May 15, 2020 For Immediate Release
BALTIMORE — On May 14, Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young announced that he is extending Baltimore City's Stay At Home order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Baltimore City Public Schools is sharing the following message to the community:
During these challenging moments, Baltimore City Public Schools commits to providing the best possible learning experiences and social supports while safeguarding the health and safety of our students, families, or staff. Despite ever-changing circumstances, we are proud to maintain that standard and support the needs of our community.
Under the direction of the State Superintendent of Maryland Schools, school buildings in the Baltimore City Public Schools will continue to remain closed to the public for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Similarly, Baltimore City Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young has announced the city’s stay-at-home order will remain in place indefinitely.
Following the city’s lead, Baltimore City Public Schools school buildings and offices will remain closed to the public until further notice. We will continue to have as many staff members as possible work from home whenever they are able to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of their role off-site. This stance reflects the status of the school district since March 2020 and aligns with Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s “Safer at Home” Advisory that allows a higher degree of social interaction while still restricting gatherings of more than 10 people.
With the exception of critical operational functions that must be performed on-site, City Schools buildings will not reopen to the public until we have a higher degree of certainty that students and staff can safely inhabit and interact in those spaces. Given what is currently known, City Schools is developing a plan that, when permitted by authorities, will eventually support a modified method of hosting classes for schools and staff safely. Our plan will utilize the best guidance issued locally, statewide, and nationally.
Until a reopening of school buildings occurs, City Schools will continue executing its distance learning plan as well as offering additional summer learning options and social supports such as emergency meals. The district will also host virtual graduations to celebrate the Class of 2020, and schedule periods for students and staff to retrieve personal belongings.
We support the reopening of our community, but only if it is in the best interest of students, families, and staff members.