WMHS: Now is not the time for students to go back to school. Here’s why

Given the current state of COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rates, it would be worse to send students back to school any time soon.

The Board of Education previously announced metrics that they now believe to be too strict. On December 15, the BOE plans to reevaluate these metrics, and lower the standard to allow for students return to in-person learning.

The rate of COVID-19 related hospitalizations is increasing, and has even passed the numbers in spring. The previous highest amount being 1,711 on April 30, now the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients is over 1,715...

https://wmcurrent.com/26993/opinion/now-is-not-the-time-for-students-to-go-back-to-school-heres-why/#

If you see something say something...anonymous COVID reporting for teachers, parents, and students: The Covid Monitor

 

Link here: The COVID Monitor (arcgis.com)

Best Practices link here.

The COVID Monitor

A safe and anonymous way for teachers, staff, students and parents to submit information about COVID safety at schools.

We do not ask for nor do we collect any personal data from anyone submitting a report here.

Infected after 5 minutes, from 20 feet away: South Korea study shows coronavirus’ spread indoors

 From the Los Angeles Times, by reporter Victoria Kim. Full story here.

SEOUL — 

Dr. Lee Ju-hyung has largely avoided restaurants in recent months, but on the few occasions he’s dined out, he’s developed a strange, if sensible, habit: whipping out a small anemometer to check the airflow.

It’s a precaution he has been taking since a June experiment in which he and colleagues re-created the conditions at a restaurant in Jeonju, a city in southwestern South Korea, where diners contracted the coronavirus from an out-of-town visitor. Among them was a high school student who became infected after five minutes of exposure from more than 20 feet away.

The results of the study, for which Lee and other epidemiologists enlisted the help of an engineer who specializes in aerodynamics, were published last week in the Journal of Korean Medical Science. The conclusions raised concerns that the widely accepted standard of six feet of social distance may not be far enough to keep people safe.

The study — adding to a growing body of evidence on airborne transmission of the virus — highlighted how South Korea’s meticulous and often invasive contact tracing regime has enabled researchers to closely track how the virus moves through populations.

“In this outbreak, the distances between infector and infected persons were ... farther than the generally accepted 2 meter [6.6-foot] droplet transmission range,” the study’s authors wrote. “The guidelines on quarantine and epidemiological investigation must be updated to reflect these factors for control and prevention of COVID-19.”

A study from Korea showing why indoor dining is unsafe and why airborne transmission matters.

A study from Korea showing why indoor dining is unsafe and why airborne transmission matters. Case B infected case A from 6.5m (~21 feet!) away in *just five minutes*, and case C from 4.8m (15 feet!). Footage shows no interaction—and only those in line of air flow got infected. pic.twitter.com/Yw3Gb8INWP

— zeynep tufekci (@zeynep) December 3, 2020

 https://twitter.com/zeynep/status/1334641685154902021?s=20

Lawmakers want millions in refunds for Maryland taxpayers after error

Bullis on Maryland COVID-19 Outbreak List for 4th Straight Week. Torah School Lists 10 year olds.

 Mount Saint Joseph Baltimore City 6 12/09/20

McDonough School Baltimore County 5 12/09/20

Mesivta Kesser Torah of Baltimore - 9th grade Baltimore County 2 12/09/20

Rosedale Baptist School Baltimore County 2 12/09/20

St. Joseph's School Baltimore County 4 12/09/20

St. Paul's School Baltimore County 4 12/09/20

Yough Glades Elementary Garrett County 3 12/09/20

Glenelg Country School Howard County 12 12/09/20

Running Brook Elementary Howard County 2 12/09/20

Bullis School                                                        Montgomery County 10 12/09/20

Torah School of Greater Washington - 10 year olds Montgomery County 3 12/09/20

Living Hope Christian School Somerset County 3 12/09/20

Woodson Elementary School Somerset County 6 12/09/20

Broadfording Christian Academy Washington County 5 12/09/20

Grace Academy Washington County 19 12/09/20

Heritage Academy Washington County 2 12/09/20

Stephen Decatur High School Worcester County 2 12/09/20

 

As a reminder, the Maryland Dashboard uses the following criteria for reporting COVID-19 cases.  Not all cases are reported, only those that satisfy the following criteria.

  Note: This dataset reflects public and non-public K-12 schools in Maryland that have COVID-19 outbreaks. Data are based on local health department reports to MDH, which may be revised if additional information becomes available. This list does not include child care facilities or institutes of higher education.

