OP here. I received this from our elementary principal today.

Anonymous wrote:Summary:

We transitioned 11 schools to virtual based on metrics that now match every school; therefore, we will be changing our metrics. We will not be communicating what those new metrics are, but, rest assured, we are working hard at whatever it is you think we should be focusing on. We havent done anything new to protect staff or students, so we will send home some test kids and request that parents and guardians administer them to the students and report the results.

this is really the perfect summary.

*now

Good they've abandoned they're "plan" and back to not really having a plan, but at least they're not assessing on a school-by-school basis as they should. Hogan must have called them...

Summary:

We transitioned 11 schools to virtual based on metrics that now match every school; therefore, we will be changing our metrics. We will not be communicating what those new metrics are, but, rest assured, we are working hard at whatever it is you think we should be focusing on. We havent done anything new to protect staff or students, so we will send home some test kids and request that parents and guardians administer them to the students and report the results.

Anonymous wrote:Where is this letter from? Is it on the website?

Maybe it's the OP's fever dream.

Where is that? I haven't gotten it as an email.

I like the update! I prefer case-by-case basis. I applaud how MCPS is handling this, although I think this announcement should have gone out Wednesday night with the updated covid count.

Where is this letter from? Is it on the website?

How can they even include the last sentence? "... committed to maintaining a safe environment for students and staff." I mean, if you are going to drop the measures to go online, that's your decision MCPS, but please don't pretend you are maintaining a safe environment.

TL, DR " We still don't have a plan and don't know what to do."

"We said we would use a 5% threshold to consider a transition to virtual learning but then too many schools surpassed that threshold so we decided not to use it after all. Stay tuned for more last-minute, unplanned, spur-of-the-minute decisions based on various factors for us to know and you not to know. Keep your notifications turned on because anything could change at any moment based on anything we decide is significant."

This "update" literally says nothing.

WTF

Special Note from MCPS Central Office

Dear MCPS Community,

We are writing to inform you of a change in how decisions will be made regarding whether schools will transition from in-person to virtual learning due to positive COVID-19 cases. We have heard from families, students and staff and recognize that the pandemic’s changing landscape continues to generate concern for many community members. These modifications result from clarifications from the state of Maryland on the appropriate use of thresholds for transitioning to virtual learning – and bring MCPS into closer alignment with how large school systems across the country are keeping schools safe amidst similar COVID-related challenges. We appreciate our community’s patience and perseverance as we navigate these dynamics.

The state of Maryland does not currently recommend any automatic trigger or threshold for the suspension of in-person learning. Therefore, MCPS will no longer use a threshold of 5% or more of unrelated students and staff in a school who test positive in a 14-day period to consider a transition to virtual learning. The 11 school communities that are currently engaged in virtual learning will receive more information by Sunday afternoon regarding next steps.

Moving forward, MCPS and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will examine schools on a case-by-case basis to determine if any particular school needs to transition to virtual learning for a designated period of time. Factors considered will continue to include the number of students and staff who have tested positive; the number of students in quarantine; the number of staff absent for COVID-related reasons; and the level of spread of the virus in the school.

Robust mitigation measures—including masking, distribution of KN-95 masks, enhanced ventilation, high vaccination rates and increased access to testing—are in place and contribute to keeping schools safe. Identifying COVID-19 cases remains an important step for slowing the spread of the virus. Any student who tests positive will be required to isolate for 10 days from the date of the positive test or 10 days from the onset of symptoms, whichever comes first.

By early next week, take-home rapid test kits will be distributed to all students and staff. These easy-to-use tests will reveal the prevalence of the virus in each school community. They will quickly identify positive cases, allow COVID-19 positive individuals to isolate, and further reduce the spread of the virus in schools and offices.

Parents are asked to help students administer these tests at home and to submit whether their child has tested positive or negative using the MCPS COVID-19 Reporting Form. It is important for parents to report all results, both positive and negative, when using the rapid test kits distributed in schools. (Parents should continue to report positive results from tests students receive outside of school, as well.)

We recognize that there is a great deal of concern about the rise in COVID-19 cases in our schools and community. Please know that we understand these concerns and are committed to maintaining a safe environment for students and staff.

Sincerely,

Monifa B. McKnight, Ed.D.
Interim Superintendent of Schools

James Bridgers, Ph.D.
Acting Chief Health Officer
Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services