Higher education: College and university enrollment is nowhere near pandemic level, experts worry. For Read Across America Week, check out our many resources that encourage a love of reading. Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, 2023, Prince George's County Public Schools, March is National Irish American Heritage Month, NUMBER OF SCHOOLS FOR 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR, BOE: Parent and Community Advisory Council (PCAC) Meeting, 3rd Quarter Progress Reports Released Online, Website Accessibility Requests and Feedback Form. The latest: Updated coronavirus booster shots are now available for children as young as 5. Some say that policy change was not clear. 2023 WTOP. Say something. In Prince Georges County, the virus is at a low community level, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In July 2022, PGCPS transitioned from a mandatory mask-wearing policy to an optional-wear policy for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began. The county has the lowest transmission rate in Maryland at 44.98 . PGCPS had transitioned to a mask-optional policy in July, the first time it had dropped mandatory masking since the onset of the pandemic. <> Of the policy shift announced Monday, Goldson said families have varied on whether children should wear masks in schools. Donna Christy, president of the Prince Georges County Educators Association, previously told WTOP that the union supported the move to start the year with a mask requirement. "PGCPS will continue to make health and safety decisions in consultation with health experts." All staff, students and families are encouraged to support personal decisions on mask-wearing. 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Prince Georges County Public Schools will head into the upcoming school year with a mask-optional policy. We are one of the last counties in the country to still have a mask mandate. Prince George's County Public Schools will end its indoor mask mandate next week, CEO Monica Goldson said in a note to the school community. %PDF-1.7 Soldier. On July 7, PGCPS also announced the new policy within an email newsletter to parents. Monica Goldson, directora ejecutiva, anunci la reanudacin de la poltica de uso opcional de mascarillas en todas las instalaciones de PGCPS a partir del martes, 6 de septiembre. 9:15 PM, PGCPS tops all Maryland districts in total number of green schools certifications, 10 schools under construction or to be delivered in next 4 years, Prince George's County Public Schools American students test scores have even plummeted to levels unseen for decades. Chevy Chase, MD 20815. Help us Continue to tell OUR Story and join the AFRO family as a member subscribers are now members! Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here. Help us Continue to tell OUR Story and join the AFRO family as a member subscribers are now members! 5425 Wisconsin Ave endobj Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks has re-instituted a mask mandate for the county starting Sunday August 8. In a poll of its members a few weeks ago, she said, around 60% favored the return of a mask mandate. % Prince Georges County is the only D.C.-area jurisdiction that had a mask mandate on the first day of classes. The Centers for Disease Control rate of transmission for the BA.5 variant indicates that the county is experiencing a low rate of transmission, but the rate was designated as high when the decision was made for PGCPS to restart the masking policy. Prince George's County school system will end its mask mandate Sept. 6. - Schools in Prince George's County will be bringing back its masks requirements starting Monday, August 15 due to spreading coronavirus cases, according to schools officials. PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD Face masks must be worn in all schools and district buildings within Prince George's County Public Schools starting Aug. 15. One D.C. school is using COVID relief funds to target students on the verge of failure. Prince George's County Public Schools Also, public schools in D.C. went mask-optional in March, while state lawmakers in Virginia voted to ban school mask mandates in February. 4 0 obj PG county officials, focus your attention on making our schools better and stop putting distractions like a mask mandate," Abrams continued. The school. (7News) Prince George's County will lift its indoor mask mandate Monday, Feb. 28, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced Friday. The mandate extends to all indoor public locations at all. Washington, DC 20002, Prince Georges County has suffered higher than normal COVID-19 infection rates since the start of the pandemic. Prince George's County Public Schools: . NEWS ALERT: California board denies parole for Robert F. Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan, Alejandro Alvarez | aalvarez@wtp.com. The vaccination rate in the county for residents 5 and older is 81.5 percent, according to state health department data. Prince George's schools where the last in the region to drop their mask mandate in July. In schools with a COVID-19 outbreak, students and staff identified as close contacts of a positive case must quarantine, regardless of vaccination status or the presence of symptoms. But MCPS announced this week, when there are three or more positive cases in a class, students could be required to wear a mask.. XM x0r\1+'O5l,QUc4]@4\h\xLF:Q>Xo`&2&\g . All Rights Reserved. Children ages 2 to 5 must wear masks while indoors in Prince George's County unless they are eating or drinking, County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D) announced Wednesday, citing a. 14201 School Lane Prince George's County Public Schools the last system in the D.C. area that required students and staff to wear masks lifted that mandate in early July. