The Frederick County, Maryland, school board decided Wednesday on an all-virtual first semester for the upcoming school year, which starts Aug. 31. Frederick County Public Schools said after feedback from students, parents and staff, it would offer a number of improvements for the fall, including more real-time interactions between teachers and students, continued efforts to make sure each student is connected digitally and more support for teachers in the all-virtual environment. The school system also said it would offer “online learning mentors” with designated office hours. The full grading system will be in effect, which differs from the pass/incomplete grading that happened last spring, the school system said. A county school board member tweeted that the vote for an all-virtual start was unanimous and that extracurricular activities would also be postponed. More details will be coming Aug. 5, said school board member Karen Yoho.
We voted unanimously to have FCPS schools be all virtual for the first semester & to postpone extracurricular activities as well. On 8/5 we will discuss & clarify how & which small groups of students we can bring in for face-to-face instruction.
— Karen Yoho, BOE Member (@KarenYoho4BOE) July 29, 2020
Earlier, the school system had plans for both hybrid learning, allowing for some in-person instruction, and all-virtual learning.
- Sign up for WTOP alerts
- Latest coronavirus test results in DC, Maryland and Virginia
- Coronavirus FAQ: What you need to know
- Coronavirus resources: Get and give help in DC, Maryland and Virginia
- Fall school plans for DC, Maryland, Virginia systems during coronavirus
- Maryland mask use order expanded; travel to high-risk states discouraged
- Northam orders new COVID-19 limits for Hampton Roads area
Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.