ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY — Due to the rising COVID-19 case rate across Anne Arundel County, all in-person athletics and extracurricular activities will be suspended, effective immediately at public schools.
The rate, which measures the average number of new cases per 100,000 county residents over a seven-day period, had risen to 21.3 as of yesterday.
The announcement brings an end to in-person off-season fall athletics practices. Off-season spring sports practices, which are scheduled to begin on Nov. 16, will start virtually.
Registration for the spring sessions will continue as planned, and the status of practices will be updated on the AACPS Athletics website at least weekly throughout the three-week window from Nov. 16 through Dec. 5.
All other in-person extracurricular activities are also suspended until further notice, though virtual gatherings for both athletics and extracurricular activities can continue as scheduled.
The start of the competitive winter sports athletic season, now scheduled for Dec. 7 will be further evaluated in the coming weeks.
Acting in consultation with the Anne Arundel County Department of Health, county high school principals have notified families of nine positive tests that have required various program participants at eight schools to quarantine and halted programs since Oct. 24.
“The last thing I want to do is curtail in-person opportunities for our students, but the case rate numbers grow more concerning by the day,” said Superintendent George Arlotto. “I have said since the beginning of this pandemic that our school system is not going to be the reason that people get sick or spread this virus. The prudent thing to do now is to curtail in-person activities until the case rate returns to a level that we can resume them.”