Since the global emergence and spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), initial attention appropriately focused on severely affected adults, who represent the highest proportion of symptomatic infections.1 However, as the pandemic has evolved, a significant effect on children has also become evident.2 Data from multiple affected countries have corroborated that children are clearly susceptible to infection and may develop severe primary and unique secondary inflammatory complications of infection, including multisystem inflammatory syndrome of children.3-5 However, the vast majority of infected children have mild or unrecognized disease, and this population may play important epidemiologic roles by potentiating spread of infection through communities6 and/or boosting herd immunity. Only small numbers of children have been included in prior studies focused on kinetics of viral shedding in the setting of symptomatic or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.7-12 To our knowledge, no prior studies have systematically focused on the frequency of asymptomatic infection in children or the duration of symptoms and viral shedding in both asymptomatic and symptomatic children...
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2770149?utm_campaign=articlePDF&utm_medium=articlePDFlink&utm_source=articlePDF&utm_content=jamapediatrics.2020.3996
Monday, August 31, 2020
IN SUDDEN REVERSAL, USDA EXTENDS SCHOOL MEALS WAIVERS FOR DISTRICTS TO MORE EASILY REACH HUNGRY STUDENTS
Reversing Itself Over a Few Days, USDA Extends School Meals Waivers, Allowing Districts to More Easily Reach Food Insecure Students
Advocates Praise Reversal, Calling Extension “Huge Lifeline for Hungry Families”
In response to withering, bipartisan criticism, USDA announced today that it had reversed itself over the last few days and that the Department will now extend waivers through December 31, 2020 for school districts to provide free meals to students with greater flexibility. These waivers will allow school districts to supply meals to all children regardless of family income in addition to utilizing the structure of the Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option, allowing communities to reach a larger amount of children, especially those in districts operating remotely or partially remotely.
In response, Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, a nationwide nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, said:
“USDA’s original decision to deny these extensions were blasted by schools, advocates, and even some very conservative members of Congress. USDA’s common-sense reversal on the extension of school meals waivers is a major relief for school districts, hunger advocates, and struggling families. Parents will now be able to continue picking up meals for their children at one location rather than going to different school sites to pick up a meal for each child. Additionally, school districts will have the flexibility to deliver meals to students’ homes and to drop off multiple meals at once. The extension of these waivers is a huge lifeline for hungry families and will help ensure that the number of food insecure children in this country doesn’t continue to rise.”
###
When cases occur, sparse guidance on how Md. schools will respond
...Maryland reports its new case rate at 9.3 per 100,000 people. Only five jurisdictions meet the below-5-cases threshold. Nineteen others report new cases at rate of 5.6 -14.5 per 100,000 people.
Last week, experts at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health said states need to expect to see cases in schools as students return to classrooms, even with social distancing, mask rules and other mitigation efforts...
COVID-19 cases among children surge in Georgia
https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/covid-19-cases-among-children-surges-in-georgia/IACVGC5YIBAVZBNXMF7FOIDGPA/
Delegate Eric Luedtke blocks on Twitter, but "Legislator files open meetings complaint against Maryland State Board of Education for private vote on superintendent raise"
Legislator files open meetings complaint against Maryland State Board of Education for private vote on superintendent raise
A state delegate says the Maryland State Board of Education violated open meetings law when it failed to give the public notice that it was meeting in private in June to vote on the superintendent’s contract and pay raise, according to a complaint filed by the lawmaker.
Del. Eric Luedtke, a Democrat representing Montgomery County, has filed a complaint with the state board that oversees Open Meetings Act compliance, saying the board has repeatedly violated the act by failing to tell the public the subject of closed door meetings.
He particularly focused on the awarding of a new contract to Karen Salmon, who had held the job for four years, and recently got another one year contract that pays her $275,000, a $40,000 or 17 percent raise.
“The board’s handling of this situation was entirely inappropriate,” Luedtke said. “Leave aside how grotesque it is to increase the salary of the superintendent when Marylanders are losing their homes and school systems are in hiring freezes, it’s clear that all of these discussions were intentionally hidden from the public.”..
Sunday, August 30, 2020
When It Comes to Covid-19, Most of Us Have Risk Exactly Backward
My daughter argues that as long as she’s seeing all of her friends together in school, they should be able to gather together in their houses as well. Unfortunately, she has risk exactly backward. She’s not alone; lots of Americans do.
My kids, like most in Indiana, have been back at school since mid-August. Each time my 9th and 11th grader head off to high school, they spend more time among other human beings in a day than they had cumulatively all summer. Because of that, they along with many of their friends and those friends’ parents think that there’s less reason to be careful in other aspects of their lives.
