TOWSON, MD—Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Darryl Williams issued the following statement in response to the announcement of Governor Larry Hogan and State Superintendent Dr. Karen Salmon authorizing school systems to provide in-person instruction:

“From the start of the pandemic, and as we began planning for the reopening of schools, we indicated we would work with Baltimore County health officials to ensure we are following the guidance provided by them and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The safety and health of our students and staff have always been our top priorities.

”On August 27, Governor Hogan and State Superintendent Salmon indicated that school systems across the state are now authorized to reopen with in-person instruction, but we must still ensure we can do so safely.

“At this time, we are still moving forward with a virtual reopening, beginning September 8, but we will immediately begin to look at our plan to incorporate already created hybrid models that include a phased-in plan for small groups of students to return to our buildings. As we implement this small-group phased-in approach and are sure students and staff are safe, we will continue to evaluate the implementation and add groups of students until all have returned to school.

”This will take time to implement, but we promise to keep you informed as we move forward. Please continue to check the website and look for messages we will send to our families and staff through our phone notification system.”