BOE releases school reopening plan

Aug. 10—CUMBERLAND, Md. — The Allegany County Board of Education issued the 2022-2023 school reopening plan Tuesday, which includes COVID-19 guidelines and the inclement weather policy.

The reopening plan was presented and unanimously approved by the school board at its regular public meeting at the administrative building on Washington Street. The plan included making mask wearing voluntary unless COVID exposure is probable and testing is recommended.

Students grades 1 — 12 return Aug. 24 with kindergarten and pre-school opening Aug. 29.

The reopening guidelines were presented by Debbie Metheny, director of special education student services, and Kim Green-Kalbaugh, chief academic officer.

"We have received guidance from the Maryland Department of Health and the MSDE (Maryland State Department of Education) on July 22," said Metheny, "and we based our plan on this information."

According to the guidelines, "Staff and students may choose to wear a mask based on their personal preference or informed by their personal level of risk to themselves or their household or social contacts. The school system supports voluntary masking for any reason."

Metheny said, "vaccinations are now available for children ages six months and up. So all of our students are now eligible for vaccine if the parents choose to do so."

According to the plan, staff and students who have symptoms of an infectious illness should not attend work or school. Staff and families should notify the school when a staff member or student has a positive test for COVID-19. Allegany County Public Schools will continue to report positive cases to MSDE, however, contact tracing will no longer take place in the school system.

If a student becomes ill at school, they will be transported to the Health Room and be issued a mask. Parents will be notified to pick up the child.

"A change on how we are handling people who are positive for COVID-19 is anyone who is positive should stay home for at least five full days from the date of symptom onset if symptomatic, or from the date of the positive test if no symptoms," said Metheny.

Masks should be worn for 10 days post exposure for the positive person. It is recommended that individuals test three to five days after exposure.

"Day zero is considered the day symptoms started in symptomatic persons or the day of the positive test if asymptomatic," she said.

According to the plan, after day five, if the person has no symptoms or if symptoms are improved and they have had no fever for 24 hours without medication, they may return to school if they wear a well-fitting mask for five additional days (day 6 through day 10). Following a negative test they can return, but must wear a mask for an additional five days except when eating, drinking or outside.

ACPS will provide take-home test kits to students exhibiting symptoms of COVID. A negative home test will be accepted as proof of a negative test. Parents will need to write their child's name and date on the test, and provide a picture to the school for the student to return. The student will still need to have improved symptoms.

Air purifiers, touch etiquette, and continual cleaning of touch surfaces will continue at schools.

Metheny said social distancing, use of lockers, and access to the cafeteria are permitted and will return to pre-COVID guidelines.

The policy regarding outbreaks remains the same as last year, Metheny said. Parents will be notified of an outbreak, which is classified as three students contracting COVID in the same classroom.

"It is possible that during an outbreak additional control measures may be recommended including: Masking, testing, increased hand-washing, and rescheduling of events," said Metheny.

Green-Kalbaugh presented the inclement weather guidelines.

She said MSDE permits school districts to use up to eight days of virtual learning. The ACPS will utilize those virtual learning days for inclement weather. For the first three inclement weather days, asynchronous learning will be utilized.

"Students will log in to (the) Schoology platform to complete their assignments at any time during the inclement weather day," said Green-Kalbaugh. Students will have up to two days to submit the work completed from home.

If the school system should need more days because of inclement weather, Green-Kalbaugh said the board has up to five built-in days that can used and virtual learning, including real time with the teacher, will be available.

Greg Larry is a reporter at the Cumberland Times-News. To reach him, call 304-639-4951, email glarry@times-news.com and follow him on Twitter @GregLarryCTN.