Safety is our number one priority.  As such, we are committed to staying focused on mask wearing, cleaning, and hand-washing as ways to mitigate the spread of the virus. 

• Students and staff are required to wear their masks when inside school buildings, except when eating/drinking and participating in strenuous exercise.
• Classrooms, restrooms, and hallways will be cleaned routinely as they have been throughout the pandemic.
• Hand washing and hand sanitizing remains an expectation for students and staff.  We will remind students, especially elementary students, to wash or sanitize their hand before and after eating meals and engaging in recess.

Safety is our number one priority.  As such, the following protocol is in place for students singing or playing their instruments in school buildings:

• Chorus – Singing:  All students will be masked when singing indoors.  When outdoors, students may sing unmasked if they are socially distanced from one another.
• Strings/Band – Playing non-wind instruments:  All students who play string instruments and percussion instruments will be masked when playing indoors.  When outdoors, students may play unmasked if they are socially distanced from one another.
• Band – Playing wind instruments:  All students who play wind instruments (woodwind or brass) may play their instruments using a split mask.  Band conductors will have split masks available for students.  When students are not playing their instruments they are required to be masked indoors. As noted above, percussion students must be masked at all times when playing indoors. When outdoors, students may play unmasked if they are socially distanced from one another.

 

 

Yes, students may be assigned a locker to use during this school year.  Students should not share lockers.

Elementary students should not share their personal learning tools such as their pencils, papers, and tools they have been assigned or purchased for individual use.

Students may share materials in literacy centers, play areas, and during recess.  When a student is readying to use materials or equipment in these areas they should wash/sanitize their hands before using the materials/equipment and then rewash or sanitize their hands again after use.

Per the August 4, 2021 letter from Dr. Arlotto to families and employees, all students and staff regardless of age or vaccination status will be masked indoors except in limited circumstances when we return to in-person learning in September.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has also endorsed universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.  However, the CDC has also clarified that appropriate and consistent use of masks may be challenging for some students with certain disabilities or medical conditions and may not be required to wear a mask.

If you as a AACPS staff member or your student has a disability or medical condition and believe you/they should not be required to wear a mask, please contact your supervisor or school principal, respectively.  They will provide you a link to our Mask and Safety Coaching Form where you will be able to apply for mask accommodation consideration.

Yes, each school will have child-sized masks when school opens in the fall; we will offer a child a mask who loses or soils their mask at any time during the day. We suggest that families pack one extra labeled mask in a plastic bag in the student’s backpack for emergency use.

All mask requirements are informed by CDC, state, and Anne Arundel County Health Department guidelines. 

All students will be required to wear masks on our buses, in classrooms, hallways, and at indoor recess.  Students will be allowed to remove their masks while eating and drinking, engaging in strenuous exercise, and playing outside (recess). Students may be offered opportunities during the day when they will be given a mask break. 

People above the age of 2 must wear masks in our schools. 

Yes, there will be hand sanitizer in your student’s classroom and also at stations located throughout the school.

Our ventilation systems and the routine maintenance procedures, including the changing of filters, have all been approved by the state.  We adhere to all these procedures throughout the school year.  We are in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) standards.

Our AACPS custodial staff have been trained and will be cleaning the classrooms at the end of every school day and on Wednesdays.  They will be regularly walking the school throughout the day to make sure restrooms are clean and that classrooms and hallways have hand sanitizer available for students’ and staff use.