Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Elrich says he will remove police officers from schools
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich on Monday said he plans to remove police from public high schools in the fall — instead, officers will be assigned to patrol communities and respond to incidents at schools when needed.
During a briefing announcing the county budget, he said, “The SROs will not be in schools,” referring to the school resource officer program.
“We are taking a very different approach,” Elrich said. “The state requires us to have a response plan for the county schools. We’re going to take police officers, they will have beats that will include wider areas that would encompass the different school districts. They will not be stationed in the schools.”..
As Many Parents Fret Over Remote Learning, Some Find Their Kids Are Thriving
Bobby is a sixth grader at North Brookfield Elementary School in western Massachusetts. He's crazy about the Loch Ness monster. He's into math and Minecraft. And he likes online learning.
"It's a lot easier to focus," he says. "I can be in my room and be a lot more comfortable doing stuff."..
...Bobby has ADHD and sometimes gets seizures. (NPR isn't using last names to protect students' privacy.) This means that the 11-year-old often needs to take breaks from class, whether it is because of a seizure or just because he wants to walk around the room to get some of his energy out. Even though he already had some accommodations when school was in-person, online learning makes it easier for him to accommodate his own needs...
Smithsonian Summer Virtual Adventures
Smithsonian Virtual Adventures are designed for children who will be entering Kindergarten through 11th grade in the upcoming fall. Children should be registered based on their grade level in the 2021-22 school year and can only participate in programs designated for that grade range.
https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/adventures/adventuring-101
Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Broad Acres ES, Northwest HS, Churchill HS: COVID-19 Positive Cases Announced
March 16, 2021
March 15, 2021
Dear JoAnn Leleck Elementary School at Broad Acres Parents and Families,
This is Dr. Barber, calling with an important message. Earlier today, an individual who was at our school is presumed positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19). Following Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, we notified individuals who were known to have direct contact with this individual and have advised them to quarantine for 14 days... https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/press/index.aspx?pagetype=showrelease&id=10571&type=&startYear=&pageNumber=&mode=
March 16, 2021
Dear Northwest Families,
This letter is to inform you that an individual participating in our athletics program, who was last present outside on Northwest HS grounds on Friday, March 12, 2021, tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). We wish the individual well and look forward to their safe return once they have been medically cleared. Following Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, we notified individuals who were known to have direct contact and have advised them to quarantine for 14 days... https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/press/index.aspx?pagetype=showrelease&id=10570&type=&startYear=&pageNumber=&mode=
March 16, 2021
Dear Winston Churchill Parents and Families,
This letter is to inform you that an individual who was last present at Winston Churchill High School between March 8, 2021 and March 11, 2021, has tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19). Following Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, we notified individuals who were known to have direct contact with this individual and have advised them to quarantine for 14 days...https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/press/index.aspx?pagetype=showrelease&id=10569&type=&startYear=&pageNumber=&mode=
Tell Montgomery County Senators To STAND UP for Children who were Victims of Sexual Abuse. E-mail/Call/Tweet Today: @Willcsmithjr @jwaldstreicher @SenatorSusanLee
RSVP for JUSTICE FOR SURVIVORS VIGIL
Please join us this Wednesday (March 17, 2021) for a Justice for Survivors Vigil on Lawyers Mall in Annapolis. The Vigil begins at 10 am, but we ask that people arrive earlier if they are able. We will have signs but feel free to bring your own. Our message is Justice4MDSurvivors Vigil: We Stand United in Support of SB134.
Parking is available at the Visitors Center as well as nearby parking garages. Contact Susan Kerin at susank@capconcorp.com if you need more details or a map on parking options.
Please note that participants must adhere to public safety practices including social distancing and wearing masks.
You can RSVP at http://evite.me/4HgPg1qfRu
We understand that some of you may not be able to attend with us in person, but want to show your support for survivors. If you are not able to attend in person, we are asking that you call the Senators listed below on Wednesday, flooding their phone lines with calls of support from survivors and their allies.
Your message is clear, we stand united behind SB134, The Hidden Predator Act, and want the bill passed out of committee without amendments.
Bill Ferguson (Senate President) 410-841-3600 bill.ferguson@senate.state.
