MCPS Interim Superintendent Dr. McKnight: ‘Health and Safety Is Our First Priority’

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) will welcome more than 160,000 students next week when the school year kicks off. About 3,500 of those students applied for the school system’s virtual academy, according to MCPS officials.

Meanwhile, the Montgomery County Data Dashboard shows that COVID-19 cases are increasing as the Delta variant runs rampant.

MCPS Interim Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight explains the proactive measures being taken to mitigate COVID-19 transmission while ensuring the safety of all students and staff during a Board of Education meeting on Tuesday.

Click here to watch the entire Board Meeting.

MCPS’ back to school plans include:

• Schools are encouraged to take advantage of all available seating options (indoor/outdoor) to reduce capacity in cafeterias.
• The MCPS Contingency Plan consists of opening schools for five days a week and providing instruction access for students who might need to quarantine.
• MCPS is participating in the Maryland Dept. of Health COVID-19 testing screening program, where parents must give consent. Officials say there will be random COVID-19 tests conducted for a percentage of the consented student population at each school.

Examples of outdoor lunch spaces, but ultimately each school decides their own lunch seating policy. @mymcmedia pic.twitter.com/JxqHNzGrmp

— Deirdre Byrne (@DeirdreByrne_) August 24, 2021

Now @mocoboe is discussing @MCPS contingency plans.

The plan is to open schools for 5 days a week.

Quarantine instruction looks different depending on grade level. @mymcmedia pic.twitter.com/mfheqhYwq0

— Deirdre Byrne (@DeirdreByrne_) August 24, 2021

.@brendawolff1 asks about this slide. Interim Superintendent McKnight says the only option for testing is to have families opt in.

CDC guidance says testing should be conducted with informed consent. MCPS is required to collect consent info to be in compliance.@mymcmedia pic.twitter.com/BnMdAXt6PT

— Deirdre Byrne (@DeirdreByrne_) August 24, 2021

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Jordan Lindsay is a Reporter for My MC Media. Let her help tell your story by emailing jlindsay@mymcmedia.org

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