reopening plan from Baltimore County Public Schools, released Monday, Feb. 1.

See Also:

• MD Schools Should Reopen, Governor Says
• Families Rally To Reopen Baltimore County Public Schools
• Re-Open Baltimore County Public Schools Threatens Legal Action