March 3, 2021
Thank you for your patience as we have continued to explore ways to offer in-person athletic opportunities to our scholar-athletes in the safest environment possible. City Schools understands that the relationships that student-athletes have with their coaches and teammates are often central to their social and emotional well-being and academic success.
The district will resume in-person athletics starting with spring sports on March 8, following the schedule outlined below.
Scheduling
- The five-phase plan will begin on March 8 with voluntary small group conditioning.
- Try-outs and practices will be from March 14 through April 3.
- Competition season will be starting on April 5 through May 22 in keeping with the schedule set by the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA).
- During competition season for spring sports, City Schools will also offer conditioning and end-of-year opportunities for non-spring athletes. This offering will provide student-athletes a chance to engage in physical activity and interact with peers and teammates.
Requirements
- All students in grades 9 -12 will be academically eligible to participate in practice and athletic competition, as long as they are making satisfactory progress towards graduation.
- We will require students participating in spring athletics to demonstrate strong attendance in all classes throughout the spring season. All spring student-athletes who are failing one or more courses will be required to work with an academic advisor.
- Students must complete all participation requirements, including a valid physical.
The timeline was informed by school athletic directors' feedback and will allow time for training, registration completion, and document verification. All in-person groups will meet state and local guidelines.
The district has been eager to see our student-athletes return to play. However, our priority has always been to protect their health and safety. Canceling the fall and winter season has been a difficult decision, and we know the wait has been hard, but we are looking forward to the spring season and additional opportunities to engage all athletes.