The school system had kept the mandate in place and was not planning to lift it until the countys vaccination rate reached 80 percent, system leaders said previously. <>
The change in policy was listed among other items about the upcoming school year, including immunizations, online learning and fall class registration. %PDF-1.7
Prince Georges County Public Schools the last system in the D.C. area that required students and staff to wear masks lifted that mandate in early July. All rights reserved. Donna Christy, president of Prince Georges County Educators, said Prince Georges County teachers are supportive of returning to a mask mandate if infection rates require it. Lorsqu'il s'agit de rpondre des menaces de sant publique telles que le COVID-19, les districts scolaires du Maryland disposent d'une certaine flexibilit pour dterminer les politiques de port de masque. D.C. Public Schools new reading curriculum is designed to help improve literacy among the citys youngest readers. D.C. Public Schools new reading curriculum is designed to help improve literacy among the citys youngest readers. In the classroom: Amid a teacher shortage, states desperate to fill teaching jobs have relaxed job requirements as staffing crises rise in many schools. Prince George's County Public Schools will end its indoor mask mandate next week, CEO Monica Goldson said in a note to the school community. Communicating the official change in policy has not been entirely consistent. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. . Chevy Chase, MD 20815. The Maryland school district is among the 20 largest in the country, with more than 136,000 students and nearly 22,000 employees. The PGCPS website recently notified parents that masking is now required. Schools 135 #1 IN GREEN SCHOOLS PGCPS tops all Maryland districts in total number of green schools certifications Schools 10 HISTORIC SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION 10 schools under construction or to be delivered in next 4 years Schools 198 NUMBER OF SCHOOLS FOR 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR Get the Latest Information PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. School system CEO Monica Goldson announced the policy change in a newsletter to parents Monday evening, at the end of the first day of school. A South Florida native, Scott graduated from the University of Maryland in 2019. PGCPS had transitioned to a mask-optional policy in July, the first time it had dropped mandatory masking since the onset of the pandemic. Prince George's. Like WTOP on Facebook and follow WTOP on Twitter and Instagram to engage in conversation about this article and others. Prince George's schools where the last in the region to drop their mask mandate in July. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Prince Georges County public schools are requiring masks again ahead of the new academic year, citing the spread of a highly contagious COVID-19 Omicron subvariant. Chevy Chase, MD 20815. Some say that policy change was not clear. Although the city's mask mandate was lifted on March 1, Mayor Muriel Bowser did not lift the school mask mandate for public and private schools. May 12: Health Department Recommends Voluntary Mask-Wearing in Indoor Public Places March 16: County Updates COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing Locations February 25: County to Lift Indoor Mask Mandate Lift (PDF) / Spanish (PDF) February 18: COVID-19 Vaccination Update February 8: COVID-19 Vaccination Update / Spanish (PDF) We are one of the last counties in the country to still have a mask mandate. School officials announced the decision on Facebook Friday. 5425 Wisconsin Ave The school. 5425 Wisconsin Ave Quick Links. School officials say the decision comes in light of the highly contagious COVID-19 BA.5 variant spreading through the county. <>
Prince Georges schools will be mask-optional for 2022-2023. %
Tous les membres du personnel, les lves et les familles sont encourags soutenir les dcisions personnelles concernant le port du masque. Prince Georges County school system will end its mask mandate Sept. 6. Higher education: College and university enrollment is nowhere near pandemic level, experts worry. 2023 WTOP. Maryland Gov. WTOP was the first to report on the policy change. Prince George's County Public Schools CEO Monica Goldson said she expects students to be required to wear masks at her schools until COVID-19 "no longer exists," WTOP reported Monday. Students will return to school in Prince George's County on August 29. Mask Mandate Returns To Prince George's Schools Effective Aug. 15. In one, a massive study of more than 340,000 residents of rural Bangladesh, the study found that mask programs that promoted but didn't mandate masks "increased mask usage and reduced . The new policy notes that mask-wearing rules could change based on guidance from local or state health officials, or if there is additional guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. California will stop requiring masks in K-12 schools as of March 12, leaving it up to counties