Wednesday’s Board of Education Meeting voted to keep students and staff operating under a virtual learning model
Frederick, MD (KB) Frederick County Public Schools students will continue with virtual learning until January, at the end of the first semester, after a hybrid model for returnng to class before the end of the year was voted down Wednesday by the Board of Education.
There were concerns about moving back into the classrooms without more assurances in place that students and staff would be kept safe from COVID-19. Supertintendent of Schools, Dr. Teresa Alban, said there is an issue with staffing.
“I have already heard from some of the principles that, for example, English Learners — they would love to have another group of English Learners, but they have no staff who have said they would willingly come in,” said Alban. “That’s our challenge with expanding.”
Consistency in classes offered virtually across different Frederick County schools has also been difficult. “We didn’t start looking at lab-based science classes in the high school because the challenge of ‘well I can make that work at Linganore, but I don’t have that science teacher willing to come at Frederick,'” explained Alban. “It has just really made it exceptionally challenging for administrators trying to navigate around that.”
There were three scenarios discussed. One suggested by Board President, Brad Young, would bring students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 6th, 9th, and 12th grades back to school. That plan didn’t receive a motion for a vote. The two other plans would have brought students in Pre-K through 2nd grade back to school for instruction. Both were voted down.
It is undetermined when the board will meet again to begin the conversation about reopening schools for students and staff.