As we shared
yesterday, all MCPS schools will be closed from Monday, March 16,
through Friday, March 27, 2020, as part of a statewide effort to
mitigate the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). We recognize that this
closure has created inconveniences for many in our community and we
continue to work with various county agencies and key stakeholders to
address your questions and concerns.
MCPS staff has been working diligently for several weeks to prepare
for a closure such as this. Please know that this is a rapidly
evolving situation that impacts many areas, including spring break,
standardized test administration, Advanced Placement exams, and
sporting events, among many others. Our staff will continue to work
through these challenges and will provide details and decisions as
soon as information is available. Thank you in advance for your
patience.
Below is some new and updated information about district plans in
several key areas:
Access to Educational Materials and Resources
Learning activities and materials are
now available online through myMCPS Classroom. Print materials
were provided to schools and will be available for pick up at meal
sites on Tuesday, March 17. These activities are meant for review and
to practice information that has already been taught. The activities
are designed to span the timeframe of our school closure.
We are committed to providing you with resources for your child to be
engaged in learning activities.
To access materials, please use the following
directions:
Your child can
click the Join Here button to enroll in the course.
Your child
will need to log in using their MCPS Google account. For
elementary students who do not know their login and password, a
ConnectEd message will be sent to all elementary households on
Monday, March 16, 2020. If your child still has difficulty
logging in, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQs) at http://bit.ly/mcpsmd-course-faq.
Each myMCPS
Classroom course includes a welcome letter and further
guidance.
While these activities and materials are designed for your child
to be engaged independently, please feel free to work with your child
as well. In addition, we encourage families to read, play board
games, write in journals, and join in on any other activities you
think are appropriate for your child. We will provide additional tips
and ideas to engage your child on our MCPS social media accounts (Twitter and Facebook).
Food Distribution
We are pleased to share that we will operate 20 sites to provide
“Grab-N-Go” meals for students. You can find the list of locations here.
Free meals will be provided Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1
p.m. Students do not have to present ID to receive meals but must be
under 18 years old. They can visit any of the sites to receive a
nutritious meal.
Information and Resources
These are difficult times for our community. Together, we are
facing a significant health crisis in our county, state and nation.
We encourage you to take the necessary preventive measures to keep
yourself safe and healthy. Please take care of each other and lend a
hand to those in need. We have created a document that lists a few
school system and community resources for our families. You can view
that document here.
Additional resources and information will be posted on the MCPS
coronavirus webpage over the next two weeks.
Make-Up Days
No decision has been made about using spring break and make-up
days at this time. We are reviewing our calendar and the
recommendation of the Maryland State Department of Education and will
provide additional information to families as soon as possible.
Childcare
Child care providers that currently operate in our schools may
stay open during the two-week closure in their existing space based
on current permit if they choose. Providers will begin this service
on Wednesday, March 18, to allow time for cleaning the school
buildings first. MCPS staff are working with childcare providers and Community Use of
Public Facilities on the schedule and operations. The list of
providers will be posted on the Community Use of
Public Facilities in the coming days. Please contact your
provider directly about their operation over the next two
weeks.
Please continue to visit the MCPS website as updates and answers
to frequently asked questions will be posted regularly. If you have
any specific questions or concerns, you can contact the ASK MCPS line
at 240-740-3000.