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. In a poll of its members a few weeks ago, she said, around 60% favored the return of a mask mandate. stream Instead, the agency is recommending those exposed to someone with COVID-19 wear a mask for 10 days and test for the virus on the fifth day. WTOPs John Domen contributed to this report. Covid-19 is ravaging one of the countrys wealthiest black counties. the county announced plans to reinstate its indoor mask mandate, initially transitioned to a mask-optional policy in July, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Prince Georges Co. council votes to temporarily cap rent hikes at 3%, Millions invested into Blue Line corridor by Prince Georges Co. developers, Cardinal Gregory meets with descendants of slaves buried on Bowie church hillside, Grand jury indicts DC employee charged with killing 13-year-old boy, Virginia state superintendent Jillian Balow announces resignation, Maryland food bank braces for more hungry mouths after emergency benefits are reduced. Get The 7 DMV newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. Mask Mandate Returns To Prince George's Schools Effective Aug. 15. Great stories teach, transport and transform! In a newsletter highlighting moments from the first day of school across the county, Marylands second-largest school system said it plans to implement a mask-optional policy beginning Sept. 6. County will reinstitute an indoor public mask mandate due to a continued rise in COVID-19 metrics. Prince Georges County Public Schools will reopen on Aug. 29. The PGCPS website recently notified parents that masking is now required. 5425 Wisconsin Ave Donna Christy, president of Prince Georges County Educators, said Prince Georges County teachers are supportive of returning to a mask mandate if infection rates require it. In an email to the school community, administrators said they made the decisions on recommendation from county health officials. Deadline to submit application is Friday, March 10, 2023. UPPER MARLBORO, Md. Like WTOP on Facebook and follow WTOP on Twitter and Instagram to engage in conversation about this article and others. Using This Site. Maryland Gov. ACT and SAT testing have rebounded modestly since the massive disruptions early in the coronavirus pandemic, and many colleges are also easing mask rules. Media maven. Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, 2023, Prince George's County Public Schools, Website Accessibility Requests and Feedback Form. John H. Murphy, Sr., a former enslaved man founded the AFRO in 1892 with $200 from his wife, Martha Howard Murphy. Home. On Tuesday, the Prince Georges County website still stated masks are required on public transportation, in public schools, and in businesses that choose to require them., The state of Maryland says 81.5% of residents 5 and older in Prince Georges County are considered fully vaccinated.. Sasscer Administration Building 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G Plus I wouldn't be surprised if the facilities are not prepared for students. OFFICE OF THE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY EXECUTIVE ANGELA D. ALSOBROOKS PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release: August 5, 2021 . Fentanyl-related overdoses among teens are rising. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Aug. 11 is no longer recommending people quarantine when exposed to someone with COVID-19, and is also dropping its guidance for people to stay 6 feet apart. 1140 3rd St., 2nd Flr, NE endobj The community levels are determined by the number of hospital beds being used by covid-19 patients, the level of covid-19 hospital admissions and the total number of new cases in an area. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. School system CEO Monica Goldson announced the policy change in a newsletter to parents Monday evening, at the. "After consulting with our health officials, we are confident in our decision to lift the indoor mask mandate on February 28," said Alsobrooks. The email stated: Effective immediately, all PGCPS schools and facilities will be mask optional. Prince George's County is the only D.C.-area jurisdiction that had a mask mandate on the first day of classes. Se anima a todos los empleados, estudiantes y familias a apoyar las decisiones personales de uso de mascarilla. Goldson reinstated a mask mandate in schools earlier in August because coronavirus transmission levels were high. Prince George's County Portal. Wearing a mask is optional for students in Montgomery County. Now they're the first to bring it back. Larry Hogan (R) and the State Board of Education weighed in on the move, but school system leaders argued that the extension was critical after consulting with the local health department. See something? Goldson cited improving coronavirus levels in her decision to make masking optional. Fast, informative and written just for locals. x]o ~TXE`vM{rrnzD"e7}gf2%"@HQ{_~o[W_QRX$7XO_D~y/|mb:r#82d }*c1]JcXu^`k|:^v>Ro}|s}uJspk{uM3' }? Instead, the decision about masking to prevent the spread of COVID-19 was left to each local jurisdiction and its respective school board. It states the system was lifting its mask mandate an announcement that has not been clear to many parents. Prince George's County is the only D.C.