Last fall, Jennifer Lynch was the principal at Hillcrest Elementary School in Catonsville. She was happy when County Executive Johnny Olszewski, using CARES money, offered each county school $100 per child to spend on PPE.
“We were able to buy air purifiers, sanitizers, masks and gowns and gloves,” Lynch said. “We focused on purchasing plexiglass guards for the children’s desks and for other common areas.”
Fast forward a few months and she’s no longer a principal. She works for Olszewski as the county’s director of educational partnership, a liaison between the administration and the school system.
She’s keeping track of the PPE coming in for all the county schools. And with the school system less than three weeks away from returning some children to the classroom, she says only about 25% of it has been delivered thus far.
Lynch said, “All of the schools will receive at least a portion of their order prior to February 26.”
Students in Pre-K through 2nd grade and at the county’s four schools for the physically disabled have the option to begin hybrid learning the week of March 1. Students in other grades can return later in March and early April. Lynch said those schools that are opening first will be at the front of the line for PPE.
County spokesman Sean Naron said two-thirds of elementary schools and the four schools for the disabled have gotten some portion of their PPE.
