Pandemic Protocols
The latest guidance for schools was released on January 8, 2021. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and Maryland State Department of Education's (MSDE) guidelines for addressing COVID-19 and spread prevention in schools. AACS follows all current orders and guidelines from the State of Maryland, the MDH, the Anne Arundel County Department of Health (AACDOH), and the MSDE.
The following Q&A is adapted from a comprehensive document written by members of the MSDE and MDH. All Maryland public and nonpublic schools must follow the guidance contained in this document regarding COVID-19 mitigation actions. The first three questions contain changes about quarantine length, effective immediately.
- #1 NEW: When can a student or staff person who is quarantined at home due to being a close contact of a person with laboratory confirmed or probable COVID-19 return to school?
- #2 NEW Is the shorter quarantine an option for AACS students in kindergarten and first grade?
- #3 NEW When can a student or staff person who is quarantined at home due to being a close contact of a household member with laboratory confirmed or probable COVID-19 return to school?
- #4 How will contact tracing be conducted in the school if a student, educator or other school staff member tests positive for the COVID-19 virus?
- #5 If a student, educator, or other school staff member has a laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19 or has COVID-19-like illness, how long should they be excluded from work or school?