Prince George's County Public School's focus is on maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for students to learn together in classrooms all year. We will achieve this through prevention strategies including universal masking in school buildings and widespread vaccination.
MASKS & PPE
Students and staff are required to wear masks inside of schools, administrative buildings and on school buses, regardless of vaccination status. Extra face masks, hand sanitizer, paper towels, toilet paper and soap will be available throughout the day. Nurses, paraprofessionals and other staff who will have close contact with students, along with staff working with students with disabilities, will receive additional PPE such as gloves, face shields and disposal gowns.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
At least 3-feet of social distancing will be maintained in classrooms and other areas where possible.
VISITORS
Visitors must make an appointment with the school prior to arrival and will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing. Conferences with parents and other meetings that do not need to be held in person will be held virtually to limit the number of visitors entering school buildings.
SCHOOL BUSES
Face masks are required while riding the school bus. To improve airflow, windows may be open to the maximum extent possible when weather permits. Buses will be cleaned and sanitized at the conclusion of each run, in between morning and afternoon routes and at the conclusion of the day.
CLEANING & DISINFECTION
Buildings will be thoroughly cleaned using CDC approved disinfectants at the end of every school day. Cafeterias and other eating locations will be cleaned and disinfected daily. All touch points, door knobs, sinks, health rooms and locker rooms will be cleaned and disinfected daily. Restrooms will be inspected twice per day and sanitized when necessary.
AIR QUALITY
Airflow in buildings will be increased by opening classroom windows, running exhaust fans before/after occupancy and increasing HVAC hours of operation by 4 hours before and after occupation and /or increasing the intake of outside air where possible. MERV-13 filters have been installed in HVAC systems per CDC guidelines. PGCPS will continuously replace HVAC equipment and clean ductwork and coils throughout systems to remove contaminants and improve airflow.
VACCINATIONS
PGCPS recommends everyone 12 years and older to get a COVID-19 vaccination to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our schools and our community. All staff are required to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing.
QUARANTINES
School will provide written notification to staff or families following exposure to a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case. If there is a confirmed COVID-19 case at a school or in a classroom, the employee or student with COVID-19 will be required to quarantine at home for at least 10 days and be symptom free before returning to a PGCPS building. Employees or students who were in close contact with the COVID-19 positive individual must quarantine for at least 10 days if not fully vaccinated; fully vaccinated individuals do not need to quarantine following exposure to a person with confirmed or probable COVID-19 but should monitor for symptoms for 14 days.
In the event a single positive case of COVID-19 is confirmed, PGCPS will close the exposed area of the facility. If multiple positive cases of COVID-19 are confirmed in one site within three days (minimum), PGCPS will close the entire facility to clean and sanitize all areas.
To our families, we ask that you to ensure your scholars have everything they need to help us keep them and others safe. For additional details on our safety protocols, please view pgcps.org.