Green Dot Public Schools Tennessee Announces Re-Entry Plan
Green Dot Public Schools Tennessee Announces Re-Entry Plan
All schools will begin with distance learning and reevaluate monthly in collaboration with students, parents, teachers, the Shelby County Health Department and the TDOE.
July 22, 2020 (Memphis, TN) -- Green Dot Public Schools Tennessee (GDPST) will begin instruction on August 10th, 2020. Students enrolled at Bluff City High, Fairley High, Hillcrest High, Kirby Middle and Wooddale Middle Schools will be assigned devices for distance learning to begin the school year as long as the city remains in Phase 1 or 2 of reopening. Once the city moves into Phase 3, schools will open for in person instruction guided by a plan for re-entry that is aligned with the CDC, Shelby County Health Department, as well as state and local officials. GDPST will offer families the option to select either in-person or at-home learning and families may continually adjust their selection pending personal circumstances and needs.
“Our priorities are to keep our communities safe and to educate our students,” says Dr. Megan Quaile, Executive Director of GDPST. “It took working as a team with our teachers, parents, students, staff, local officials, and national allies to figure this out, and it’s an ongoing process. We are focused on getting our students safely back in the classroom as soon as possible while continuing to serve our students with distance learning.”
GDPST will provide all students with laptops and instruction will be aided via Google Classroom and Nearpod to support continuity of learning. Students will engage with the same teachers through distance learning as they will for in person. Special Education students and English Language Learners students will receive services in accordance with their IEPs and ILPs. All schools will continue sports through the guidance of TSSAA. Other extracurricular activities will be provided virtually, including the free after school program.
“Our students, teachers, and parents are all receiving training and onboarding to prepare for distance learning,” says Jocquell Rodgers, Director of Community Engagement. “We’ll be focused on reducing barriers to learning as we support student performance and what are important needs to families during distance learning.”
GDPST will continue to work closely with officials, while also hosting working groups and regular virtual community meetings to receive input from stakeholders including parents, teachers, staff, students and community partners.
The full plan can be found here. This applies to all GDPST schools: Bluff City High, Fairley High, Hillcrest High, Wooddale Middle, and Kirby Middle.
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Green Dot Public Schools is a national charter school network of 25 Title I middle and high public schools in California and Tennessee that are purposefully located in the highest-need communities. Our mission is to transform the landscape of public education so all students graduate prepared for college, leadership, and life.