2020-2021 REOPENING INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS
Family Communications and Updates | Health and Safety Protocols | Technology and Internet Access | Transportation | FAQ
Our team has been hard at work planning for how KIPP Nashville will reopen on Tuesday, August 4, the current scheduled first day of school.
Our plan is to begin school on August 4 with distance learning only, and remain in distance learning through at least Labor Day, on September 7. Focusing on reopening with distance learning, allows us to pour all our efforts into creating the best possible plan for all our students.
To inform our decision, we’ve been gathering input from our families and staff and consulting with city and state officials. We will continue to gather feedback as we finalize our plans, and throughout the upcoming year to make sure we are meeting your needs. We acknowledge there is a lot of uncertainty around how school will reopen, and we don’t have all the answers yet. We can assure you of three things:
- The health, safety, and well-being of our entire school community – students, staff, alumni, and families
- An exceptional distance learning program and experience for students
- Continued engagement and communication with our families and staff
We are focused on leading distance learning for every KIPP student starting on August 4. Every student will be assigned a Chromebook, and we will be distributing hotspots for families that need reliable internet access. Parents can expect a phone call the week of July 13 to assess needs, and family orientations will begin taking place the week of July 27. Our goal is for every student to be engaged in scheduled, planned remote learning activities and classes starting the week of August 10.
We want to have in-person learning as an option as soon as possible. We don’t know when that will be an option for our community. We are getting new information almost daily and will continue sharing updates about reopening and distance learning plans with families at least weekly.
We will also continue to seek parent feedback to help us hone these plans and to determine when is the best time to reopen our schools for in-person instruction. We’re so thankful for the resilience and support our families and staff have shown through this pandemic and we look forward to getting through this together.
See the “Family Communications and Updates” section just below for more updates around reopening.
Family Communications and Updates
June 25, 2020 Family Town Hall Recording (Password: 5h*7v!p3)
Health and Safety Protocols
We are looking at every aspect of our day, from arrival to lunch to PE and dismissal to ensure we are minimizing exposure and health risks. When we are able to open for in-person instruction, you can expect the following precautions to be taken:
- Temperature checks for all students and adults upon entering buildings.
- All students, staff, parents/guardians, visitors will wear a mask (on the bus, in classrooms, in hallways, in restrooms, in the lobby; when one can wear a mask).
- Buildings and spaces will be cleaned and sanitized multiple times per day in accordance with CDC guidelines and again after dismissal.
- Classrooms will be modified in order to practice social distancing whenever possible.
- When possible, students will not switch classes but stay in the same classroom for each subject and teachers will rotate.
- We are working ensure students do not have to share materials.
- We will continue to provide breakfast and lunch for every student. These meals will be provided in classrooms.
- There will be hand sanitizer in classrooms and stations in key locations in the school.
- Students and staff will wash/sanitize hands multiple times per day.
- Students and staff will stay home when they are sick or have had direct exposure, in line with CDC and Department of Labor guidelines.
- Safety and communication protocols will be followed if a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19 or is exposed to someone who has/had COVID-19.
- All staff will be trained so they are ready to implement all our safety procedures and are prepared for a strong start to the school year.
Technology and Internet Access
We are committed to providing one-to-one technology. Every student will be assigned a Chromebook. Stay tuned for more details on how to pick up your student’s Chromebook. We will also be reaching out to families in mid-July to assess Internet access and will be providing mobile hotspots as needed.
Transportation
When we are able to reopen in person, we plan to run school busses in some capacity in a manner similar to pre-COVID operations. We will incorporate safety measures such as increased cleaning, opening windows to increase circulation, requiring all students to wear masks, and spacing students as much as possible.