Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff and Students:
Today, August 25, 2020, the Montgomery County Board of Education voted to approve the MCPS Recovery of Education plan for the first semester, which begins August 31. The Board reviewed and discussed key components of the plan, including:
- Elementary and secondary schedules
- Attendance and engagement
- Technology and resources for staff, students and families to support virtual instruction
- School year calendar
- Meal service for students
- Planning time for teachers
[Read the approved Recovery Guide]
The Board also heard from members of the Arcola and Roscoe Nix elementary school communities about their experiences with a full-day schedule of virtual learning as Innovative Calendar Schools this summer. If you were unable to tune in to the Board meeting, you can watch the discussion here.
Since we presented the draft plan to the Board on August 6, we received feedback from thousands of students, staff, parents and community members. We used this feedback to make several adjustments and enhancements to our plan to better meet the needs of the community. It is important to note that the plan approved by the Board of Education focuses only on the fall semester (Aug. 31, 2020-Jan. 29, 2021). MCPS will work with local and state leaders in November to reassess the decision and present recommendations to the Board for possible in-person instruction beginning in the second semester, if health conditions allow.
Key Things to Know:
- Classes begin August 31, 2020.
- Student schedules will be made visible on Wednesday, Aug. 26, in ParentVUE and StudentVUE. In addition, a link to a schedule report will be posted online. Parents and students will need to log in to the report using the student’s ID and password.
- For elementary students, the school day will begin at 8:45 a.m. and will end at 3:15 p.m. For secondary students, the school day will begin at 8:45 and end at 3:30 p.m.
- Technology and learning materials distribution will continue through the fall. Principals will share details directly with their school communities.
- Fall meal service will begin on Monday, Aug. 31. You can find the list of sites and FARMS application here.
- Review this helpful parent checklist and also sign up to attend a parent and/or student webinar.
- Be on the lookout for important messages from your child’s school and teachers.
- Registration for the virtual fall athletics season is now open; middle school registration will open Aug. 28. The fall high school season will begin on Monday, Sept. 14, and run through Friday, Oct. 16. The fall middle school season will begin Tuesday, Sept. 22, and run through Thursday, Oct. 8. Students must complete the online registration process, which will be done through a school-specific registration link posted on the school’s website.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to provide all MCPS students with an education that prepares them to thrive in their futures. Our recovery plan provides a roadmap for how we will ensure students have flexibility and receive a high-quality learning experience. The recovery plan will be revised frequently as we adjust to our new learning environment. To view the Recovery Guide and stay up-to-date on information regarding plans for the 2020-2021 school year, visit the Fall 2020 Recovery website.
Thank you for your support. Working together, we will ensure this will be a successful school year for our children.
Sincerely,
Montgomery County Public Schools