and school districts to keep or ditch the pandemic mandate as tension mounts among parents . The mandate will go into effect Sunday, August 8, 2021 at 5:00 PM, and applies to . On July 1, PGCPS announced it was lifting its mask mandate in public schools. Maryland did not reimplement a statewide mask mandate during the pandemic, but some jurisdictions took precautions. With the declining local COVID-19 positivity rates, CEO Dr. Monica Goldson announced the mask-optional policy will resume in all PGCPS facilities on Tuesday, September 6. It states the system was lifting its mask mandate an announcement that has not been clear to many parents. He is a reporter and photographer focusing on politics, political activism and international affairs. Officials in Prince Georges County have announced that students will start the 2022-2023 school year with masks on. "Once again, this is the county officials pushing their agenda of fear. 2023 WTOP. "All staff, students and families are encouraged to support personal decisions. Miller said the board of education hadnt discussed the issue yet, since it has been on break since early July. But MCPS announced this week, when there are three or more positive cases in a class, students could be required to wear a mask. As for the schools, the. Prince Georges County infection rates throughout the pandemic have been consistently among the highest rates in Maryland. In late February, PGCPS CEO Monica Goldson wrote an email to parents stating, I anticipate easing our mask mandate by the end of the school year, once 80% of the countys population was vaccinated. All staff, students and families are encouraged to support personal decisions on mask-wearing. ACT and SAT testing have rebounded modestly since the massive disruptions early in the coronavirus pandemic, and many colleges are also easing mask rules. Juanita Miller, chair of the countys school board, directed questions about the new policy to CEO Monica Goldson, who is in charge of day-to-day operations for the school system. NEWS ALERT: California board denies parole for Robert F. Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan, Scott Gelman | sgelman@wtop.com. John H. Murphy, Sr., a former enslaved man founded the AFRO in 1892 with $200 from his wife, Martha Howard Murphy. John started working at WTOP in 2016 after having grown up in Maryland listening to the station as a child. Numerous other parents posted in that same Facebook thread that they will be sending their students to school without masks. $50K Reward Offered For Information In Men's Shooting Death: Police, Teen, D.C. Man Fatally Shot In Separate Cases: Prince George's Police, $769M In Investments Popping Up Along Blue Line Corridor, Masterworks IV: Mahler's "Tragic" Symphony No. American students test scores have even plummeted to levels unseen for decades. Mask policy is subject to change according to local and/or state health department guidance and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, PGCPS said in the email. "It's sad that what this truly is a distraction. Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. In a poll of its members a few weeks ago, she said, around 60% favored the return of a mask mandate. Its neighbor, Montgomery County Public Schools, dropped a systemwide mask mandate in March. All rights reserved. The Maryland school district said Friday that it had returned to a mandatory mask policy in all schools and facilities until further notice due to the easily spread BA.5 Omicron strain, which has spread farther and faster than its predecessors and fueled a rise in community transmission rates across the country. 14201 School Lane Fast, informative and written just for locals. Baltimore, MD Office County will reinstitute an indoor public mask mandate due to a continued rise in COVID-19 metrics. Accessibility. Fentanyl-related overdoses among teens are rising. Marshals Service involved in fatal shooting in Southeast DC, Southeast triple shooting suspect identified by police. Some teachers have indicated that they will continue to wear masks even after the policy shift, especially if they see a large number of students through the day, Goldson said. WTOP.com | Alexa | Google Home | WTOP App | 103.5 FM, Prince Georges Co. council votes to temporarily cap rent hikes at 3%, Millions invested into Blue Line corridor by Prince Georges Co. developers, Cardinal Gregory meets with descendants of slaves buried on Bowie church hillside, Grand jury indicts DC employee charged with killing 13-year-old boy, Virginia state superintendent Jillian Balow announces resignation, Maryland food bank braces for more hungry mouths after emergency benefits are reduced. "PGCPS will continue to make health and safety decisions in consultation with health experts." According to a press release, the changes will be in place until further notice. To date, more than 10.5 million children have lost one or both parents or caregivers during the coronavirus pandemic. 