At a time when some school systems in the D.C. region are imposing new restrictions or shifting to virtual instruction, Howard County Public Schools are announcing that they will lift some of their restrictions in the new year.
Howard County Public Schools Superintendent Michael Martirano said in a letter home to the school system’s community that, after working with the county’s health department, the decision had been made to return extracurricular activities and other events held in school buildings, which had been paused amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the community.
Activities such as outdoor athletic practices, theater, music and dance rehearsals, clubs, tutoring and some community events taking place in schools may resume immediately, though masks are required when indoors.
Beginning Jan. 3, 2021, the following activities will start back up: indoor athletics practices, dance performances, music concerts and performances and travel for extracurricular activities.
The superintendent also said that all decisions to pause activities will be done on a school-by-school, and activity-by-activity basis.
Martirano thanked the Howard County Public School community for their patience during the pause on activities.
“I will continue to make decisions with the primary focus of keeping school buildings healthy and open through the entire school year,” Martirano said. “We will pay close attention to the rapidly evolving data and implement necessary mitigation strategies.”
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