GERMANTOWN, Tenn. — Another large Mid-South school district has finalized its back-to-school plans, and it’s unlike any rollout yet.
The Germantown Municipal School District plans to get every student into the classroom on a weekly basis, all while maintaining social distancing and safe practices.
The district is recommending starting the school year with a mixture of face-to-face instruction and distance learning.
Citing data from the state, GMSD wanted to get students into schools and in-person with teachers as often as possible.
But each student’s experience could vary based on their grade.
“We felt it was really important, not only for our parents, but all elementary school students to be able to make it into the building every day,” an instructional video explained.
Including sixth-graders as they transition out of elementary school, Germantown students from kindergarten through sixth grade will attend school on-campus five days per week.
Seventh through 12th-graders will visit campus two days a week, while learning from home three days a week.
When it comes to safety, Germantown is asking for help from parents.
Parents will be asked to send their children to school with a face covering and test for COVID-19 symptoms before they leave home.
“We are developing a process for parents to conduct daily at-home screenings for their students,” the district said.
Extracurriculars like recess, recreational sports and after-school activities are all in flux, noting the county won’t officially reopen playgrounds until it reaches Phase 3.
As the semester draws closer, board members admitted there would be growing pains but asked for cooperation toward a common goal.
“I really ask that our students, our teachers, our families, that we all work together because we all want the same goal of getting our students educated,” the district’s statement said.
Germantown is also allowing students with special needs or medical conditions to adjust their schedules across the semester.