But as we loosen restrictions in some areas, we should be increasing restrictions in others. If kids are going to take on more risk at school, they should find ways to be even safer outside of it. Large groupings at a friend’s house are not a good idea...
...From a policy perspective, we’ve been just as unwilling to sacrifice. Almost everyone thinks that opening schools is extremely important (myself included). But too few people have been willing to discuss what we might be willing to shut down to make that happen. If we want to make it safer to send kids back to school, we might need to consider reducing the number of people who can drink in bars or eat in restaurants, for example...
Saturday, August 29, 2020
Health officer discusses reopening protocol with Montgomery County nonpublic schools
...During the virtual meeting, attended by about 175 private school leaders, Gayles detailed the new guidance Hogan released Thursday afternoon that outlined when counties can let schools reopen. The metrics are:
• The local positivity rate is less than 5% for at least seven consecutive days
• The local caseload is less than five per 100,000 people maintained for at least seven consecutive days.
On Friday, Gayles clarified that the data Hogan cited is to measure when schools can fully reopen. He said there are different metrics — not discussed during Thursday’s state press conference with Hogan — that guide when schools can reopen for part-time in-person instruction...
...Stoddard urged schools to be open and transparent during the contact tracing process because “it’s not our intent to release information beyond what is absolutely necessary to protect public health.”..
Maryland’s governor shoots a spitball, picks an unnecessary fight over school reopening | COMMENTARY
Here’s how we might assess Larry Hogan’s summer school performance: “Does not work or play well with others.” His high absenteeism and incomplete homework this summer, when local superintendents were struggling to develop plans for how to handle returning students this fall, deserves a failing grade.
The governor took to the podium Thursday to strongly encourage (although it felt more like castigate) Maryland’s 24 school districts to get back to in-person instruction. He, along with Maryland’s state superintendent of schools, even handed out some newly-created bench marks about how to accomplish that. The timing was, to put it mildly, curious...
Friday, August 28, 2020
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TABLES DISCUSSION ABOUT LIVE INSTRUCTION REQUIREMENT UNTIL SEPT. 1
The Maryland State Board of Education is tabling a discussion about live instruction requirements for the fall semester until Sept. 1, one day after the first day of school for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).
On Monday, Maryland State Superintendent Dr. Karen Salmon recommended that the board approve a requirement that schools offer an average of 3.5 hours of live virtual instruction per day this fall...
Gov. Larry Hogan: "...hopefully we are getting near the end of the pandemic..."
On what basis is Maryland Governor Larry Hogan saying that "hopefully we are getting near the end of the pandemic?" What public health advisor/doctor has told him that the pandemic is near its end?
Gov. Hogan Cited NY: Here is the NY Data-Driven Guidance for Reopening Schools
Schools in Regions in Phase IV Can Reopen if Daily Infection Rate Remains Below 5 Percent Using a 14-Day Average
Schools Will Close if Regional Infection Rate Rises Over 9 Percent After August 1
Finalized DOH and Reimagine Education Advisory Council Guidance and Guiding Principles Available Here
1.08 Percent of Yesterday's COVID-19 Tests were Positive
10 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday
Confirms 557 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 402,263; New Cases in 38 Counties
During his own bachelor party, teacher sent nude photo of himself to eighth-grader, police say
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/during-his-own-bachelor-party-teacher-sent-nude-photo-of-himself-to-eighth-grader-police-say/2020/08/27/45490ea4-e8a8-11ea-bc79-834454439a44_story.html
Thursday, August 27, 2020
Florida confirmed 9K new COVID-19 cases among children within 15 days as schools reopen
Florida confirmed almost 9,000 new COVID-19 cases among children within 15 days in August as schools reopen, according to state data released Tuesday.
The Florida Department of Health recorded a total of 48,730 confirmed coronavirus cases among children, according to a report with data through Monday. The data shows an increase of 8,995 confirmed cases since the previous report, which included data from 15 days earlier, on Aug. 9.
For the 15 days before Aug. 9, the state confirmed 8,585 new COVID-19 cases among children...
NYT: Reopened Schools Find Health Risks in Water After Covid-19 Lockdowns
A number of schools found the bacteria that causes Legionnaire’s disease in their water, and experts say more should expect to see it.
