With the 2019-20 school year now closed, I hope that our students, teachers, parents, administrators and staff enjoy time to recharge as we close the unprecedented 2019-2020 school year. Together we redefined education – moving classrooms from brick and mortar settings to the virtual sphere. Thank you for your outstanding adaptability, as we as educators and administrators gained new skill sets to deliver continuity of learning in a remarkably short amount of time. We proved again that we are #BetterTogether!
As we pivot to summer learning opportunities, we also are actively focusing on plans for the fall. Local systems are drafting local recovery plans, forming stakeholder groups, and communication plans. I’ve been happy to see some local systems conducting surveys for parental feedback.
MSDE developed a new decision tree that outlines how decisions about schools have been, and will be, made throughout the different stages of the Governor’s and the Department’s recovery plans. We thought that this was an effective way of visualizing how we have been progressing through each stage as it relates to reopening schools. It will give all of our stakeholders an idea of how that methodology will continue as we move through stage two and eventually into stage three of recovery. The tree shows that we will be continually monitoring conditions and making decisions in concert with available data and guidance from the State Board of Education, the Governor’s Office and health experts. Our goal, is of course, to return children to school buildings as soon as safely possible to continue our mission of equity and excellence as we deliver the top quality academic and the social and emotional support our children need and deserve. Announcements about the fall will occur later this summer.
In the meanwhile, please enjoy a wonderful, safe summer!
Editor’s Note: Dr. Salmon’s message is copied word for word from MSDE direct e-mail to the public.
- Reopening Maryland Schools K-12 Decision Matrix
Latest On School Closure - Updates from the State Superintendent
- Local Continuity of Learning (Distance Learning) Plans
- Maryland Together: Maryland Recovery Plan for Education
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