2023 FOX Television Stations, FBI: Explosive found in bag at Pennsylvania airport, man arrested, Elderly couple dead in possible murder-suicide in Fairfax County: police, Airbnb renting out Paris theater that inspired 'Phantom of the Opera', Pot smoking lounge set to open in Montgomery County is first of its kind, Surgeon runs down Philadelphia street to retrieve organ from transport vehicle stuck in traffic, Video shows Amazon delivery driver hitting, killing dog at Maryland home, Richard Montgomery High School student accused of robbing Shell gas station at knifepoint, U.S. Copyright 2022 by WTOP. Montgomery County Board of Education drops mask mandate for schools WTOP was the first to report on the policy change. Montgomery County Board of Education drops mask mandate for schools. The Maryland school district said Friday that it had returned to a mandatory mask policy in all schools and facilities until further notice due to the easily spread BA.5 Omicron strain. Prince Georges County Public Schools in Maryland will end its indoor mask mandate next week, CEO Monica Goldson said in a note to the school community. 2 0 obj
Prince George's County will lift its indoor mask mandate on Monday, Feb. 28, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced Friday. Of the policy shift announced Monday, Goldson said families have varied on whether children should wear masks in schools. Larry Hogan (R) and the State Board of Education weighed in on the move, but school system leaders argued that the extension was critical after consulting with the local health department. Great stories teach, transport and transform! As of Monday night, the county is in the low community level as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Elected Officials. Bradley Beal hits season high as Wizards fight to the finish in Atlanta, For Ovechkin in winter, a deadline sell-off makes sense this spring, Commanders cut Carson Wentz and Bobby McCain, clearing cap space, coronavirus booster shots are now available for children as young as 5, 10.5 million children have lost one or both parents, students test scores have even plummeted, ACT and SAT testing have rebounded modestly, Prince Georges students are scoring below grade level, D.C. Public Schools new reading curriculum. The school system said it made the decision to require masks at the start of the year based on a recommendation from county health officials. x]o ~TXE`vM{rrnzD"e7}gf2%"@HQ{_~o[W_QRX$7XO_D~y/|mb:r#82d }*c1]JcXu^`k|:^v>Ro}|s}uJspk{uM3' }? Public Information Requests. This decision reverses one from July, which made mask wearing optional in Prince George's County schools. Highlighting Kenmoor Middle School counselor Dr. William Clay and Heather Hills Elementary School counselor Monique Bartley, NBCT, Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan, 7:00 PM 5425 Wisconsin Ave Instead, the agency is recommending those exposed to someone with COVID-19 wear a mask for 10 days and test for the virus on the fifth day. This decision is personal; students and staff are asked to respect the choices of others. Parents were also notified in a newsletter the following week. PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here. Prince George's County Portal. The AFRO provides readers with good news about the Black community not otherwise found. With the declining local COVID-19 positivity rates, CEO Dr. Monica Goldson announced the mask-optional policy will resume in all PGCPS facilities on Tuesday, September 6. Sasscer Administration Building Wearing a mask is optional for students in Montgomery County. The same day, the system also published its policy change on their website. Goldson has previously said she exercises an abundance of caution when making decisions about coronavirus protocols. Goldson reinstated a mask mandate in schools earlier in August because coronavirus transmission levels were high. In a tweet on Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, called . Seer. Goldson cited improving coronavirus levels in her decision to make masking optional. Covid-19 is ravaging one of the countrys wealthiest black counties. But MCPS announced this week, when there are three or more positive cases in a class, students could be required to wear a mask.. It was the last school system in the state to return to in-person instruction. WTOPs John Domen contributed to this report. In Prince Georges County, the virus is at a low community level, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. PGCPS had transitioned to a mask-optional policy in July, the first time it had dropped mandatory masking since the onset of the pandemic. Prince Georges County is the only D.C.-area jurisdiction that had a mask mandate on the first day of classes. The Centers for Disease Control rate of transmission for the BA.5 variant indicates that the county is experiencing a low rate of transmission, but the rate was designated as high when the decision was made for PGCPS to restart the masking policy. The vaccination rate in the county for residents 5 and older is 81.5 percent, according to state health department data. Sign up for Text Messages, Emails and Newsletters. 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