Full story at:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/27/health/covid-schools-legionnaires-disease.html
Baltimore Sun: Maryland PTA put on probation because of ‘hostile’ environment and high turnover
The Maryland Parent Teacher Association has been put on probation — and is at risk of being removed from the nationwide organization — because of complaints about high turnover caused by “hostile” leadership and preventing elected members from performing their duties.
The Glen Burnie-based organization represents hundreds of local parent-teacher associations in Maryland. The statewide group fell out of compliance with the National PTA’s “Standards of Affiliation” after several PTA members reported their concerns, according to a letter obtained by The Baltimore Sun.
Probation hinders the organization’s ability to obtain PTA funding, according to National PTA President Leslie C. Boggs in her letter to Maryland PTA President Edna Harvin-Battle. Local members of the PTA, the nation’s largest child advocacy group with 4 million members, work with schools by volunteering in classes and raising money for supplies. The state PTA’s 160,000 members are at risk of losing those services and their input in setting the organization’s agenda.
The state PTA had high turnover among members “as a result of a hostile board environment, frequent special meetings, and an assumed directive of loyalty to the Maryland PTA president rather than to Maryland PTA and its members,” Boggs’ letter stated. The letter also says Maryland PTA leadership refused to provide access to resources and provided insufficient notice for meetings, preventing board members from completing their duties.
Entire article at:
https://www.baltimoresun.com/education/bs-md-maryland-pta-on-probation-20200827-hucfmkus7ng4xo5fk376fvpapa-story.html
Parents wait hours to pick up laptops for virtual learning
CLARKSBURG, Md. — Traffic was at a standstill most of the day near Rocky Hill Middle School in Clarksburg while parents waited hours to pick up equipment to participate in virtual learning when the school year starts next week.
Montgomery County Public Schools starts all-virtual learning on August 31, and notified parents several weeks ago that they could pick up a laptop or learning materials over two weeks from Aug. 17 to Aug. 28. The laptop distribution was only available for students who do not have access to a computer or laptop at home...
MCPS OKs reopening plan for Monday’s start of classes
This story is part of “Parenting in a Pandemic,” WTOP’s continuing coverage of how parents are dealing with child care, schooling and more through the coronavirus pandemic.
The Montgomery County Board of Education voted Tuesday to approve a reopening plan for Maryland’s largest public schools system, with classes starting Monday, Aug. 31.
The approval, which had been expected, came during a meeting that lasted more than eight hours Tuesday...
Montgomery County Health officer says his authority to enforce safety is unclear
...“When the governor asked us to rescind our order … the state promised they would be providing guidelines for local jurisdictions in terms of what schools needed to do,” Gayles said during a meeting with the Montgomery County Council on Monday. “It was framed that, as long as schools are consistent with [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and state guidelines, they’d be able to reopen. But we don’t have any state guidelines.”
Spokespeople for Hogan and the Maryland Department of Health could not be reached for comment on Monday. Previously, a spokeswoman for Hogan told Bethesda Beat that Gayles still has the authority to close a nonpublic school found to not be complying with social distancing requirements...
‘It’s just not right’: Needed repairs at Montgomery County school asked to be sped up
A Montgomery County, Maryland, elementary school that is home to many minority students has been dealing with numerous problems, including overcrowding, collapsing ceilings, overheating and pests, as WTOP first reported.
Now, school leaders are trying to make sure students at South Lake Elementary School in Gaithersburg don’t have to wait even longer for a much-needed overhaul.
Indications are that “this building is beyond its useful life,” said Seth Adams, director of the Department of Facilities Management for the county school system, “and even after the close to 30 pest control visits, the two years’ worth of indoor air quality work … we’re still fighting that battle with keeping up with South Lake.”..
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
School Teacher Arrested for Inappropriate Sexual Contact with Student; Possibility of Additional Victims a Concern
Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) have arrested and charged Maxwell Alexander Bero, age 30, of Gate Rail Road in Clarskburg, with offenses related to his inappropriate sexual contact with a fourteen-year-old female. The offenses occurred from August 2014 to June 2015, when the female victim was an eighth-grade student and Bero was her teacher at the Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle School in Silver Spring. The sexual interactions occurred after school hours on school property.
On July 28, 2020, SVID detectives began an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse of the (now 19-year-old) victim by Bero. Detectives learned that during the 2014-2015 school year, Bero engaged in inappropriate sexual contact and exchanged inappropriate sexual materials and messages with the juvenile victim/student.
Earlier today, August 26, Bero was served with an arrest warrant charging him with offenses to include sexual abuse of a minor and multiple counts of committing a third-degree sexual offense. He was transported to the Central Processing Unit. Bond information is not available at this time.
