MCPS recognizes that the pandemic affected academic and social and emotional well being of students. This fall, MCPS looks forward to reuniting students with the positive social and emotional experiences that in-person learning offers. MCPS continues to engage students, families and parents through the Community Navigator initiative, visiting neighborhoods and community spaces to provide information, resources and targeted support to families. MCPS has also partnered with county agencies to offer events in the community to share resources and highlight ways that students, parents and families can connect to learning, social and health resources. MCPS hired and staffed a 1.0 social worker for each high school. These social workers serve as key component of the Student Well-Being Team.

MCPS continues to engage students, families and parents through the Community Navigator initiative, visiting neighborhoods and community spaces to provide information, resources and targeted support to families. MCPS has also partnered with county agencies to offer events in the community to share resources and highlight ways that students, parents and families can connect to learning, social and health resources. (See the Communications Plan in the Appendix).

Students

MCPS will continue to address the physical, social and psychological needs of students, families and staff through district- and school-based programs and initiatives. The Be Well 365 recovery plan provides steps for schools to take to address community and staff concerns on a wide range of topics. Social-emotional learning (SEL) lessons will be conducted as standalone and integrated throughout Kindergarten through Grade 12 lessons. Beginning in the fall, MCPS will also provide a new SEL curriculum for students. Staff have received training on the new SEL curriculum—the Leader in Me. The curriculum fosters a holistic approach to education, empowering educators with effective practices and tools to teach leadership to every student; create a culture of student empowerment; and align systems to drive results in academics. Implementation began with these schools.

Staff

Staff MCPS is committed to the physical, social, and psychological well-being of its more than 24,000 employees. Be Well 365, for staff and students, provides staff with valuable district and community resources to assist staff members and their families as we all continue to navigate and cope with the impacts of COVID-19 while supporting our students every day. The Employee Assistance Program has expanded its staff and continues to provide services, resources, and support to employees and their families through counseling sessions, consultations, video messages, newsletters, and wellness workshops on a variety of topics to promote well-being. Additionally, schools and offices continue to prioritize staff wellness along with students, with additional resources and wellness events for employees.

Parents and Families

MCPS will continue to provide parents/guardians with the resources, tools and information they need to help their child(ren) succeed during this recovery period. Support staff are available to assist families with connections to the school system and community resources, including food, housing, and physical and mental health. Families can reach out to the school counselor, school psychologist, Pupil Personnel Worker (PPW), ESOL Transition Counselor (ETC) or Parent Community Coordinator (PCC) at your school for more information or assistance. Parents can access a variety of trainings, workshops and recorded video sessions on a number of topics, including social-emotional wellness, distance learning strategies and supports, maintaining positive parent-child relationships, and navigating the technology:

• Parent Academy
• Waymaking Series on Mental Health
• Mindfulness Moments