Face coverings will be required for all students and staff in Maryland schools

CITY AND BALTIMORE COUNTY HAVEOFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THEY WILLBE STARTING THEIR SCHOOL YEARWITH VIRTUAL LEARNING.

ONWEDNESDAY THE STATESUPERINTENDENT RELEASED SOMEGUIDELINES SCHOOLS MUSTFOLLOW, WHENEVER THEY DO BRINGSTUDENTS BACK INTO THEIRBUILDINGS..

WMA━2 NEWS ERINMACPHERSON JOINS US LIVE FROMTHE MARYLAND OF EDUCATIONBUILDING IN BALTIMORE WITHTHOSE DETAILS.

ERIN?THE GUIDELINES OR AS STATESUPERINTENDENT DR. KARENSALMON CALLED THEM"GUARDRAILS"━ FOCUS ONENSURING THE SAFETY OF ALLSTUDENTS AND STAFF.

SO PROPERSOCIAL DISTANCING AND HANDWASHING PROTOCOLS MUST BEFOLLOWED━ AND MASKS MUST BEWORN BY ALL STUDENTS ANDSTAFF.

DISTRICTS MUST ENSURESAFE TRANSPORTATION FOR THEIRSTUDENTS AND EACH SCHOOL MUSTHAVE PROTOCOL IN PLACE IN CASETHERE IS A POTENTIAL OUTBREAK.THE STATE SUPERINTENDENTSCONCERN━ IN ADDITION TOSAFETY━ IS LEARNING SET BACKSSO SHE ALSO WANTS SCHOOLS TOHAVE BENCHMARKS IN PLACE SOTHAT PROGRESS CAN BEMONITORED.

EVEN THOUGH GOINGBACK INTO THE CLASSROOM MAY BEMONTHS AWAY━ SHE WANTSEVERYONE TO BE PREPARED.

TOHELP WITH PREPERATION FOR THEVIRTUAL SEMESTER━ MILLIONS OFDOLLARS HAS BEEN ADDED INCARES ACT FUNDING FOREDUCATION.“To address thedigital divide $100 million isdedicated to equippingstudents with up to datedevices and connectivity.Another $100 million isinvested in tutoring andlearning programs to addresslearning loss due to time awayfrom direct instruction andteacher intervention”GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN JOINEDTHE STATE SUPERINTENDENT WHENSHE MADE THIS ANNOUNCEMENTYESTERDAY━ STRESSING MARYLANDHAS SEEN AN UPTICK INHOSPITALIZATIONS━ AND HOWPEOPLE UNDER 35 YEARS OLD ARENOW TESTING POSITIVE FOR THECORONAVIRUS MORE THAN BEFORE.WHILE THOSE CASES AREINCREASING━ MOST COUNTIES AREFLAT WHEN IT COMES TO DEATHRATES.

GOVERNOR HOGANENCOURAGES EVERYONE TOCONTINUE TO BE VIGILANT TOSTOP THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUSAND EVEN THOUGH HE ENCOURAGEDVOTING BY MAIL FOR THEUPCOMING NOVEMBER ELECTION━HE SAYS ALL POLES WILL BE OPENON ELECTION DAY SINCE THEREWERE SO MANY ISSUES WITH MAILIN BALLOTS ON THE LASTELECTION.

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