endobj The decision was recommended by the Prince Georges County Health Department. 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. Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you. 6, Residents Budget Hearing For FY2024 Cycle Will Be March 13, 3 Bowie Area New Open Houses Coming Up Soon. A mask should still be worn through the 10th day after testing positive, according to the guidelines. %PDF-1.7 DMV news: Most of Prince Georges students are scoring below grade level on district tests. Donna Christy, president of the Prince Georges County Educators Association, told WTOP that the union supports the move. American students test scores have even plummeted to levels unseen for decades. WTOP has obtained a short email, dated July 1, that PGCPS sent to teachers and staff. "The decision was recommended by the Prince George County Health Department. "After consulting with our health officials, we are confident in our decision to lift the indoor mask mandate on February 28," said Alsobrooks. 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. <> The change in policy was listed among other items about the upcoming school year, including immunizations, online learning and fall class registration. Miller said the board of education hadnt discussed the issue yet, since it has been on break since early July. Copyright 2022 by WTOP. 2 0 obj $50K Reward Offered For Information In Men's Shooting Death: Police, Teen, D.C. Man Fatally Shot In Separate Cases: Prince George's Police, $769M In Investments Popping Up Along Blue Line Corridor, Masterworks IV: Mahler's "Tragic" Symphony No. Submit anonymous tips through the Safe Schools Maryland app or tip line. Montgomery County Board of Education drops mask mandate for schools WTOP was the first to report on the policy change. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. This decision reverses one from July, which made mask wearing optional in Prince George's County schools. She said that she personally hasnt received a lot of feedback from community members yet on the issue. 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. Some teachers have indicated that they will continue to wear masks even after the policy shift, especially if they see a large number of students through the day, Goldson said. Alejandro Alvarez joined WTOP as a digital journalist and editor in June 2018. 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. Read Across America activities - student dressed as book character parade; During Black History Month, staff at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School celebrate Historically Black Colleges and Universities. bD,pI-2E4n[ >-Q_N@ZN@^w $KS@y/~LO-ud)x%|$c|}J7B"C`R$~uwB!A|jS6|V">}XpaebmVY# Maryland Gov. John started working at WTOP in 2016 after having grown up in Maryland listening to the station as a child. PGCPS continuera prendre des dcisions en matire de sant et de scurit en consultation avec des experts de la sant. 5425 Wisconsin Ave 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' }? One D.C. school is using COVID relief funds to target students on the verge of failure. Site Map. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. Prince George's County Schools (PGCPS) are requiring masks again starting Aug. 15, citing the spread of COVID-19, according to the district. 2023 FOX Television Stations, FBI: Explosive found in bag at Pennsylvania airport, man arrested, Elderly couple dead in possible murder-suicide in Fairfax County: police, Airbnb renting out Paris theater that inspired 'Phantom of the Opera', Pot smoking lounge set to open in Montgomery County is first of its kind, Surgeon runs down Philadelphia street to retrieve organ from transport vehicle stuck in traffic, Video shows Amazon delivery driver hitting, killing dog at Maryland home, Richard Montgomery High School student accused of robbing Shell gas station at knifepoint, U.S. PGCPS had transitioned to a mask-optional policy in July, the first time it had dropped mandatory masking since the onset of the pandemic. Prince George's County is the only D.C.-area jurisdiction that had a mask mandate on the first day of classes. WTOP was the first to report on the policy change. The mandatory mask-wearing policy was put back in place due to the "highly contagious BA variant 5 COVID-19," the district said, and is a change from its mask-optional policy that took effect July 1. Read More Questions? Also, public schools in D.C. went mask-optional in March, while state lawmakers in Virginia voted to ban school mask mandates in February. All staff, students and families are encouraged to support personal decisions on mask-wearing, the message to parents said. In Prince Georges County, the virus is at a low community level, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Home. Scott Gelman is a digital editor and writer for WTOP. On July 7, PGCPS also announced the new policy within an email newsletter to parents. When the school year ended in late June, students and staff were still required to wear a mask inside all school buildings. Chevy Chase, MD 20815. Heres what you should know. The Maryland school district said Friday that it had returned to a mandatory mask policy in all schools and facilities until further notice due to the easily spread BA.5 Omicron strain, which has spread farther and faster than its predecessors and fueled a rise in community transmission rates across the country. There are no language selections available at this time. Juanita Miller, chair of the countys school board, directed questions about the new policy to CEO Monica Goldson, who is in charge of day-to-day operations for the school system. According to a press release, the changes will be in place until further notice. Prince Georges schools will be mask-optional for 2022-2023. 