• After-School Activities & Sports

    Changing School Start Times

    The Task Force recognizes that students need access to sports and co-curricular activities as part of their well-rounded education. Any change to school start times will result in a shift in the availability of school facilities and personnel for these offerings appended to the school day. Overall, after speaking with high school athletic directors across the country, the Task Force learned that sports and activity schedules will adjust to meet the needs of their students, whatever the school start schedule. In addition, the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks, the agency that runs significant community-based sport leagues and after school offerings, will also adjust their schedules to match our school start schedules. These adjustments may include indoor and outdoor practices and/or games that go beyond 10:00 PM, which is the current end time for some Recreation & Parks practices and events that take place in AACPS school facilities or on school fields. These changes may also result in increased costs for custodians who will need to stay later than mandated by current AACPS contracts.

    Sports Overview

    The  AACPS Athletic Program  is viewed as an extension of the child's total educational experience. Each year,  there are over 9,300 students participating in one or more of the 26 sports offered through the county,  including the sports programs in every high school.

    AACPS works closely with the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks to organize field usage throughout the school year. When not in use by an AACPS sports team, school fields and gymnasiums are used by accredited athletic organizations. To accommodate all athletics practices and competitions,  fields and gymnasiums are scheduled back-to-back during peak sports seasons.

    Currently, there are 183 accredited adult athletic groups and 131 youth athletic groups who request access to AACPS facilities for practice and games. The Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks estimates that  approximately 28,000 students participate in an after school sport during each sports season.

    In the winter, every elementary, middle, and high school gym is utilized during evening hours.

    • In the elementary and middle schools, the Department of Recreation and Parks' activities are scheduled beginning as early as 5:30 PM until run until 10:00 PM in some locations;
    • In the high schools, Recreation and Parks' activities are scheduled from 8:00-10:00 PM;
    • On a winter Monday night, for example, approximately 2,000 children are practicing in an AACPS gym between the hours of 6:00 and 7:00 PM .

    In the spring, fields (most of which do not have lights) are used every evening with an average of 15 students/hour using each field.

    • In the elementary and middle schools, Recreation and Parks' activities are scheduled beginning as early as 5:00 PM and run until 9:00 PM in some locations;
    • In the high schools, Recreation and Parks' activities are scheduled beginning as early as 6:00 PM and run until 10:00 PM in some locations;
    • On a fall or spring Monday night, for example, approximately 4,000 children are playing on AACPS fields from 6:30-7:30 PM .

    Advanced Co-Curricular Programs, Extra-Curricular Activities & Clubs

    The  co-curricular programs in Anne Arundel County Public Schools  are intended to a) complement, broaden and provide a practical application of the knowledge students receive in regular classes and b) afford every child the opportunity to participate in activities for which they have a passion and interest. Programs are available in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas and in the Humanities (English, Social Studies, World Language, and the Arts).  Approximately 3,000-5,000 AACPS students annually participate in co-curricular programs offered through the school system.

    Co-curricular programs are offered before, during, and after-school for elementary, middle, and high school students across the county. Like sports, co-curricular opportunities are offered in the fall, winter, spring, and summer.

    • In the elementary and middle schools, activities may meet for up to 1 hour 30 minutes before or after school.
    • In the high schools, the majority of activities meet for up to 1 hour 30 minutes after school. Clubs that require in-depth practices, such as Drama, Speech & Debate, and Instrumental Music, may meet for longer than 1 hour 30 minutes after school.
    • Occasionally, some high school activities meet in the morning for approximately 30 minutes before school.
    • Some activities meet on Saturdays, others meet online, and there are also co-curricular offerings available during the summer months.