Morgan County Schools, Welcome Back! Dear Parents, Teachers, Staff, and Community Members, It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2020-2021 school year.  I am confident that this will be a school year that we will all remember and tell wonderful stories about for years to come.  The members of the Morgan County Board of Education and the central office staff are working with the Alabama State Department of Education, the Morgan County Health Department, the Alabama Department of Public Health, and other state and local officials to make this year as productive and safe as possible for you and your child.  This year will look differently from other years, but we hope that the outcome for each student will be academic success. Morgan County Schools will always work to provide a safe learning environment for their students, staff and community.  The system has worked diligently to review and develop options for parents to choose the best learning opportunities for their children. I would like to thank all of the parents, teachers, custodians, principals, and directors of the COVID-19 Taskforce for their valuable input during this transition. Our focus has been on how students can not only learn in the school building, but how to continue their learning from home and other venues. This is an overview of our back-to-school plan. You can read the complete plan at www.morgank12.org/plan. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your local school or email mcschools@morgank12.org. We ask for your patience and help as we all work to make this a very successful school year. Respectfully, Dee O. Fowler, Ed.D. Interim Superintendent  All schools will open for the fall semester on August 12, 2020   MCS Traditional Learning Weekly Schedule Monday and Tuesday • All students will be on campus Wednesday • All campuses closed and students will continue course work from home • Teachers will work remotely from home developing lessons and contacting parents/students as needed to assist with remote learning • FULL campus, room, bus, and building DEEP cleaning and sanitizing with emphasis on electrostatic sanitizing solutions Thursday and Friday • All students will be on campus Facial Coverings • Facial coverings are expected to be a needed supply for attending school this year, students who have their own tend to be more mindful of theirs.  • Students, staff, parents and visitors on campus will be required to wear facial coverings at all times when practical.  • Schools will have available facial coverings on an as needed basis. Challenge. Inspire. Lead. Challenge. Making the Best Decision for Each Student Inspire. Lead. Determining the best teaching/learning model for each child is a decision that each parent should make considering the child’s abilities, risks of exposure to family members, familiarity with technology, and past positive experiences.  Please know that your child’s school team will be more than pleased to help you, while you are weighing the decision. Students will be expected to remain with their chosen teaching learning model for the following lengths of time.  Elementary and middle school students will remain on their chosen path until the end of a nine week grading period, unless school administrators and parents agree a change is needed.  High school students are expected to stay until the end of the semester.  It is expected that parents and school officials should monitor the progress of children in their chosen model, and evaluate the success of the learning model chosen. Fall 2020 School Options Prior to the opening of schools parents will need to decide which learning model will work best for their child.  Parents may choose from the following options:  traditional learning, remote/off-campus learning, or virtual learning (see definitions below).   Each school will send guidance on forms to select the best option for your child and deadlines for completing the form. T V R B Traditional Learning Remote/off-Campus Learning Students learn in the school building with a Morgan County Schools teacher present. Students learn at home through online instruction provided by Morgan County Schools teachers. Virtual Learning Blended Learning Students learn at home through online instruction provided by educators outside of Morgan County. This method will occur when a student is quarantined or schools are closed.  This model is a combination of traditional learning and off campus learning. Virtual Learning Students learn at home through online instruction provided by educators outside of Morgan County. This model should only be selected after consulting and receiving approval from the child's’ local school. Challenge. Inspire. Lead. VL VL This learning model is for highly motivated students. VL VL Students will independently work and take ownership of their learning.