MADISON, Ala. — Students in Madison City Schools will begin the return to schools in phases following Labor Day.
Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols explained the reentry plan.
Elementary schools (Pre-K thru 5th grade) will start Tuesday, Sept. 8 on an A-B rotating schedule, divided by last name. The “A” group will attend Tuesday/Thursday and “B” group on Wednesday/Friday. Elementary will then go to a full 5-days-a-week schedule beginning Sept. 14.
Middle schools (grades 6-8) will begin a two-week, A-B rotating schedule on Sept. 14, with Wednesdays being an all-virtual day where no students will be in school. The “A” group will meet Mondays/Thursdays and “B” group on Tuesdays/Fridays. The all-virtual Wednesdays will also allow time for a deep cleaning of the schools. Middle Schools will go to the 5-days-a-week schedule starting Sept. 28.
High schools (9-12) will start an A-B rotation the week of Sept. 21 and continue the week of Sept. 28, with Wednesday’s remaining an all-virtual day. Meeting days will be the same as middle schools: “A” group on Mondays/Thursdays and “B” on Tuesdays/Fridays.
Following the fall break holiday of Oct. 5-9, Madison City Schools plans to have all school-based learners on the normal full week schedule. That depends, of course, on the COVID-19 status and ADPH/CDC guidance and protocols.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols said: “I believe that after much discussion with school districts across the state, this staggered re-entry plan will help make us sure that all protocols and procedures can be established for a successful return to school. Next week, PPE materials will be delivered to all schools beginning with our elementary locations. Guidelines and protocols will be finalized at the school level and communicated with our parents. After talking with many other districts, I am confidence that we can return our students and maintain a setting that has a low risk level. I will continue to provide more information in the days ahead.”
Madison City Schools provided an update to its re-entry plan on Monday, August 31, providing a frequently asked questions page for parents and assigning students to the two different groups. The groups are determined by the first letter of a student's last name.
The groups will be broken up differently at each school:
- First Class Pre-K
- Group A is A-L and Group B is M-Z
- Columbia
- Group A is A-K and Group B L-Z
- Heritage
- Group A is A-L and Group B is M-Z
- Horizon
- Group A is A-K and Group B L-Z
- Madison
- Group A is A-K and Group B is L-Z
- Mill Creek
- Group A is A-M and Group B is N-Z
- Rainbow
- Group A is A-H and Group B is I-Z
- West Madison
- Group A is A-K and Group B is L-Z
- Discovery
- Group A is A-K and Group B is L-Z
- Liberty
- Group A is A-K and Group B is L-Z
- Bob Jones
- Group A is A-K and Group B is L-Z
- James Clemens
- Group A is A-K and Group B is L-Z
Click here to read the full FAQ.
Our reporter met with Superintendent Nichols Friday afternoon to discuss the changes. We asked Nichols why the district is deciding to bring students back to the classroom just a few weeks into the first nine weeks. He responds, “When we started our virtual, we were with a ‘red’ infection rate. And since then, we’ve seen a decline in our community.”
He adds, in person learning is proving to be crucial for younger students. Nichols says, “With our younger children, our elementary children, no matter how great the virtual platform is-- it’s hard on them, it’s hard on their parents.”
It’s important to note that the students who will be returning to classrooms will be the ones whose families already opted for in-person learning before the year started.
Returning to traditional learning could mean daily activities look a lot different. Nichols tells our reporter of some of the changes students will see. He says, “...seating charts, looking at bus seating, spreading out in the cafeteria and rotating days that kids can be in there eating in their classrooms… To limit as much as possible, that interaction.”