Dear Atholton Families,

Before I delve into the obvious topic of masks, I would like to celebrate the outstanding Black History Month Assembly this past week at school. The AHS Black Student Union is to be commended for their Black History Month school-wide assembly last Thursday and their Wednesday evening performance. The students took us on a journey through the decades of key African American historical events – highlighting the Tulsa Race Massacre, the election of Barack Obama, the hip hop culture, the Black Panther movement, and culminating in the fight against police brutality. Our entire student body did an outstanding job of recognizing the hard work of their peers and cheered and applauded their performance. Mr. Thompson, the BSU sponsor, truly did an outstanding job of guiding our students and helping to produce such a great production.

At its meeting on Feb. 24, 2022, the Howard County Board of Education voted to make face coverings optional, effective March 1, based on the Maryland State Department of Education’s off-ramp option one for school districts to lift mask requirements. Effective Tuesday, March 1, the universal indoor masking in HCPSS buildings is no longer required. Any student, staff or visitor may choose to wear a mask, and should feel comfortable doing so. Schools and offices will continue to have additional masks available as needed. The federal requirement for masks on public transportation remains unchanged so anyone on a school bus will still be required to wear a mask.

There are still instances where masks ARE REQUIRED:

• Per the CDC, masks are required in healthcare settings, so students and staff must continue to wear a mask in school health rooms.

• Masks on School Buses

• A federal order requiring the wearing of masks by people on public transportation remains unchanged. Therefore anyone on a school bus is required to wear a mask.

Warmest regards,

Robert A. Motley

Principal