Detectives are concerned there may be additional victims of Bero and are asking anyone who believes that he/she is a victim to call SVID detectives at 240-773-5400.
Bero’s current teaching assignment is at Watkins Mill High School in Gaithersburg. Bero has been placed on administrative leave by the school system. Inquiries regarding his employment should be directed to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).
Bravo to this former MCPS Student for Speaking Up! Another arrest of a MCPS teacher for a sex offense. Board of Education Continues Their Silence on These Arrests and Convictions. No Support for the Victims from Board of Education.
Please note that this announcement to the public was written by Derek G. Turner, the former public information officer for MCPS, Mr. Turner is now one of 3 administrators running MCPS. Superintendent Jack R. Smith promoted Mr. Turner from the position of public information officer to administrator in charge of 1/3 of MCPS.
~~~~~
Dear Parents and Guardians:
I am writing to inform you about the arrest of Mr. Maxwell Bero, a Watkins Mill High School teacher, head boys’ varsity lacrosse coach and assistant varsity football coach, on charges of sex abuse of a minor and multiple counts of third-degree sex offense. The charges stem from alleged inappropriate sexual contact between Mr. Bero and a former Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) student while Mr. Bero was employed at Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle School during the 2014-2015 school year.
MCPS is fully cooperating with law enforcement on this matter. Mr. Bero has been placed on administrative leave.
Mr. Bero has been employed with MCPS since 2009. He worked as a substitute teacher at various MCPS schools from 2009 to 2013. In 2013, he worked as a long-term substitute at Wheaton High School and also served as head boys’ varsity lacrosse coach and assistant varsity football coach. He worked at Lee Middle School from 2013 to 2016, and has worked as a social studies teacher at Watkins Mill High School since 2016.
These charges are deeply concerning and unacceptable and represent a complete breach of trust, responsibility, integrity and the law. We hold our employees to a high standard of character and these allegations violate that. Please know that the safety of our students is our top priority and we are committed to ensuring we maintain a safe learning environment for all.
Counseling staff will be available to connect with students virtually and provide any needed counseling or support this week. Students who may need to speak with someone can reach out to their school’s counseling office for support.
If you or your child has any information that may be helpful to the investigation, please call the Special Victims Investigations Division of the Montgomery County Police Department at 240-773-5400.
Derek G. Turner
Chief of Engagement, Innovation, and Operations
Montgomery County Public Schools
Chief of Engagement, Innovation, and Operations
Montgomery County Public Schools
Estimados padres, guardianes, miembros del personal y estudiantes,
Les escribo para informarles sobre el arresto del Sr. Maxwell Bero, maestro de Watkins Mill High School, entrenador de lacrosse y asistente del entrenador de fútbol americano, acusado de abuso sexual de un menor y múltiples cargos de delitos sexuales en tercer grado. Los cargos radican en un presunto contacto sexual inapropiado entre el Sr. Bero y un ex alumno de Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) mientras el Sr. Bero trabajaba en Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle School durante el ciclo escolar 2014‒2015.
MCPS está cooperando plenamente con las autoridades de seguridad en este caso. El Sr. Bero ha sido puesto en licencia administrativa.
El Sr. Bero trabaja en MCPS desde el 2009. Trabajó como maestro suplente en varias escuelas de MCPS del 2009 al 2013. En el 2013, trabajó como suplente a largo plazo en Wheaton High School y también se desempeñó como entrenador titular de lacrosse masculino y como asistente del entrenador de fútbol americano. Él trabajó en Lee Middle School del 2013 al 2016, y ha trabajado como maestro de estudios sociales en Watkins Mill High School desde 2016.
Estos cargos son profundamente alarmantes e inaceptables y representan una total violación de la confianza, la responsabilidad, la integridad y la ley. Nosotros exigimos de nuestros empleados un alto nivel de conducta y estas acusaciones son una violación de eso. Por favor sepan que la seguridad de nuestros estudiantes es nuestra mayor prioridad y estamos comprometidos a asegurarnos de mantener un entorno de aprendizaje seguro para todos.
Los consejeros escolares estarán disponibles para conectarse con los estudiantes virtualmente y proporcionarles cualquier asesoramiento o apoyo que necesiten esta semana. Los estudiantes que necesiten hablar con alguien pueden acudir a la oficina de los consejeros escolares de su escuela para recibir apoyo.
Si usted o su hijo tienen alguna información que pueda ser útil a la investigación, por favor llame a la División de Investigaciones de Víctimas Especiales del Departamento de Policía del Condado de Montgomery, teléfono 240-773-5400.
