AACPS Students Learning From Home During Coronavirus Pandemic

ANNAPOLIS, MD — While high school students are wondering if closures because of the coronavirus outbreak will affect plans for spring sports and prom, parents are concerned about their students being out of school for a lengthy period of time. All public schools have been ordered closed through March 27 while Maryland is under a state of emergency.

But Anne Arundel County Public Schools has tried to allay parents' worries about their students possibly falling behind by providing educational guidance while at home. On a website dedicated to eLearning, school officials describe the televised educational experiences as "flexible in nature."

"Please feel free to structure your student’s learning experiences around your family’s unique schedule and needs. We want the learning to be what works for you and your student, while at the same time keeping them intellectually active. Of course, this is not school as usual, but a great way to keep your child engaged and learning for a few hours each day," the site said.

School officials emphasize that the eLearning module is not a requirement and should not be stressful. They're meant to engage students for a few hours each day.

"For many students, this daily learning will help them establish routine to add comfort and stability to their day. Beyond the lessons we posted, encouraging students to read, draw, build with blocks or Legos, exercise, play board games, and explore their other AACPS online resources would be wonderful," officials stated on the site.

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School leaders use television station AACPS, which is broadcast out of a first-floor studio at school board headquarters. Kindergartners are up first at 8 a.m. and focus on math, reading and language arts for half an hour, followed by the rest of the grades through eighth grade. Kids can tune back in for two more sessions in the afternoon and evening. All broadcast lessons also are available online at www.aacps.org.

"We didn't want these two weeks to be so incredibly overwhelming and new for the kids. We just wanted them to be able to spend this time engaging in some fun learning and in many cases reinforcing some of the things they've already been exposed to right now," Shannon Pugh, manager of assessments for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, told WBAL.

The schedule of lessons can be adjusted if students are required to stay home longer, officials said.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools also is offering breakfast, lunch and dinner for youth ages two to 18. There currently are 31 school sites that will be open from noon to 12:30 Monday through Friday and 21 mobile unit locations. All meals will be provided free of charge each weekday. Adults cannot accept meals on behalf of children.

The following schools will serve as meal sites:

• Annapolis High
• Annapolis Middle
• Bates Middle
• Belle Grove Elementary
• Brooklyn Park Elementary
• Brooklyn Park Middle
• Carrie Weedon EEC
• Eastport Elementary
• Freetown Elementary
• George Cromwell Elementary
• Georgetown East Elementary
• Germantown Elementary
• Glen Burnie High
• Glen Burnie Park Elementary
• Glendale Elementary
• Lothian Elementary
• MacArthur Middle
• Marley Elementary
• Meade Heights Elementary
• Meade Middle
• Mills Parole Elementary
• North County High
• North Glen Elementary
• Old Mill Middle North
• Park Elementary
• Point Pleasant Elementary
• Rippling Woods Elementary
• Southgate Elementary
• Tyler Heights Elementary
• Van Bokkelen Elementary
• Woodside Elementary

Children can pick up meals at the following Mobile Meals sites and times:
Annapolis

• Annapolis Gardens, 1845 Bowman Court, Annapolis, 10:45 to 11:00 a.m.
• Bywater Community, 1901 Copeland Street, Annapolis, 11:15 to 11:30 a.m.
• Woodside Gardens, 701 Newtown Drive, 11:45 a.m. to noon
• Hilltop Village, 2 Heritage Court, Annapolis, 12:15 to 12:30 p.m.
• Congregation Kneseth Israel, 1125 Spa Road, Annapolis, 12:45 to 1:00 p.m.
• Admiral Farragut, 205 Boxwood Road @ Boxwood Court, 1:15 to 1:30 p.m.

Laurel

• Maryland City @ Russett Community Library, 3501 Russett Common, Laurel, noon to 12:15 p.m.
• Brock Bridge Elementary, 12:25 to 12:40 p.m.
• Maryland City Elementary, 12:50 to 1:05 p.m.

Lothian

• Maryland Manor, 1500 Berkley Court, Harwood, 10:50 to 11:05 a.m.
• Rio Vista, 900 Margarita Street, Lothian, 11:20 to 11:35 a.m.
• Patuxent Mobile, 121 Patuxent Mobile Estate, Lothian, 11:45 a.m. to noon
• Wayson Woods, 125 Main Street, Lothian, 12:15 to 12:30 p.m.

North County

• Cedar Morris, 351 Arundel Corporation Road, Glen Burnie, 11:00 to 11:15 a.m.
• The Willows Apartments, 116 Warwickshire Lane @ Harris & Allen Road, Glen Burnie, 11:30 to 11:45 a.m.
• Heritage Hill, 6399 Continental Drive & Heritage Hill Drive, Glen Burnie, noon to 12:15 p.m.
• Pumphrey Center, 5757 Belle Grove Road, Baltimore, 12:35 to 12:50 p.m.

West County

• Pioneer City, 8443 Pioneer Drive, Severn, 11:00 to 11:15 a.m.
• Spring Meadows, 8311 Still Meadows Drive, Severn, 11:20 to 11:35 a.m.
• Still Meadows, 8201 Averill Court, Severn, 11:40 to 11:55 a.m.
• Meade Village, 1710 Meade Village Circle, Severn, noon to 12:15 p.m.

Read More:

• Coronavirus Scam Circulating In Anne Arundel County
• MD Governor Orders Restaurants, Bars, Gyms, Theaters To Close
• MD Grocery Stores Cut Hours For Coronavirus Cleaning, Restocking
• AACPS Expands Free Meal Program During Coronavirus Shutdown