The Archdiocese of Baltimore Department of Catholic Schools shared a draft plan with parents July 16 for the reopening of schools for in-person instruction for the 2020-21 school year. It has faculty and staff returning to campuses Aug. 24, and students returning classrooms Aug. 31.
Plans will be finalized, according to the announcement, by July 24.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Catholic schools in the archdiocese have been using remote instruction and learning since March 16. To ensure the safety of students and teachers, the archdiocese is receiving technical assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the communication sent to parents, the Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Student Support Committee is working on plans that include three modes of learning: in-person, hybrid and remote.
While most school facilities have the capacity to accommodate the entire student body for in-person instruction five days a week “while safely social distancing,” some schools lack the space to do so, and would use what the draft described as a “blend” of in-person and remote learning.
According to the draft plan, families uncomfortable with in-person instruction would have the option to continue with remote learning.
In order to offer “synchronous” instruction to students learning in a classroom or at home, the archdiocese has purchased more than 1,000 AMX Acendo Vibe camera/sound bar units. Teachers will be trained on the technology, and practice with mock classes.
All schools will receive an instructional outline for each grade and subject for each learning mode, which will be used to develop instructional schedules to meet the needs of all school communities.
According to the draft release, a professional development plan for teachers has been created and paired with instructional requirements for each learning mode. Teachers in the archdiocese will be prepared to engage some or all students in synchronous learning should remote learning be necessary at any point in the academic year.
Structures to support the social, emotional and mental well-being of students, faculty, staff and families have also been established.
In preparing to reopen schools for in-person learning, the archdiocese surveyed more than 700 parents, guardians, students and staff, from 42 schools. Most parents favor in-person instruction, but concerns remain, particularly regarding the ability of younger students to wear masks and maintain social distancing.
A majority of parents were in favor of Catholic schools not aligning with the local public schools. In the archdiocese, for instance, Harford County schools have announced that they will continue with remote learning through the first semester, taking them into January 2021.
The archdiocesan COVID-19 Response Committee, meanwhile, has developed guidance for schools to help limit the spread of illness. Catholic schools will follow current guidelines, which suggest establishing an isolation area where anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms will be separated from the rest of the school population.
That committee has also established steps for schools to improve overall health operations. Guidance will be issued on daily wellness screening, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
In related news, the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland, which coordinate boys’ and girls’ sports, respectively, for local private high schools, announced July 17 that the start of fall practice has been moved back to Sept. 1, and that competition will begin no earlier than Sept. 21.
The joint announcement added that “The IAAM and MIAA will continue to reevaluate the viability of interscholastic competition for the fall season.”
Read the schools’ draft plan for reopening here.
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