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As Tennessee teachers ( @TEA_teachers) call on @GovBillLee and @SchwinnTeach to mandate masks for all students and teachers and provide other protections across the state — what's the status of school districts anyways?
As Tennessee teachers ( @TEA_teachers) call on @GovBillLee and @SchwinnTeach to mandate masks for all students and teachers and provide other protections across the state — what's the status of school districts anyways?
Memphis students who attend Tennessee's largest school district, @SCSK12Unified, have been learning remotely all semester.
Students are set to return in January — for now, according to @memphisnews. https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/education/2020/10/27/scs-parents-consider-person-class-covid-19-cases-shelby-county/6043536002/
Students are set to return in January — for now, according to @memphisnews. https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/education/2020/10/27/scs-parents-consider-person-class-covid-19-cases-shelby-county/6043536002/
Other districts within Shelby County have been open (and closing schools when cases get out of hand). Last week, at least four schools reported five or more students or staffers reported new COVID-19 cases, @ldtestino reports. https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/education/2020/11/05/coronavirus-schools-cases-scs-germantown-collierville-bartlett-arlington-lakeland-millington-asd/3668777001/
Knox County Schools has been the largest district to fully reopen in-person this fall.
At least nine @KnoxSchools reported at least one COVID-19 case among students or staff last week.
From @isalohgo and @knoxnews https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/2020/11/06/knox-county-schools-announce-covid-19-cases-few-locations/6164946002/
At least nine @KnoxSchools reported at least one COVID-19 case among students or staff last week.
From @isalohgo and @knoxnews
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/2020/11/06/knox-county-schools-announce-covid-19-cases-few-locations/6164946002/
Hamilton County Schools — the state's 4th largest (sometimes 5th depending on @rucoschools' enrollment) — have been open in-person and reporting approx. the same # of COVID-19 cases as Metro Nashville Public Schools (which is twice as large and mostly virtual).
Today, @hamcoschools announced that high school students will switch to a hybrid model after Thanksgiving break, with students only attending 2-3 days a week in-person, due to a surge in cases in Chattanooga. https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2020/nov/17/hamiltcounty-high-schoolers-will-switch-two-d/536265/
(Kudos to @TimesFreePress health care reporter/rockstar @ecfite for filling in on the education beat down there right now.
If you're interested in covering education during a pandemic (!!!!), check out this job listing: https://bit.ly/3f97exL )
If you're interested in covering education during a pandemic (!!!!), check out this job listing: https://bit.ly/3f97exL )
MIDDLE TENNESSEE
(Now is the time for my readers to pay closer attention)
Here in Nashville, @MetroSchools has been operating mostly remotely or virtual.
(Now is the time for my readers to pay closer attention)
Here in Nashville, @MetroSchools has been operating mostly remotely or virtual.
Elementary students were able to return in-person starting after fall break in October, but before middle school students could also phase in the district quickly halted that timeline.
(High schoolers were never set to return in-person before January)
(High schoolers were never set to return in-person before January)
Yesterday, after the district reported 85 new COVID-19 cases among students and staff, @MetroSchools Director Adrienne Battle cautioned that all students will likely remain virtual after Thanksgiving as cases continue to rise across Nashville. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2020/11/16/metro-nashville-public-schools-return-virtual-learning-possibility/6320779002/
Within a day of Battle's announcement, nearby Rutherford County Schools announced that the Thanksgiving break will be extended for the entire week due to "the rising number of COVID cases in our community." https://www.dnj.com/story/news/2020/11/17/rutherford-county-schools-close-entire-week-thanksgiving/6333579002/
The Lebanon Special School District in Wilson County also announced Tuesday that it will move from a traditional in-person class model to a hybrid one because of the upward trend in COVID-19 cases.
From @AndyHumbles https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/wilson/lebanon/2020/11/17/lebanon-city-schools-go-back-hybrid-model-covid-19-rising/6333385002/
From @AndyHumbles
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/wilson/lebanon/2020/11/17/lebanon-city-schools-go-back-hybrid-model-covid-19-rising/6333385002/
Nearby Dickson County Schools will move to virtual learning later this week. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/dickson/2020/11/17/all-dickson-county-schools-move-virtual-learning-thursday-friday/6328857002/
Williamson County Schools are still open in-person, but @WCSedu Superintendent Jason Golden said Monday he is "very concerned" about how the virus will affect the school district after Thanksgiving if the current upward trend in cases continues. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/williamson/franklin/2020/11/17/williamson-county-school-superintendent-concerned-new-covid-cases-reach-record-high/6318870002/
In Cheatham County, where schools have continued to close and reopen due to outbreaks and quarantines, Sycamore High School shut down last week through Nov. 30. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/cheatham/2020/11/09/cheatham-sycamore-high-shut-down-november-covid-19-outbreak/6226579002/
@RobCoSchools remain open for in-person learning, as do @WilsonK12Tn, but Sumner County Schools returned to a hybrid schedule on Nov. 16 through Dec. 4.
Elementary students are attending 5 days/week in-person, but older students are on a hybrid schedule.
Elementary students are attending 5 days/week in-person, but older students are on a hybrid schedule.
It's hard to keep up with every case reported in a Tennessee school, but you can check out our database here 
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2020/08/24/report-cases-covid-19-tennessee-schools-tennessean/5623643002/
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2020/08/24/report-cases-covid-19-tennessee-schools-tennessean/5623643002/
So folks, this update doesn't cover every school district in the state or even provide the actual number of cases among students and staff who are attending in-person vs. remotely but as COVID-19 cases continue to surge in Tennessee we're likely to see more updates.
What questions or thoughts do you have?
Still convinced COVID-19 isn't having an impact on K-12 students or schools should remain open? Wondering why all students haven't just been sent home?
Share your thoughts here or send me a DM.
Still convinced COVID-19 isn't having an impact on K-12 students or schools should remain open? Wondering why all students haven't just been sent home?
Share your thoughts here or send me a DM.
