State School Superintendent Dr. Karen B. Salmon today ordered all Maryland schools to be closed for students from Monday, March 16, through Friday, March 27, in order to help mitigate concerns associated with coronavirus, or COVID-19.
Schools will be open on normal hours on Friday, March 13. Teachers will spend the day reviewing potential educational opportunities for students over the next two weeks.
Dr. Salmon also announced that school systems will be open for students on days previously designated for Easter/Spring break, meaning Anne Arundel County Public Schools will be open for students on Thursday, April 9; Friday, April 10; and Monday, April 13 to make up some of the days lost to the two-week closure.
“This has been – and continues to be – a time of great and rapid change for all of us,” AACPS Superintendent George Arlotto said. “Dr. Salmon’s order today is focused on the health and safety of our students and staff, a priority we all share. I am confident we will rise to the occasion and make these adjustments so that we continue to help our students achieve awesome things.”
Dr. Salmon also canceled all school-related student and staff travel, effective immediately, until further notice. Additionally, she ordered that all schools and buses be cleaned during the two-week period schools are closed.
In addition to Dr. Salmon’s announcement, Dr. Arlotto announced the following with regard to AACPS operations, barring any further closures:
- All athletics and extracurricular activities are canceled immediately through Sunday, March 29.
- The date of the SAT administration for all juniors is now Tuesday, April 14.
AACPS will formulate a plan to distribute meals to students in need over the next two weeks and announce that plan as soon as possible.
The shutdown also may change the last day of class for students. A revised calendar including that date will be presented to the Board for approval as soon as possible.
When the school system reopens, the following alterations will remain in effect until further notice:
- All out-of-state and international field trips and business-related staff travel are canceled.
- In-state field trips that are not part of core mission of school system instruction are canceled.
- Grandparents Day and similar events that involve the public visiting schools are canceled.
- School assemblies may not take place.
- School performances such as plays, musicals, and concerts will not occur unless they are done without public audiences.
- Awards events with public audiences such as the Excellence in Education Awards scheduled for April 16 and the Anne Arundel County Council of PTAs’ Family Fun Day scheduled for April 25 are canceled.
No decisions have been made on high school proms or graduations, or elementary and middle school promotional exercises.
When schools reopen, visitors should remain mindful of and be prepared to answer questions from school staff about recent travel.
Dr. Arlotto and school system staff remain in daily communication with the Anne Arundel County Department of Health to receive guidance and advice on issues related to COVID-19. Other adjustments to school system operations will be announced as they are determined.
For more information school system issues related to COVID-19, visit www.aacps.org/coronavirus.