-area jurisdiction that had a mask mandate on the first day of classes. Mask mandates are quickly becoming a thing of the past in the D.C. region: The last two local jurisdictions with mandates in place are lifting those requirements this week. <>/ExtGState<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/Annots[ 23 0 R] /MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Officials in Prince Georges County have announced that students will start the 2022-2023 school year with masks on. Montgomery County Board of Education drops mask mandate for schools. In light of the highly contagious COVID-19 BA.5 variant, Prince Georges County Public Schools (PGCPS) will return to a mandatory mask policy in all schools and facilities until further notice, effective on Aug. 15, according to the website. Los distritos escolares de Maryland tienen flexibilidad para determinar las polticas de uso de mascarilla cuando responden a amenazas de salud pblica como la de la COVID-19. When responding to public health threats like COVID-19, Maryland school districts have the flexibility to determine mask-wearing policies," the school district posted on Facebook. Departments and Offices. This year, when the omicron variant hit regional schools hard, Prince Georges chose to extend its winter break beyond any other school systems to slow the spread of the virus. endobj American students test scores have even plummeted to levels unseen for decades. Mask policy is subject to change according to local and/or state health department guidance and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, PGCPS said in the email. When the school year ended in late June, students and staff were still required to wear a mask inside all school buildings. CDC eases school guidance on quarantines, testing, screening. Prince Georges County students go back to classes on Aug. 29. Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here. NEWS ALERT: California board denies parole for Robert F. Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan, John Domen | jdomen@wtop.com. With the declining local COVID-19 positivity rates, CEO Dr. Monica Goldson announced the mask-optional policy will resume in all PGCPS facilities on Tuesday, September 6. Monica Goldson, chief executive of Maryland's. Some children who are learning English have struggled to keep up in classrooms because the masks prevent them from seeing their instructors mouths form words. Uline Arena Building UPPER MARLBORO, Md. Students will return to school in Prince George's County on August 29. The Maryland school district is among the 20 largest in the country, with more than 136,000 students and nearly 22,000 employees. The AFRO provides readers with good news about the Black community not otherwise found. Maryland hotline: 211 Prince George's County hotline: 301-883-6627 Student and Parent Instructional Resources Password Reset Marshals Service involved in fatal shooting in Southeast DC, Southeast triple shooting suspect identified by police. Alejandro Alvarez joined WTOP as a digital journalist and editor in June 2018. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. Chevy Chase, MD 20815. Joinhere! Prince George's County Public School (PGCPS) will continue to mandate mask-wearing for all students, teachers and staff, regardless of . ACT and SAT testing have rebounded modestly since the massive disruptions early in the coronavirus pandemic, and many colleges are also easing mask rules. Fast, informative and written just for locals. Donna Christy, president of the Prince Georges County Educators Association, told WTOP that the union supports the move. 2 0 obj bD,pI-2E4n[ >-Q_N@ZN@^w $KS@y/~LO-ud)x%|$c|}J7B"C`R$~uwB!A|jS6|V">}XpaebmVY# Goldson has previously said she exercises an abundance of caution when making decisions about coronavirus protocols. Copyright 2022 by WTOP. According to a press release, the changes will be in place until further notice. Submit anonymous tips through the Safe Schools Maryland app or tip line. The new policy notes that mask-wearing rules could change based on guidance from local or state health officials, or if there is additional guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prince Georges County infection rates throughout the pandemic have been consistently among the highest rates in Maryland. All rights reserved. Numerous other parents posted in that same Facebook thread that they will be sending their students to school without masks. All rights reserved. California will stop requiring masks in K-12 schools as of March 12, leaving it up to counties and school districts to keep or ditch the pandemic mandate as tension mounts among parents . Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you. Staff are encouraged to exercise good judgment and are expected to be supportive of co-workers mask-wearing choices.. Related: CDC Eases COVID Restrictions: What Remains In Maryland. "Once again, this is the county officials pushing their agenda of fear. To date, more than 10.5 million children have lost one or both parents or caregivers during the coronavirus pandemic. In a tweet on Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, called . <>/Metadata 79 0 R/ViewerPreferences 80 0 R>> WTOP.com | Alexa | Google Home | WTOP App | 103.5 FM, Prince Georges Co. council votes to temporarily cap rent hikes at 3%, Millions invested into Blue Line corridor by Prince Georges Co. developers, Cardinal Gregory meets with descendants of slaves buried on Bowie church hillside, Grand jury indicts DC employee charged with killing 13-year-old boy, Virginia state superintendent Jillian Balow announces resignation, Maryland food bank braces for more hungry mouths after emergency benefits are reduced. Sirhan, John Domen | jdomen @ wtop.com delivered to your email inbox signing! 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