MEMPHIS, Tenn. —
Time is running out for Shelby County Schools' parents to decide if they want their child to have in-person or virtual learning this fall. Parents must make a decision by Saturday, July 18 and that decision will be final for the first semester of the year.
SCS held a virtual town hall meeting on Monday to address frequently asked questions about how the school day will look, safety measures inside school buildings, and virtual training for parents.
Every SCS school will make learning schedules based on required staffing needs for in-person versus virtual learning. If there is a sudden closure of a school due to a reported Covid-19 case, the affected school will notify parents and learning will immediately change to virtual learning.
Both in-person and virtual students will be required to attend 6.5 hours of instruction per day. IEP students can contact SCS Special Education Services regarding specific questions for their students.
Temperatures for students, staff, and visitors will be checked before entering each school building. If a student has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher, they will be sent to an isolation room and the parent will be notified, so they can be picked up. SCS understands during the summer months a student's body temperature can be higher right after coming from outside, so if a student's temperature is high it will retake the student's temperature after cooling down.
Face masks will be mandatory for everyone inside school buildings. SCS will provide each student with two cloth face masks.
SCS said there will be an increased stock of soap and hand sanitizers for each school. Restrooms are to be cleaned and disinfected a minimum of four times per day. Hallways, stairways, and conference rooms will also be cleaned at least twice per day.
The district said it's following CDC guidelines and realizes it can be difficult to strictly enforce social distancing at all times, so it will place markers on the floor to help students stay six feet apart. Recess times for younger students will vary per school, but the district is hoping to provide some playtime for these students. However, playgrounds will be closed until further notice.
For all families who choose virtual learning, a digital device will be provided to each student, and based on need, an internet hot-spot will also be provided. SCS will also provide Microsoft Teams training for parents, so they can assist students at home.
For students learning virtually, meals that will be good for two to three days can be picked up at specific times. For in-person learning, meals will most likely be grab-and-go and will most likely be eaten in classrooms.
SCS is developing a re-entry for athletic programs. Athletes will need to sign a form assuming the risk if they play and contract Covid-19. Until further notice, athletes will need to stay six feet apart from one another in practice.
The official start date for classes is now August 31.