Masks Required In MOCO Schools, Buses; Vaccinations For Staff

ROCKVILLE, MD — Leaders in the Montgomery County Public Schools system on Friday urged everyone who can be vaccinated against COVID-19 to do so before the start of classes this fall, and ordered everyone to wear face masks in school buildings and on buses.

Teachers and other staff must show proof that they are vaccinated, or undergo weekly COVID testing, the school district said in a message about fall reopening plans.

The Montgomery County Education Association said in a statement that the union "fully supports the MCPS guidance on masking and vaccinations, namely that masks are required at all times in school buildings for both vaccinated and unvaccinated folks, and that educators must show proof of vaccination or be tested weekly."

Students learn best in person, MCEA officials said, and educators are eager to return to schools.

The first day of school for students in Montgomery County is Aug. 30.

The union also supports the use of masks, ventilation, hand-washing, and social distancing as recommended by the county health officer and the Centers for Disease Control to allow a safe return to in-person classes.

The requirements are part of what the school board's president and interim superintendent said are steps needed to allow students to return to in-person classes.

Brenda Wolff, president of the Montgomery County Board of Education, and Monifa B. McKnight, interim superintendent, issued the letter.

"The health and safety of our students and staff must remain a priority. Although COVID-19 remains with us, MCPS intends to carry out its commitment to deliver in-person instruction, five days a week, for all of our students," the leaders wrote. "We have developed a plan to ensure a safe return to school and will continue to be proactive in the face of continuously changing circumstances. The success of this plan also depends on individual actions, so we strongly encourage every person who is able to be vaccinated to do so before the start of the school year."

These measures will be enforced when school resumes:

• Require that face masks be worn in all school buildings, buses and MCPS facilities, regardless of vaccination status
• Require that employees submit proof of vaccination or participate in weekly COVID-19 testing
• Encourage the use of outdoor spaces for unmasked educational, recreational and social experiences for our students
• Facilitate continuity of educational services for students who are unable to attend in-person instruction due to the need to quarantine
• Provide opportunities for individuals to engage in proactive preventative measures, such as frequent hand-washing
• Remind students and staff that they must stay home when experiencing any possible symptoms of COVID-19
• Ensure school facilities will be regularly sanitized, equipped with cleaning supplies, and ventilation and air quality monitored
• Provide in-school COVID-19 pool testing for random samples of students in prekindergarten through 6th grade, since students younger than 12 are not eligible to receive the vaccine
• Communicate clearly, concisely and in a timely manner with families and staff as information becomes available
• Respond to changing conditions so that our students will not experience major disruptions in their education

"By working together, we can ensure our students can safely learn and thrive as they return to school," the officials wrote.

Parents can visit the Montgomery County Public Schools fall reopening site and read the reopening guide.