Melony Griffith (President Pro Tem) 410-841-3127 melony.griffith@senate.state.
Will Smith (Chair, JPR) 410-841-3634 will.smith@senate.state.md.us
Jeff Waldstreicher (Vice Chair, JPR) 410-841-3137 jeff.waldstreicher@senate.
Jill Carter (JPR) 410-841-3697 jill.carter@senate.state.md.
Jack Bailey (JPR) 410-841-3673 jack.bailey@senate.state.md.
Susan Lee (JPR) 410-841-3124 susan.lee@senate.state.md.us
Michael Jackson (JPR) 410-841-3103 michael.jackson@senate.state.
Charles Sydnor (JPR) 410-841-3612 charles.sydnor@senate.state.
Will You Stand With Us? Support the Hidden Predator Act MD Senate Bill 134. 50+ organizations agree it’s time for the Senate to vote YES to Hidden Predator Act (SB134) without amendments! @Willcsmithjr @jwaldstreicher @SenatorSusanLee
The Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, MD supports the Hidden Predator Act.
Will YOU Stand With Us?
We stand united behind SB134 with over 50 faith-based, professional, non-profit, business, research and advocacy groups who have added their organizational support to this legislation.
It’s time for the Senate to vote YES to SB134 without amendments!
https://youtu.be/0v58y1FqEus
TAKE ACTION:
Email to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Chair, Senator Will Smith (Montgomery County) and Co-Chair Senator Jeff Waldstreicher (Montgomery County) and share your organizations support of the legislation, a copy of the organizational letter of support is attached. Let them know that it is time for this bill to come for a vote in the committee.
will.smith@senate.state.md.us; jeff.waldstreicher@senate.state.md.us
If you have questions regarding the bill or would like additional data points in support of the legislation please visit our grassroots partner’s website www.Justice4MDsurvivors.org
Baltimore City Schools report 13 positive COVID-19 results after weekly pooled testing
BALTIMORE (WBFF) - On Monday, Baltimore City Teacher's Union reported COVID-19 outbreaks at multiple schools just a week after students returned to in-person learning.
A spokesperson for Baltimore City Schools noted that following their weekly asymptomatic pooled testing on staff and students, there were 13 positive results. Pooled testing is a part of the school system's safety protocols to prevent the spread of the virus...
Why Opening Windows Is a Key to Reopening Schools
The C.D.C. is urging communities to reopen schools as quickly as possible, but parents and teachers have raised questions about the quality of ventilation available in public school classrooms to protect against the coronavirus. We worked with a leading engineering firm and experts specializing in buildings systems to better understand the simple steps schools can take to reduce exposure in the classroom...
Covid: Fresh air 'key to safer classrooms'
As children across England prepare to return to school, the focus is on testing, masks and the familiar routines of social distancing and hand washing.
But on top of all those measures, there's something that until recently hasn't had much attention: a good supply of fresh air.
Air matters because if someone is infected they'll release tiny virus particles called aerosols, which can accumulate and then be inhaled by others.
Computer simulations by engineers in Germany show how easily the air in a poorly ventilated room can become hazardous...
Baltimore County School Superintendent Angers Council Over Lack Of Ransomware Details
The Baltimore County Council grilled School Superintendent Darryl Williams Tuesday over details about November’s ransomware attack.
Council members were not happy with Williams’ answers.
Democratic County Councilman Tom Quirk asked Williams if the school system paid off the hackers and if so, would insurance cover it. Williams’ answer dealt with the overall cost of the ransomware attack.
“I won’t have those final amounts until later in spring, maybe May or June,” Williams said.
So, Quirk asked again.
“I guess the direct question is did Baltimore County Public Schools pay ransom? It’s just a direct question.”
Williams responded, “We’ve used our resources to help us repair and restore.”
Quirk said he wants an answer on whether a ransom was paid before the council signs off on the school system’s budget this spring. The public schools account for about half of the county’s $3.8 billion spending plan.
“I’m not prepared to vote on the budget until we have a better answer on that one,” Quirk said...
Monday, March 15, 2021
COVID-19 Positive Announcements: Fields Roads ES - no students on site. Glen Haven ES - Families in close contact notified.
