ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY — Anne Arundel County Public Schools will partake in virtual learning for the entire first semester of the 2020-2021 school year.
Superintendent George Arlotto made the decision after numerous conversations with Anne Arundel County Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman, with AACPS employees and students, with superintendents throughout Maryland, and after reviewing results of the recent AACPS family and employee surveys.
Members of the 14 AACPS committees – which include employees from all units, parents, community members, students, and school system partners – examining the variety of issues related to the reopening of schools will now focus their efforts exclusively on a virtual learning environment.
That work has and will continue to include development of a more robust eTeaching model than existed in the spring and one that will contain more real-time instruction from teachers for students.
It will also include the creation of a virtual orientation program for families later in the summer to help them become better accustomed to eTeaching.
AACPS also is continuing to acquire computer devices as it moves to an arrangement where every student has a Chromebook and all teachers have laptops from which they can deliver instruction and virtually meet with students.
A final plan will be developed and sent, as required, to the Maryland State Department of Education by August 14.
