SMCPS Update October 2
Weekly Update for St. Mary's County Public Schools Families
Updates for the St. Mary's County Public Schools Community
Upcoming School System Calendar Dates:
- Monday, October 12: Instructional Day will end 2 hours early (2-hour early dismissal)- No School for Head Start and PreKindergarten Students - Parent Conference Day
- Friday, October 16: Instructional Day will end 2 hours early (2-hour early dismissal)- No School for Head Start and PreK Students - Professional Responsibilities/Collaborative Planning - Head Start and PreK Parent Involvement Activities
Updated Fall 2020 Return to School Schedule
- Wednesday, October 7: SAIL and COMPASS students return for a regular schedule, with in-person instruction Monday-Thursday.
- Wednesday, October 28: Head Start and Pre-K students return for a regular schedule (with AM and PM sessions), with in-person instruction Monday-Thursday.
- Wednesday, October 28 (A Group), and Thursday, October 29 (B Group): Grades K, 6, and 9 will return as an Orientation for students new to the school. Students will follow their daily schedule.
- Monday, November 2: Grades K, 1, 6, 9, and 12 will begin the hybrid model with in-person instruction 2 days per week with the A group attending Monday and Wednesday and the B group attending Tuesday and Thursday. Fridays will remain an online work day with dedicated office hours and opportunities for intervention and enrichment as well as professional development and instructional planning.
- Monday, November 16: All grades will begin in-person instruction 2 days per week with the A group attending Monday and Wednesday and the B group attending Tuesday and Thursday. Fridays will remain an online work day with dedicated office hours and opportunities for intervention and enrichment as well as professional development and instructional planning.
Safety Protocols
The health and safety of our students and staff is our primary focus. Working with the St. Mary's County Health Department, SMCPS has the following protocols in place for student and staff safety when entering school buildings.
- Hand Washing: Promoting frequent hand washing throughout the day, especially before and after meals.
- Physical Distancing: Emphasizing increased spacing in the building and in classrooms with fewer students in spaces, including a hybrid A/B schedule.
- Cleaning: Cleaning and disinfecting facilities, buses, with an emphasis on frequently touched areas.
- Face Coverings: Wearing masks during the school day and on buses.
- Hand Sanitizer: Providing hand sanitizer and hand sanitizing stations, as appropriate, with at building entrances and in classrooms and shared spaces.
- Training: Providing ongoing training on COVID-19 prevention practices, including social distancing and face-covering use. Signage and ongoing communication will supplement and reinforce training.
What Do the Safety Protocols Look Like in School?
Elementary Example
Middle School Example
This brief video provides a quick example of some of the health and safety protocols at the middle school level
High School Example
Return to School Response Form
With the change of return dates:
- If you have already completed the form and you are not changing your response, you do not need to complete it again.
- If you have already completed the form and you are changing your response, please complete the form again.
- If you have not completed the form - please do so.
These forms provide important information to help plan appropriately for the students returning to school for each phase.
Excellence in Online Teaching
Help us recognize Excellence in Online Teaching. There are incredible examples across our school system of educators who have demonstrated caring and connectedness with their students. You can nominate a teacher using THIS FORM
Student Handbooks
National School Lunch Week
National School Lunch Week is Coming Soon to a school near you! The theme this year is Now Playing: School Lunch! Meals are free to all kids 18 and under and you can go to any school site to pick up. Meals are served Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11 am - 1 pm. Visit during National School Lunch Week to participate in fun activities for the whole family! Follow @SMCPS_Food on Twitter for updates!
St. Mary's County Public Schools
Email: webmaster@smcps.org
Website: www.smcps.org
Location: 23160 Moakley Street, Leonardtown, MD, USA
Phone: 301-475-5511
Facebook: www.facebook.com/smcps.org
Twitter: @smcps_md