All MCPS schools will be closed from Monday, March 16, through Friday, March 27, 2020

Dear MCPS Community:

As we shared yesterday, all MCPS schools will be closed from Monday, March 16, through Friday, March 27, 2020, as part of a statewide effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). We recognize that this closure has created inconveniences for many in our community and we continue to work with various county agencies and key stakeholders to address your questions and concerns. 

MCPS staff has been working diligently for several weeks to prepare for a closure such as this. Please know that this is a rapidly evolving situation that impacts many areas, including spring break, standardized test administration, Advanced Placement exams, and sporting events, among many others. Our staff will continue to work through these challenges and will provide details and decisions as soon as information is available.  Thank you in advance for your patience. 

Below is some new and updated information about district plans in several key areas: 

Access to Educational Materials and Resources

Learning activities and materials are now available online through myMCPS Classroom. Print materials were provided to schools and will be available for pick up at meal sites on Tuesday, March 17. These activities are meant for review and to practice information that has already been taught. The activities are designed to span the timeframe of our school closure.

We are committed to providing you with resources for your child to be engaged in learning activities. 

To access materials, please use the following directions:  

• Visit https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/contingency.  
• Select the appropriate grade-level button.  
• Your child can click the Join Here button to enroll in the course.  
• Your child will need to log in using their MCPS Google account. For elementary students who do not know their login and password, a ConnectEd message will be sent to all elementary households on Monday, March 16, 2020. If your child still has difficulty logging in, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at http://bit.ly/mcpsmd-course-faq.  
• Each myMCPS Classroom course includes a welcome letter and further guidance. 

While these activities and materials are designed for your child to be engaged independently, please feel free to work with your child as well. In addition, we encourage families to read, play board games, write in journals, and join in on any other activities you think are appropriate for your child. We will provide additional tips and ideas to engage your child on our MCPS social media accounts (Twitter and Facebook). 

Food Distribution 

We are pleased to share that we will operate 20 sites to provide “Grab-N-Go” meals for students. You can find the list of locations here. Free meals will be provided Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students do not have to present ID to receive meals but must be under 18 years old. They can visit any of the sites to receive a nutritious meal.

Information and Resources

These are difficult times for our community. Together, we are facing a significant health crisis in our county, state and nation. We encourage you to take the necessary preventive measures to keep yourself safe and healthy. Please take care of each other and lend a hand to those in need. We have created a document that lists a few school system and community resources for our families. You can view that document here. Additional resources and information will be posted on the MCPS coronavirus webpage over the next two weeks. 

Make-Up Days

No decision has been made about using spring break and make-up days at this time. We are reviewing our calendar and the recommendation of the Maryland State Department of Education and will provide additional information to families as soon as possible. 

Childcare 

Child care providers that currently operate in our schools may stay open during the two-week closure in their existing space based on current permit if they choose. Providers will begin this service on Wednesday, March 18, to allow time for cleaning the school buildings first. MCPS staff are working with childcare providers and Community Use of Public Facilities on the schedule and operations. The list of providers will be posted on the Community Use of Public Facilities in the coming days. Please contact your provider directly about their operation over the next two weeks. 

Please continue to visit the MCPS website as updates and answers to frequently asked questions will be posted regularly. If you have any specific questions or concerns, you can contact the ASK MCPS line at 240-740-3000.