Here are six things to know for Friday, March 4, 2022, which include information about mask mandates, the COVID-19 dashboard, COVID-19 test kits and the upcoming release of the FY 2022-2025 Strategic Plan website.
MCPS
Montgomery County Public Schools sent out the following community message on Friday, March 4:
It is anticipated the Board of Education (BoE) will vote on a “mask optional” policy for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) at the upcoming March 8th meeting.
The national anthem for today’s Title IX commemorative stamp ceremony will be performed by Clarksburg High School Senior Jeanne Lubikae.
The first-day ceremony by the United States Department of Education for its four Title IX commemorative forever stamps will take place at 11am this morning at the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., Washington, D.C.
Per MCPS:
By a unanimous vote, the Montgomery County Board of Education tentatively adopted a $2.96 billion operating budget request for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. The budget, which represents a $179.6 million increase in spending—about 6.5 percent—that the district needs to provide critical direct academic, safety and social-emotional supports to students, while managing ongoing operational, salary and benefit costs.
Charles W. Woodward High School opened in 1966. Two decades later, in 1987, its students were merged into Walter Johnson High School. Woodward and Walter Johnson High Schools had the same diminished enrollment levels, but MCPS decided to preserve Walter Johnson given the schools larger capacity
After a brief period as a holding school while Springbrook High was being renovated, the building was used to house Tilden Middle School while that school’s facility began a major renovation project. Tilden relocated to its new building during the summer of 2020.
The Montgomery County Board of Education has released a statement condemning the recent online harrassment of Student Member of the Board, Hana O’Looney.
Below you’ll see the full statement:
Effective February 25, 2022, CDC does not require wearing of masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, including early care and education/child care programs.
Effective February 25, 2022, CDC is exercising its enforcement discretion to not require that people wear masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, including early care and education/child care programs. CDC is making this change to align with updated guidance that no longer recommends universal indoor mask wearing in K-12 schools and early education settings in areas with a low or medium COVID-19 Community Level. School systems at their discretion may choose to require that people wear masks on buses or vans.
Montgomery County Public Schools confirmed that the mask mandate will be addressed at the March 8th Board of Education meeting.
Last Tuesday, the Maryland State Board of Education voted 12-2 to rescind its statewide mask mandate for public schools, effective March 1. The Maryland General Assembly’s Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review Committee (AELR) met on Friday, February 25, and approved the Maryland State BOE’s decision.
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Montgomery County Public Schools have updated their quarantine and isolation periods from 10 days to five, effective March 1. Full details below from MCPS:
Beginning March 1, MCPS will be moving from a 10-day isolation and quarantine period for students to a 5-day isolation and quarantine, if certain health conditions are met. This aligns with our requirements for staff, and the recommendations of the CDC, Maryland Department of Health and our local DHHS.
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Appointment ushers in new growth phase for Truepill following $142M Series D, $1.6B valuation, and launch of innovative suite of COVID-19 solutions
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A decrease in enrollment can leave school administrators with tough decisions regarding personnel due to a loss in staff allocations.
The situation seems to have occurred at Sherwood High School with music teacher Mike Maddox, but not without a fight from local parents and students.