Montgomery County Claims They Post When a School is Closed Due to COVID-19.
The county continues to say that it is still not safe for non-public schools to open... pic.twitter.com/uenuUBSUfe— MyMCMedia (@mymcmedia) August 26, 2020
Coronavirus Latest: Towson University Moves All Classes To Remote Learning For Rest Of Fall Semester
Coronavirus Latest: Towson University Moves All Classes To Remote Learning For Rest Of Fall Semester: Towson University will move all classes to remote learning for the rest of the fall semester, the University said Wednesday.
Zoom-based opera for preschoolers might sound like your worst nightmare. But it’s actually the best Zoom there is.
...Kids today are a bit more hands-on, as I discovered during a recent session of “Opera Starts With Oh!,” an opera education program for ages 3 to 7, run by the D.C. and NYC-based company Opera Lafayette.
Admittedly, preschoolers, Zoom and opera don’t immediately sound like the makings of a successful project, but each installment I watched of “Opera Starts With Oh!” — helmed by director, choreographer and teaching artist Emma Jaster and Opera Lafayette community engagement manager Ersian François — kept its grid of budding opera buffs rapt with an action-packed half-hour of activities, performances and assorted operatic antics...
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Special Education students are being left behind | READER COMMENTARY
I’m the mother of a 14 year old son with non-verbal, regressive autism. He has epilepsy, PANDAS and other co-existing conditions. Nothing about this life is easy. Every day is an uphill battle. I’ve spent the last 14 years of my life advocating for the best, supportive services to help my son learn, develop and empower him with tools to function in this chaotic, overstimulating world. 1 in 34 boys in MD have an autism diagnosis. This is NOT going away. Stats go up consistently every year. Guess who is failing our kids during COVID? The state if MD. FAPE isn’t being delivered. IEP’s are out of compliance. They have zero contingency plans. Families have been patient, cooperative and compliant for seven months stepping up into a special educator/therapist role. Virtual is not a long-term solution and not sustainable. I’ve been advocating for six weeks for an in-home therapist.
Upon contacting CCPS Special Ed administration the response I received was: There is no procedure for requesting therapy in homes...
Maryland board could require schools to provide at least 3½ hours of live instruction
The state school board Tuesday is expected to vote on whether to require school districts to offer students a minimum of 3½ hours of live online instruction each day while classes remain remote because of coronavirus.
“I want to make sure that all students across the state have the same opportunity for learning,” said state school superintendent Karen Salmon. “I think this is crucial.”..
COVID-19 Is Transmitted Through Aerosols. We Have Enough Evidence, Now It Is Time to Act
Many months into the COVID-19 pandemic, the coronavirus is still spreading uncontrolled through the U.S. Public health authorities including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) tell us to remain six feet apart, wash our hands, disinfect frequently touched surfaces, and wear masks. But compliance with these measures—especially masks—is mixed, and daily we hear of cases where people do not know how they were infected. We hear about superspreading events, where one person infects many, happening in crowded bars and family gatherings, but not at outdoor demonstrations. Beaches in cities like Chicago are closed, but gyms and indoor dining at restaurants have reopened. It is no wonder the public is confused.
It is critical to have a clear physical description of the ways in which COVID-19 is transmitted, so that individuals and institutions are able to visualize it and will understand how to protect themselves. Contrary to public health messaging, I, together with many other scientists, believe that a substantial share of COVID-19 cases are the result of transmission through aerosols. The evidence in favor of aerosols is stronger than that for any other pathway, and officials need to be more aggressive in expressing this reality if we want to get the pandemic under control...
‘A whole system failure’: Test scores indicate half of MCPS third-graders can’t read at grade level
Advocates fear more students will fall behind during virtual instruction
By Caitlynn Peetz, Bethesda Magazine. for the whole story go here.
By Caitlynn Peetz, Bethesda Magazine. for the whole story go here.
In Montgomery County, half of the approximately 23,400 third-graders ended the 2018-19 school year unable to read at or above grade level, according to the results of a state assessment obtained by Bethesda Beat. Advocates fear that while children learn from home due to COVID-19, missing close to a year of face-to-face instruction, more children will fall through the cracks.
“We do run the risk that the learning loss students experience now will be the enduring legacy of this pandemic,” said Ralph Smith, director of The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, a national advocacy group. “Up to this point, there has been a significant, whole system failure and … the impact of the pandemic could cause a generation of students to suffer severe lifelong consequences.”