Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) begins Phase 4 of its reopening plan on Monday, April 19. Under Phase 4, more than 5,800 additional students return to their schools for in-person learning. Phase 4 includes students in prekindergarten through Grade 12 and a rotating schedule of two days of in-person instruction each week.
Phase 4 schedule
The following is the rotating schedule for Phase 4 students. Any student eligible to return to school under Phase 3 now falls under the Phase 4 schedule if they are returning to school for in-person learning. Parents could opt to return their children to school in person under Phase 4, or continue to keep them virtual for the remainder of the school year.
A-K last names: Students with last names starting with A to K attend school in person on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday is an asynchronous day for all students. Students in this group attend classes virtually on Thursday and Friday.
L-Z last names: Students with last names starting with L to Z attend school in person on Thursday and Friday. Wednesday is an asynchronous day for all students. Students in this group attend classes virtually on Monday and Tuesday.
Any student attending in-person classes under Phase 2 continues instruction at their home school/center four days per week. Wednesdays remain asynchronous days for all students for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year.
Class schedules for students on Monday, April 19, and Thursday, April 22, may be adjusted. Classes for virtual students may begin up to two hours late on April 19 and April 22. Schools may adjust schedules to accommodate for in-person arrival, transitions to classrooms and a review of safety protocols. Any schedule changes for students next week will be sent directly to parents from teachers and/or school principals.
Transportation information for students – information now in School Locator system
Transportation information for Phase 4 students will not be posted in ParentVue and StudentVue. This is a change from the start of Phase 2. Transportation information, including bus number, bus stop location and estimated pick-up and drop-off times, will be available in School Locator by 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 14.
School Locator is linked to the CCPS website at https://infosharecharles.tripsparkhost.com/. Parents will need to enter their home address into School Locator to locate their child’s bus information. All Phase 2 parents should check the School Locator to confirm their child’s transportation arrangements as they may have changed. Directions on how to use School Locator are posted at https://www.ccboe.com/index.php/school-locator2.
CCPS has an online transportation help portal for parents on its website. The portal is located at https://www.ccboe.com/transportation/?page_id=182. Parents with bus stop concerns should access the portal to create a help ticket. If transportation information is not listed in School Locator for a particular address, parents should complete a bus stop concern form located on the CCPS transportation portal here. Users should scroll down to the bottom of the page to create a help ticket.
Parents with bus stop concerns or who need to make changes to their child’s pick-up or drop-off locations for daycare needs (within their assigned school zone) should complete a bus change request form located on the CCPS transportation portal here. Users should scroll down to the bottom of the page to create a help ticket.
Bus information for all students – whether returning to school in person or remaining virtual for the remainder of the school year – is loaded into School Locator.
Transportation for students with special needs remains unchanged with the start of Phase 4. These routes are not listed in School Locator. CCPS transportation staff will notify parents directly with bus changes for students with special needs.
On the majority of CCPS buses, students will sit one per seat. Some routes may require a student to sit with another child. Transportation staff will monitor bus loads and adjust as needed. Any student riding a bus to and from school is required to wear a face mask at all times. Parents and students should practice social distancing at school bus stops. At times, school bus windows may be lowered to allow for additional ventilation.
Important return-to-school information for parents of Phase 2-4 students
- School hours remain the same. Hours are listed on Pages 32-33 of the CCPS Parent Handbook/Calendar.
- Students and staff must wear masks at school except while eating meals.
- Parents should complete the health screening each morning before sending their child to school. The guidelines are posted here on the CCPS website.
- Any student who shows two or more COVID-19 symptoms will be sent to the school nurse for evaluation. Parents may be offered a COVID-19 test for their child.
- Parents will have 60 minutes to pick up a sick child from school. The school nurse or staff member will release a sick child to a parent/guardian outside of the school building.
- Food and Nutrition Services staff will serve breakfast and lunch daily. Meals are free for all children for the remainder of the school year. Students will be offered a take-home bag with a snack and dinner.
- Students can bring a bagged lunch to school.
- Parents who need to visit their child’s school for any reason should call the school and ask about visitation procedures.
- Students should bring their technology, including a laptop or tablet, to school each day. Parents should review the CCPS technology bring your own device rules if their child brings a personal device to school. The rules are posted here on the CCPS website.
- Transportation information will be loaded into School Locator by 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 14.
CCPS has its reopening plan on the school system website at https://www.ccboe.com/index.php/road-to-reopening.
