The health and safety of our students and staff is our top priority for Hamilton County Schools. We are proud of the work of teachers, staff, and school leaders, who are assisted by the children and families in keeping our learning environments as safe as possible.
Only a few weeks left in the semester, but the district continues to see an increased spread of COVID-19 across the community, which is also reflected in our schools.
Of particular concern are high schools, which represent forty-one percent of the district’s student cases. Contact tracing also remains a challenge because of the complexity of high school schedules, and it was announced that the district will now manage our own internal contact tracing.
District Plan for after Thanksgiving break:
- The recent rise of community cases has put the district Phase Tracker in the transition area between Phase 3 and Phase 2.
- Hamilton County Schools will plan for all K-8 students to remain on campus five days a week when they return on Monday, November 30 through December 4.
- Students in Grades 9-12 will transition to an A/B hybrid learning schedule beginning Monday, November 30, and remain in that schedule through December 17.
- The district will re-evaluate the schedule for students in grades K-8 after Thanksgiving break to ensure we are in step with what local health data is telling us and keep parents informed.
The shift in schedule through the break will help the school district better monitor and mitigate cases in high schools and allow our youngest learners to remain on campus with the support they need. It will also help us effectively utilize support staff to target resources for grades K-8.
The rise in Hamilton County cases is a reminder of the importance of following the healthy behaviors outlined in our HCS SAFE Pledge. For the district to keep students on campus, it is essential that everyone follow CDC guidelines to wear masks, socially distance when possible, and practice good hygiene over the Thanksgiving break.
“We appreciate the continued heroic efforts of our teachers, support staff and leaders on behalf of children,” said Dr. Bryan Johnson, superintendent of Hamilton County Schools. “Thank you, parents, and community for the continued grace shown to our school district this school year as we make the best decisions possible to deliver an excellent education to every child. We will have three weeks left in the semester when we return from Thanksgiving break, and by working together, we can keep our children learning and healthy. We are better together! We Are Hamilton!”
Like this story? Click here to subscribe to more like this delivered weekly to your inbox!