March 15, 2021
Dear Fields Road ES Parents and Families,
This letter is to inform you that an individual who was last present at Fields Road ES on March 10, 2021, has tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19). No students were on-site. Following Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, we completed contact tracing and there was no risk of exposure to staff.
We encourage you to closely monitor your child for symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough and shortness of breath. If your child develops any of these symptoms, do not send them to school. You should contact your healthcare provider immediately for advice. Please contact the school if your child develops COVID-19-like symptoms. Students who develop symptoms, or test positive for COVID-19, will not be able to return to the building until they are medically cleared.
As a reminder, here are the steps that we can all take to keep ourselves, families and school community safe:
• Wear a mask, or appropriate face covering, at all times when in school and other public spaces.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially before and after eating.
• Cover your cough and/or sneeze and immediately wash your hands for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.
• Practice physical distancing and keep 6 feet away from others when possible.
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Visit montgomeryschoolsmd.org/COVID19 and montgomerycountymd.gov/COVID19 for additional information.
We appreciate your cooperation as we work to maintain a safe and healthy school environment.
Sincerely,
Erica Williams
Principal
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March 15, 2021
Dear Glen Haven Parents and Families,
This letter is to inform you that an individual who was last present at Glen Haven Elementary School between March 8 and March 10, 2021 has tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19). Following Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, we notified individuals who were known to have direct contact with this individual and have advised them to quarantine for 14 days.
Per current DHHS guidance and our contact tracing process, unless you are notified directly, your child does not need to be tested or quarantine as they were not in direct contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19. Direct contact is defined as:
being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of an individual with COVID-19 for a prolonged period of time (e.g., being in the same office or classroom as a positive and symptomatic individual), or
having direct contact with the infectious secretions from an individual with COVID-19 (e.g., being coughed on).
Note: The definition of “close contact” does not include all other individuals on the same floor or in the same building as a positive individual, unless they also meet criteria (1) or (2).
We encourage you to closely monitor your child for symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough and shortness of breath. If your child develops any of these symptoms, do not send them to school. You should contact your healthcare provider immediately for advice. Please contact the school if your child develops COVID-19-like symptoms. Students who develop symptoms, or test positive for COVID-19, will not be able to return to the building until they are medically cleared.
As a reminder, here are the steps that we can all take to keep ourselves, families and school community safe:
Wear a mask, or appropriate face covering, at all times when in school and other public spaces.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially before and after eating.
Cover your cough and/or sneeze and immediately wash your hands for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.
Practice physical distancing and keep 6 feet away from others when possible.
Stay home if you are sick.
Visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/coronavirus and www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COVID19 for additional information.
We appreciate your cooperation as we work to maintain a safe and healthy school environment.
MCPS Creating Maskless Lunchrooms: Association of State-Issued Mask Mandates and Allowing On-Premises Restaurant Dining with County-Level COVID-19 Case and Death Growth Rates — United States, March 1–December 31, 2020
What MCPS and the Board of Education are doing at this link.
CDC Advisory Below. Anyone in MCPS or at the Board of Education reading this CDC information?
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Universal masking and avoiding nonessential indoor spaces are recommended to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
What is added by this report?
Mandating masks was associated with a decrease in daily COVID-19 case and death growth rates within 20 days of implementation. Allowing on-premises restaurant dining was associated with an increase in daily COVID-19 case growth rates 41–100 days after implementation and an increase in daily death growth rates 61–100 days after implementation.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Mask mandates and restricting any on-premises dining at restaurants can help limit community transmission of COVID-19 and reduce case and death growth rates. These findings can inform public policies to reduce community spread of COVID-19.
Pandemic Brings Dramatic Drop in Asthma Hospitalizations, Study Finds
The pandemic kept many local children with asthma out of hospitals, according to a study by Children’s National Hospital in D.C.
There’s been a 75% drop in emergency room visits and hospitalizations among local children with asthma this fall, the study found.
“It is very stressful to have a child with asthma even when you have access to great hospitals and doctors and resources and (are) able to manage it,” said Kate Davidoff, whose 3-year-old son Andrew used to rely on a nebulizer and steroids to control his asthma when he got sick. “It is a lot of stress on parents and the children to be sick all the time.”..
