Updates as of September 11, 2020
Q: What do I need to know if my child is in Pre-K and hasn’t even been to school in person yet?
A: For information about what both the in-person and virtual learning environments will look like after school buildings reopen, please see the MNPS Early Childhood Education/Pre-K page.
Q: What are the cleaning protocols at schools?
A: Custodians and staff will be following daily and nightly cleaning routines and using standard, CDC-approved cleaning supplies and disinfectants to ensure that classrooms, common areas, and touch points such as door knobs and light switches are cleaned frequently.
Q: Is there a contingency plan in the event of an outbreak?
A: Determinations about when to shut down will be made on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Metro Public Health Department. In the event a school closes, all students and staff will move to the virtual environment. Students will remain with their assigned teachers from in-person learning. Teachers will be using the same curriculum from the Florida Virtual School in both settings so that students and staff can easily shift from in-person to virtual if the situation calls for it.
Updates as of September 12, 2020
Q: Will air purifiers or ozone machines be provided?
A: No, the HVAC systems that MNPS has in place meet air quality standards.
Q: Will virtual school stay the same? Will there be more assignments?
Bắn Cá Hải Tặc iOSA: MNPS is committed to providing a high-quality education in both the in-person and virtual learning environments. Those who remain in the virtual setting can expect the same experience that is currently being offered, with teachers dedicated to the virtual learning environment.
Q: Will the virtual school schedule be the same as it is now?
A: There will likely be some adjustments to accommodate both teachers and students as we transition some students back to in-person learning and others remain virtual, but generally student schedule structures will remain consistent.
Q: Will my elementary children be sitting at a desk in the classroom on computers listening to Florida Virtual School? Will there be FVS expectations?
A: Teachers in the classroom will teach face to face, but students can expect a blended approach to learning that will rely on the use of technology. Teachers will continue to follow the Florida Virtual School curriculum regardless of the setting so that it will be easy to move back and forth between in-person and virtual learning if the public health situation changes again.
Updates as of September 14, 2020
Q: Do we have to return the computer if we go in person?
A: No, students will continue to have their device and will use it whether they’re in the virtual or in-person environment, since we will be using the Florida Virtual School curriculum in both settings. Also, students will need to keep the device in case they have to isolate at home for any reason during in-person learning so they can continue to learn at home.
Q: Who is notifying us if our child is contact traced? And how are we being contacted?
A: The school nurse will conduct the initial investigation. Once information is gathered, it will be submitted to the Metro Public Health Department. MPHD will notify the student/family by phone and follow up with the contact tracing. Based on the initial investigation by the school nurse, the school will also contact individuals who meet the CDC’s definition for close contacts and will be required to quarantine.
Q: Who do I tell if my child gets sick?
A: You will contact the school.
Q: Do we notify the school if they are sick, but it’s not COVID19?
A: Yes, you should always notify the school if your child is ill. If symptoms are COVID-related, the school will contact the school nurse to investigate further.
Updates as of September 18, 2020
Q. What will the discipline be for students who don’t wear masks or facial coverings?
A. For any behavior that isn’t in compliance with mask-wearing requirements, schools will use a restorative response grounded in the MNPS discipline policy. Read the discipline handbook here.
Q. Are there any exceptions to the mask requirement for students?
A. All Metro Nashville Public Schools students will be required to wear masks throughout the school day. Any student who requests a medical exemption will require a note from a certified doctor. Families will work with school officials to develop a plan to honor an approved request while protecting other students and their health and safety through face shields, extra social distancing, and other measures.
Q. If my child is in quarantine, are they counted absent? Will the child be moved to virtual for the remainder of the semester or year?
A. Students who are unable to actively participate due to COVID-19 should be coded as an excused absence and provided the opportunity for makeup work upon their return after quarantining once they are clear of all symptoms. The Metro Public Health Department provides all guidance on quarantine requirements. A student may return from quarantine once their required time has been met. They must also be fever-free for 24 hours, be symptom-free, and submit a release-from-quarantine letter from MPHD. Students attending school in person who miss school due to illness or COVID-19-related circumstances may attend school virtually if able to actively participate in distance learning. Active participation is defined as students logging into the distance learning platform by 11:59 p.m. each instructional day and actively engaging in learning opportunities by, but not limited to, submitting assignments, completing assessments, participating in online classroom discussions, and/or interacting with teachers.
Updates as of September 23, 2020
Q. Will Standard School Attire (SSA) requirements be relaxed?
A. SSA is a school-based decision. However, the Student Support Services Department will collaborate with schools to support families who are experiencing hardships during this time and are in need of assistance with SSA. Families can contact the Family Information CenterBắn Cá Hải Tặc iOS directly with a request. Once a request is received, a team member will contact the family and provide needed supports.
Q: Does MNPS’s five-year contract with Florida Virtual School mean that will be the curriculum in 2021-22 and beyond? What about Schoology?
Bắn Cá Hải Tặc iOSA: While the five-year contract with Florida Virtual School gives us some flexibility for future years, we hope we’ll be in a better place with the pandemic in 2021-22 and will be able to return to our regular curricular materials. This is actually our third year using Schoology, which is the district’s learning management system. Obviously, it didn’t play such a prominent role in previous years, but we believe it works well and will continue to play a part in teaching and learning.