Schools listed meet 1 or more of the following criteria:

    1) At least two confirmed COVID-19 cases among students/teachers/staff within a 14-day period and who are epidemiologically linked, but not household contacts; or

    2) Three or more classrooms or cohorts with cases from separate households that meet the classroom/cohort outbreak definition that occurs within 14 days; or

    3) Five percent or more unrelated students/teachers/staff have confirmed COVID-19 within a 14 day period (minimum of 10 unrelated students/teachers/staff).

Cases reported reflect the current total number of cases. Schools are removed from the list when health officials determine 14 days have passed with no new cases and no tests pending. Archival data is available through the COVID-19 open data catalogue.

These data are updated weekly on Wednesdays during the 10 a.m. hour. MDH is continuously evaluating its data and reporting systems and will make updates as more data becomes available.

 https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/school-resources

MCPS Now Reporting 183 Staff COVID-19 Positive and 24 Staff Currently Quarantined

 

DC schools, daycares account for the majority of COVID-19 outbreaks, according to data

WASHINGTON - Universities, schools and daycare environments account for well over 50 percent of the COVID-19 outbreaks in the District, according to newly released data from the health department. https://www.fox5dc.com/news/dc-schools-daycares-account-for-the-majority-of-covid-19-outbreaks-according-to-data

Massachusetts superintendent says he's seeing school transmission of COVID-19

 ..."What is different from a week ago is we're starting to see in-school transmission," Tremblay said Wednesday during a School Committee meeting. "Whatever the CDC might be saying or whatever the governor or the commissioner of education might be saying, that it's safe to come back to school and schools are not the nexus of where spread is happening — we have evidence to the contrary in our community."..

...The Framingham Teachers Union says there is evidence of in school spread and that DESE doesn’t want to hear it. "Districts have acknowledged they've tried to report there has been in school transmission," Mulroney said. "DESE doesn't have any mechanism for recording that."..

https://www.wcvb.com/article/massachusetts-superintendent-says-he-s-seeing-school-transmission-of-covid-19/34878536

Justices decline Montgomery County child pornographer’s appeal of 420-year sentence

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear the appeal of a Burtonsville man serving 420 years in federal prison for child pornography.

Kyle Stephen Thompson had urged the justices to review and overturn his conviction, stating through counsel that his videotaping of three preschool girls was not the “prevailing” purpose behind his sexual abuse of them.

Without comment, the justices let stand a lower court ruling that the federal child pornography statute’s prohibition on coercing children into sexually explicit behavior “for the purpose of” creating a video of those acts does not require that the video production be the defendant’s prevailing motive for the coercion...

...Investigators detained Thompson and obtained a search warrant of his home, where Montgomery County officers found a memory card hidden in the laundry room, according to testimony...

... “Based on the evidence at trial, the jury could have rationally concluded that Mr. Thompson sexually abused the child victims and created video depictions of the abuse, but that he did not sexually abuse the children to create the videos,” added Mercer, of RaquinMercer LLC in Rockville. “For precisely this reason, it was crucial for the district court to adequately instruct the jury on the meaning of ‘for the purpose of” to ensure that Mr. Thompson, who disputed no other element, had a fair opportunity to present his defense.”..

https://thedailyrecord.com/2020/12/07/justices-decline-md-child-pornographers-appeal-of-420-year-sentence/?utm_term=Justices%20decline%20Md.%20child%20pornographer%27s%20appeal%20of%20420-year%20sentence&utm_campaign=Justices%20decline%20child%20pornographer%27s%20appeal&utm_content=email&utm_source=Act-On+Software&utm_medium=email

Lincoln Center Passport to the Arts for families with children, teens, and adults with disabilities

 Lincoln Center is offering performing arts events at no cost for families with children, teens, and adults with disabilities. The entire schedule is here.

Passport to the Arts

Designed for families with children, teens, and adults with disabilities, Passport to the Arts provides a welcoming introduction to the performing arts at Lincoln Center at no cost. Our fall season features virtual programs with New York City Ballet, Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Guild, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Families can attend dance, music, or drama classes, watch exclusive performances, check out behind-the-scenes content, and meet performers—all from their homes. Programs are inclusively designed and open only to families with children, teens, or adults with disabilities. Families will receive pre-visit materials, including social narratives, photos, and links. All programs take place via Zoom.

For families with children, teens, or adults with disabilities. To register for Passport to the Arts programs, visit this link »

To access arts-based lessons on your own time, visit the Passport at Home site.

Some of the events are: 

Sunday, December 6 at 11:00am ET

Passport to the Arts

WeBop (Ages 2–5)

Jazz at Lincoln Center

Designed for children ages 2–5 years old, this interactive, small group program will explore the concept of call and response by creating musical conversations with their voices…

Saturday, January 23 at 11:00am ET

Empty control

Passport to the Arts

The Bluelaces Experience (Ages 5–12)

Bluelaces Theater Company members lead an accessible, virtual performance full of sensory and social play, zany characters, object exploration, and more.

