Initial reopening plan for DC area private schools varies wildly from public schools
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - Some Maryland Catholic schools plan to hold in-person instruction for every student this upcoming school year.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore released their school reopening plan on Thursday – a plan they say doesn’t align with the decisions of nearby public schools.
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The decision made by the Archdiocese was not unilateral, according to a memo they release that surveyed over 700 guardians, students, faculty, and staff representing 42 schools.
It means schools like St. Mary’s Parrish in Annapolis will have students enter its doors come August 31.
It’s important to note, the plan isn’t finalized – the memo says the plan will become official on July 24, which means tweaks can still be made.
The decision to reopen was made through the Planning Ahead Task Force, a group assisted by the Centers for Disease Control.
As of now, the Archdiocese is panning to have faculty and staff return to schools on August 24, with students following behind a week later.
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There will be three forms of learning – in-person, hybrid, and remote.
The Archdiocese says most schools will have the space to fit all students inside for five days a week while adopting social distancing measures.
The buildings that cannot accommodate this safely will adopt a hybrid model, and families who don’t feel comfortable sending their kids to school can elect to keep their children at home for remote learning.
Which brings us to the next facet – synchronous instruction.
The Archdiocese purchased 1,000 cameras and soundbar units for teachers. It will allow instructors to teach students in the classroom and at home at the same time.
Of course, the schools will be outfitted with various safety and social distancing measures. Some of these measures were purchased from the federal government’s taxpayer-funded PPP loans.
According to federal records, the Archdiocese of Baltimore was awarded at least $25 million that went to its schools and churches – this after the Catholic Church successfully lobbied the federal government to exempt them from a rule that disqualifies an applicant with more than 500 employees, according to the Associated Press.
If this plan isn’t changed, there will be Catholic Schools holding in-person instruction while its public school counterparts remain fully virtual.
Catholic and private schools usually come with tuition. For some, if you have the money you can choose to enroll your child into one of these schools if you want him or her to attend in-person instruction – a choice those attending public schools just don’t have.
FOX 5 reached out to the National Catholic Education Association on Friday – they don’t have a comment, citing each archdiocese is allowed to make its own decisions.
It’s important to note, most public schools in our area are deciding to begin school virtually. Several teachers have been citing safety concerns as a reason to start the year off with remote learning.