HCPSS Officials Envision What School Would Look Like This Fall

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — While there are still a couple more months left in the school year, Howard County Public School System officials already are looking ahead to the 2021-2022 school year. At a recent work session, HCPSS Superintendent Michael Martirano shared that the return to a normal five-day in-person learning scenario is "not only desirable, but absolutely essential for the majority of our students."

"This is even more evident when we factor in the rapid advance of vaccinations in the community, the lower infection rates locally and our plans to provide an all-virtual Digital Education Center option," Martirano said. "My clear expectation is that we will move to a normalized educational model in the fall, with 5 days per week of instruction provided in schools, while simultaneously providing an all-virtual alternative."

The only way this would be possible, he said, is to continue to monitor health guidance and local infection rates, and collaborate with the Howard County Health Department in contact tracing and responding when infections do occur in school. HCPSS officials would seek options for providing additional in-school COVID testing. The district already has 24,000 COVID-19 test kits provided by the state.

Martirano also said COVID-19 safety protocol would need to remain in place, including wearing masks, washing hands and enhanced cleaning and disinfection measures. The district's new Digital Education Center would allow families to remain virtual for the upcoming school year if they choose.