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. The school system said it made the decision to require masks at the start of the year based on a recommendation from county health officials. Michael A. McCoy for The Washington Post Monica Goldson, CEO of Prince George's County Public Schools,. While PGCPS is working hard to overcome its staff shortage, Prince George's County Schools will lift the mandatory mask mandate, and become "mask optional" on September 6. The public school system of about 128,000 students was the last in Maryland to keep a mask requirement in place, even as other jurisdictions dropped them earlier in the spring. The decision comes as some school systems have considered reviving their mask mandates as coronavirus variants have led to rising case numbers. 1 of 2. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. READ MORE: Prince George's County recommending mask-wearing in indoor public places as COVID-19 cases rise. The mandate will go into effect Sunday, August 8, 2021 at 5:00 PM, and applies to . 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. While he got his on-air start at small stations in Pennsylvania and Delaware, he's spent most of his career in the D.C. area, having been heard on several local stations before coming to WTOP. % Other school systems in Maryland elected to drop mask mandates last school year, but Prince Georges kept a requirement in place until the county reached over an 80 percent vaccination rate for the coronavirus. Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here. D.C. Public Schools new reading curriculum is designed to help improve literacy among the citys youngest readers. Kristin Danley-Greiner 8/15/2022. In an email to the school community, administrators said they made the decisions on recommendation from county health officials. 1140 3rd St., 2nd Flr, NE UPPER MARLBORO, Md. WTOP.com | Alexa | Google Home | WTOP App | 103.5 FM, dropped its mask mandate in public schools back in March, 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. Neighboring Montgomery County, Maryland, dropped its mask mandate in public schools back in March after a unanimous vote by its school board. All rights reserved. Prince Georges has taken the most cautious approach to combating the virus among school systems across the D.C. region. Montgomery County Board of Education drops mask mandate for schools. 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. All staff, students and families are encouraged to support personal decisions on mask-wearing. Nearly 77% of residents are fully vaccinated, meaning theyve received at least two shots, according to CDC data. 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. Covid-19 is ravaging one of the countrys wealthiest black counties. Mask policy is subject to change according to local and state health department guidelines and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, according to the PGCPS website. "All staff, students and families are encouraged to support personal decisions on mask-wearing," the message said. Help us Continue to tell OUR Story and join the AFRO family as a member subscribers are now members! 3 0 obj In one, a massive study of more than 340,000 residents of rural Bangladesh, the study found that mask programs that promoted but didn't mandate masks "increased mask usage and reduced . Get The 7 DMV newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. Prince George's County is the only D.C.-area jurisdiction that had a mask mandate on the first day of classes. Maryland did not reimplement a statewide mask mandate during the pandemic, but some jurisdictions took precautions. Staff are encouraged to exercise good judgment and are expected to be supportive of co-workers mask-wearing choices.. Using This Site. The Maryland school district said Friday that it had returned to a mandatory mask policy in all schools and facilities until further notice due to the easily spread BA.5 Omicron strain. Chevy Chase, MD 20815. 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. Juanita Miller, chair of the county's school board, directed. Contact Information. Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you. stream The updated Students Rights and Responsibilities Handbook addressing the policy change reads: The mask-optional policy enables individuals to choose whether to wear a mask in schools and offices. As a parent that has a child in PG county schools, I would like it to make it my choice and their choice whether they choose to wear a mask," Facebook user Ray Abrams posted. Joinhere! Washington, DC 20002, Prince Georges County has suffered higher than normal COVID-19 infection rates since the start of the pandemic. D.C. Public Schools new reading curriculum is designed to help improve literacy among the citys youngest readers. "Mask policy is subject to change according to local. <>/Metadata 79 0 R/ViewerPreferences 80 0 R>> XM x0r\1+'O5l,QUc4]@4\h\xLF:Q>Xo`&2&\g . Communicating the official change in policy has not been entirely consistent. For Read Across America Week, check out our many resources that encourage a love of reading. Great stories teach, transport and transform! Chevy Chase, MD 20815. It ended up being one of the last times county leaders would publicly discuss lifting the mandate. The email stated: Effective immediately, all PGCPS schools and facilities will be mask optional. Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here. 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. In a tweet on Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, called . 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. 2023 WTOP. 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