Saturday, December 12 at 1:00pm ET

Passport to the Arts

Behind the Scenes of the Nutcracker (Teens and Young Adults)

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and CO/LAB Theater Group

Explore The Nutcracker through an interactive, drama-based session delving into the work of set designer Rouben Ter-arutunian and costume designer…

MCPS Now Reporting 172 Staff COVID-19 Positive and 33 Staff Currently Quarantined

 

Jack Smith Spending $2 Million Dollars +/- without Board of Education Vote, Tells Board Deal is "No Cost." Why the Fib? Shouldn't Board Know Truth?

Is the Kelley Park land "deal" just a way for the City of Gaithersburg to get an artificial turf football field out of the MCPS Operating Budget?  

Today, December 3, 2020, MCPS Superintendent Jack Smith will once again bring a land deal before the Montgomery County Board of Education without disclosing that the deal will actually cost the MCPS Operating Budget upwards of  $2 million dollars.

Superintendent Jack Smith is once again telling the Board of Education that the land deal with the City of Gaithersburg  is "no cost." 

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/BVNLDS557909/$file/Gaithersburg%20ES8%20Deed%20Acceptance.pdf

Yet, as the Parents' Coalition has shown, the contract for the transfer of this very small parcel of land to be used for an elementary school actually comes with a lot of costs.  Included in the contract for the transfer of this land are the following costs required to be paid for by the Board of Education.   

    • MCPS must pay for the cost and expense of all off-site easements.

    • MCPS must pay for design and construction of an artificial turf football field up to $800,000. 

    • MCPS must pay for the rough grade of the field, storm drainage and a sub base for the artificial turf field.

    • MCPS is required to pay up to 25% for the future replacement of the artificial turf field. [25% of future replacement could be upwards of $250,000.]

    • MCPS must pay for new, additional bleachers for the City of Gaithersburg baseball field. 

    • MCPS must pay for 5 parking spaces dedicated to the City park visitors 24 hours a day. 

    • MCPS must pay for a City tot lot.

This "deal" for an elementary school site will only provide MCPS with land for a school building. The elementary school will not have any playground area outside of the school.  All of the land around the elementary school will be owned and controlled by the City of Gaithersburg.  

It is perplexing as to why Superintendent Jack Smith would agree to a land deal that robs elementary school children of dedicated play ground land when he could be building an elementary school right down the street on a 100% paid for and dedicated elementary public school site that would provide room for a school and dedicated play ground.

Here is the Land Deal that Superintendent Jack Smith signed that requires the Board of Education to fund upwards of $2 Million Dollars in gifts to the City of Gaithersburg.  This is the deal that he is telling the Board of Education is "no cost." 

2020 June Land Acquisition ... by Parents' Coalition of Montg...

Prince George's students won't return to classrooms in February due to COVID surge

PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY, Md (ABC7) — One day after telling the Prince George’s County Public Schools community that she is delaying a planned survey of parents offering hybrid or distance learning to start the Spring semester, PGCPS CEO Monica Goldson confirms return to classrooms will not happen in February.

Goldson told ABC7 Maryland Bureau Chief Brad Bell that the current surge and those which may be coming make that goal unsafe...

https://wjla.com/news/local/prince-georges-students-wont-return-to-classrooms-february?fbclid=IwAR1GKiLpP8VEYtuXGoNsq4bUa-L2Tc4ipG1nYs5tzY_jhu9bXN3zfsJ6LQQ

US GAO REPORT: DISTANCE LEARNING: Challenges Providing Services to K-12 English Learners and Students with Disabilities during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to rapidly shift to distance learning. This presented logistical and instructional challenges, especially for English learners and students with disabilities—both of whom have persistent achievement gaps compared to other student subgroups.

Some English learners couldn't fully participate in distance learning due to language barriers and limited access to technology (e.g., computers and the internet). Special education services for students with disabilities—including related services like occupational, physical, or speech therapy—were particularly difficult to deliver remotely...

 https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-21-43

Multiple red flags preceded last week’s “catastrophic” cyber attack on Baltimore County Schools

 

A tech expert warned school officials in 2019 their networks were vulnerable to attack. A trove of personal data was exposed later that year. And the state auditor warned of vulnerabilities months ago – and previously in 2015.