Saturday, March 13, 2021
COVID-19 at Bells Mill Elementary School
March 12, 2021
Dear Bells Mill Elementary School Parents and Families,
This letter is to inform you that an individual who was last present at Bells Mill Elementary School between March 8th and March 9th, 2021, has tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19). Following Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, we notified individuals who were known to have direct contact with this individual and have advised them to quarantine for 14 days.
Per current DHHS guidance and our contact tracing process, unless you are notified directly, your child does not need to be tested or quarantined as they were not in direct contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19. Direct contact is defined as:
being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of an individual with COVID-19 for a prolonged period of time (e.g., being in the same office or classroom as a positive and symptomatic individual), or having direct contact with the infectious secretions from an individual with COVID-19 (e.g., being coughed on).
Note: The definition of “close contact” does not include all other individuals on the same floor or in the same building as a positive individual, unless they also meet criteria (1) or (2).
We encourage you to closely monitor your child for symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough and shortness of breath. If your child develops any of these symptoms, do not send them to school. You should contact your healthcare provider immediately for advice. Please contact the school if your child develops COVID-19-like symptoms. Students who develop symptoms, or test positive for COVID-19, will not be able to return to the building until they are medically cleared.
As a reminder, here are the steps that we can all take to keep ourselves, families and school community safe:
Wear a mask, or appropriate face covering, at all times when in school and other public spaces.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially before and after eating.
Cover your cough and/or sneeze and immediately wash your hands for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.
Practice physical distancing and keep 6 feet away from others when possible.
Stay home if you are sick.
Visit montgomeryschoolsmd.org/COVID19 and montgomerycountymd.gov/COVID19 for additional information. We appreciate your cooperation as we work to maintain a safe and healthy school environment.
Sincerely,
Dr. Stacy L. Smith
Principal
Bells Mill Elementary School
COVID-19 Positive Individual at Rock Terrace School #specialeducation
March 9, 2021
Dear Rock Terrace Parents and Families,
This message is to inform you that an individual who was last present at the Rock Terrace School on Friday, March 5, 2021, has tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19). Following Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, we notified individuals who were known to have direct contact with this individual and have advised them to quarantine for 14 days.
Per current DHHS guidance and our contact tracing process, unless you are notified directly, your child does not need to be tested or quarantine as they were not in direct contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19. Direct contact is defined as: being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of an individual with COVID-19 for a prolonged period of time (e.g., being in the same office or classroom as a positive and symptomatic individual), or
having direct contact with the infectious secretions from an individual with COVID-19 (e.g., being coughed on).
Note: The definition of “close contact” does not include all other individuals on the same floor or in the same building as a positive individual, unless they also meet criteria (1) or (2).
We encourage you to closely monitor your child for symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough and shortness of breath. If your child develops any of these symptoms, do not send them to school. You should contact your healthcare provider immediately for advice. Please contact the school if your child develops COVID-19-like symptoms. Students who develop symptoms, or test positive for COVID-19, will not be able to return to the building until they are medically cleared.
As a reminder, here are the steps that we can all take to keep ourselves, families, and school community safe:
-Wear a mask, or appropriate face covering, at all times when in school and other public spaces.
-Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially before and after eating.
-Cover your cough and/or sneeze and immediately wash your hands for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.
-Practice physical distancing and keep 6 feet away from others when possible.
-Stay home if you are sick.
Visit montgomeryschoolsmd.org/COVID19 and montgomerycountymd.gov/COVID19 for additional information.
We appreciate your cooperation as we work to maintain a safe and healthy school environment.
Graham Lear
Principal
Rock Terrace School
240-740-4650
COVID-19 Positive Individual at Roscoe Nix Elementary School
@MCPS "presumed positive" Covid case @ Roscoe Nix ES 3/11 @mocoboe @ShebraEvans @brendawolff1 @Lynne4Students @KarlaSilvestre6 @nickasante_ @Marc_Elrich @tomhucker @nancy_navarro @amfriedson @RicePolitics @willjawando @albornoz_gabe @EvanMGlass @MC_Council_Katz pic.twitter.com/MfYYPAe2pM
— Safe_MCPS (@McpsSafe) March 12, 2021
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