Wicomico Recovery Plan 2020 -2021

45 • High school and middle school band students will be invited to participate in sectionals and small group lessons on Wednesdays or outside of school hours on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays. Beginning band students will be allowed to come to their schools on Wednesdays for beginning instrument instruction. Students and teachers will practice physical distancing and will rehearse outside if conditions (temperature and precipitation) permit. Instruments and equipment will be sanitized. Visual and Performing Arts students in Art, Theatre, and Music will be invited to meet with their teachers for individual lessons, portfolio review, or acting/dialogue practice during teachers’ office hours a nd scheduled class time. Student and teacher participation in in-person learning is voluntary and within health and safety recommendations. In-person instruction will tentatively begin on Oct. 19. Planning to bring in additional small groups of students is ongoing. In the likely next step of a hybrid model, we recognize there may still be parents who wish to not have their students return to school and therefore we will still plan to provide a full distance learning option. This virtual model would be delivered through WCPS teachers and curriculum. We will continue to collaborate with the Eastern Shore of Maryland Educational Consortium for ongoing planning of a comprehensive regional virtual instructional program. Wicomico County Public Schools continues to review COVID-19 data for Wicomico County and the state on a daily basis. WCPS continually evaluates the timeline for resuming instruction in schools, most likely in a hybrid model as the next step, using the “health metrics to guide school reopening discussions” flow chart (below) that is found in th e COVID-19 Guidance for Maryland Schools (Aug. 27, 2020, fromMSDE and MDH). WCPS is currently working with a number of Maryland school systems on the development of a COVID-19 dashboard that would provide a clear view of Wicomico County’s COVID -19 numbers on Positivity Rate and New Case Rate Per 100,000.