According to the  HCPS Covid Response Operations Status, as of February 1, there are to be “no in-person after school activities that are not included in the testing/ vaccination program.” as well as “no assemblies, or social events.” This includes restricting all the parent meetings to virtual “whenever possible.” HCPS says that information “will be updated as HCPS recovery efforts evolve, and the COVID-19 crisis changes.”

     Teaette Louderback, a parent of a NH sophomore, says that overall she “likes the virtual parent meetings.” Louderback says that the meetings make it easier to attend with her busy schedule. Despite the meetings being virtual, Louderback says she doesn’t “think it affects the quality of their meetings.” However, she said she misses “meeting with people in person,” and says she feels “more connected when [she is] physically in the school and talking with educators in person.” Yet, still she finds “the meetings are still very convenient.” 

     Counselor Matthew Johnstone says the county went to “virtual parent presentations starting last year because of COVID,” yet “the attendance has been greater than when we used to hold face to face presentations.” Johnstone says this is because the meetings “allows parents to stay home and watch/listen after working all day without having to drive to the school at night.”

     Principal Pawlicki agrees with Johnston saying “many parents like having virtual meetings so they don’t have to leave the offices, work, or home.” Still, more urgent meetings or ones that require disciplinary action remain in person, according to the principal. Pawlicki states, the county is allowing schools “to have meetings both ways; if it’s important enough, there can be an in-person meeting.”

     Pawlicki says the meetings that can be held virtual are “more geared to students that have IEPs(Individualized Education Program)” and require an annual meeting. Larger meetings such as PTSA, student registration night, etc. have also been held virtually. Due to the convenience, Pawlicki says virtual meetings “may continue even after the pandemic because of how convenient it is for people to listen in and get information.” 

     On the staff side, Pawlicki says, “A lot of the time it can be easier for the person presenting,” where “the information can be put in a PowerPoint or another format where it” can be posted and revisited. Pawlicki adds, “people have gotten used to working in Teams and sharing screens so it can be easier for the staff setting up these meetings.”

     NH parent DeeDee McCann feels “parents need to be and should be involved in their child’s education.” She feels that by keeping parents out of schools and “from attending in-person meetings with a teacher [it]is detrimental to the student and the parent/school relationship.” McCann says this also “affects the quality of the meetings,” and “there is a strong disconnect in virtual meetings.” When it comes to McCann’s children’s education “it’s important to be able to interact in-person and see people’s faces.”

     McCann feels this is specifically important for IEP meetings since they “are about a child’s education plan” and should “result in the parent and educator forming a relationship to work towards what is best for the student.” But with virtual meetings McCann feels they result in “educators not knowing the parents and parents not knowing their child’s teacher(s).”

She said she would “completely eliminate virtual parent meetings. There is no scientific reason that supports them.”