...The technology journal Ars Technica not only revealed that Baltimore County Public Schools had alarming weaknesses, but it used BCPS as a prime example of how school systems across the country were at risk for similar attacks...

https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2020/11/30/multiple-red-flags-preceded-last-weeks-catastrophic-cyber-attack-on-baltimore-county-schools/?fbclid=IwAR1pLoWqbMBHYQpxA_WCkkTX3KOv8l9xpNBdiJireX1hKwi-VIFusNyBNQk

12/2 Bullis (with 10) and Torah School (with 3) Still on MD State COVID-19 Outbreak-Associated Cases in Schools

School - County - Cases - Date of MD Dashboard Update

Mount Saint Joseph Baltimore City 6 12/02/20

Bais Yaakov Eva Winer High School Baltimore County 4 12/02/20

McDonough School Baltimore County 5 12/02/20

Mesivta Kesser Torah of Baltimore Baltimore County 2 12/02/20

Open Bible Christian Academy Baltimore County 5 12/02/20

Rosedale Baptist School Baltimore County 2 12/02/20

St. Joseph's School Baltimore County 4 12/02/20

St. Mark's School Baltimore County 7 12/02/20

The Harbour School at Baltimore Baltimore County 2 12/02/20

St. Paul's School Baltimore County 4 12/02/20

Frederick Christian Academy Frederick County 6 12/02/20

Yough Glades Elementary Garrett County 3 12/02/20

John Archer School Harford County 3 12/02/20

Glenelg Country School Howard County 11 12/02/20

Running Brook Elementary Howard County 2 12/02/20

Bullis School Montgomery County 10 12/02/20

Torah School of Greater Washington Montgomery County 3 12/02/20

Woodson Elementary School Somerset County 6 12/02/20

Broadfording Christian Academy Washington County 5 12/02/20

Grace Academy Washington County 19 12/02/20

Heritage Academy Washington County 2 12/02/20

Truth Christian Academy Washington County 3 12/02/20

Stephen Decatur High School Worcester County 2 12/02/20

https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/school-resources

Note: This dataset reflects public and non-public K-12 schools in Maryland that have COVID-19 outbreaks. Data are based on local health department reports to MDH, which may be revised if additional information becomes available. This list does not include child care facilities or institutes of higher education.

Schools listed meet 1 or more of the following criteria:

Classroom/cohort outbreak definition:

    1) At least two confirmed COVID-19 cases among students/teachers/staff within a 14-day period and who are epidemiologically linked, but not household contacts; or

School-wide outbreak definition:

    2) Three or more classrooms or cohorts with cases from separate households that meet the classroom/cohort outbreak definition that occurs within 14 days; or
    3) Five percent or more unrelated students/teachers/staff have confirmed COVID-19 within a 14 day period (minimum of 10 unrelated students/teachers/staff).

Cases reported reflect the current total number of cases. Schools are removed from the list when health officials determine 14 days have passed with no new cases and no tests pending. Archival data is available through the COVID-19 open data catalogue.

These data are updated weekly on Wednesdays during the 10 a.m. hour. MDH is continuously evaluating its data and reporting systems and will make updates as more data becomes available.

Montgomery County Police, experts report increase in internet crimes against children

 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (WDVM) — Experts and local police departments say criminals looking to exploit children are taking advantage of your kids spending more time on their laptops and cell phones during the pandemic.

“Parents are the ones who are really in the dark about these apps and how these kids can communicate with adults,” said Lt. Gerald McFarland of the Montgomery County Police Department’s Special Victims Investigations Division.

He says SVID is cracking down on cybercriminals, as the department has noticed an increase in the victimization of kids online since the onset of COVID-19...

...MCPD SVID and NCMEC encourage you to report suspicious online activity to your local police department and submit a detailed tip to NCMEC’s CyberTipline.

https://www.localdvm.com/news/maryland/montgomery-county-police-experts-report-increase-in-internet-crimes-against-children/

Hundreds told to quarantine as virus hits youth sports in Anne Arundel Co.

After asking hundreds to quarantine, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, has halted youth sports altogether.

Thirty-nine people connected to youth sports in Anne Arundel County tested positive for the coronavirus this fall...

https://wtop.com/anne-arundel-county/2020/11/hundreds-told-to-quarantine-as-virus-hits-youth-sports-in-anne-arundel-co/?fbclid=IwAR1C0hawxZA_UOrIpHnb-gpfQ-sh1SoyPotGG-FUMdzfSKlSKVHI0Sq6MSY

Tuesday, December 1, marks one year since the first known patient showed symptoms of the disease...

Leaked documents reveal China's mishandling of the early stages of Covid-19

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/30/asia/wuhan-china-covid-intl/index.html?fbclid=IwAR0Lti3Ts8U9lM73blS9aTb_XD8c3_457aWw7n8gdgf3Iv1sEh7dFylWL74