SCS considering weekend school days and summer classes to make up for lost time

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County School parents and students can expect big changes this fall all due to the coronavirus pandemic.

FOX13’s Kirstin Garriss found out the contingency plan for the new school year.

Shelby County School Superintendent Joris Ray said safety is the district’s top priority as they reopen schools.

Now, he has created a new Re-Entry Rask Force to address social distancing and even virtual learning

Ray said our new normal with COVID-19 will require re-imagining how to reopen schools.

“Is likely that a hybrid model of in-person and distanced learning will be necessary throughout the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year,” he said.

The district has created the new Re-Entry Task Force to develop it’s “strategic action for flexible education” plan or SAFE.

Ray said the task force will tackle these five priorities that include re-entry protocols for students, teachers and staff, transportation and meal distribution, loss of classroom time, social-emotional learning support and community feedback.

WATCH: SCS considering weekend school days and summer classes to make up for lost time WATCH: SCS considering weekend school days and summer classes to make up for lost time

“Utilizing inventions such as extending the school year, extending the day, before and after school tutoring,” Ray said.

Ray said the task force will meet weekly and includes SCS parents, students, health care professionals, business leaders and city and county officials

It’ll be led by Assistant Superintendent Reggie Jackson, who said they’ll consider a series of scenarios to keep everyone safe.

“We will also have to consider staggered schedules for our students in an effort to make certain our buildings aren’t too crowded, we also may have to consider a complete online movement where we only have a few students inside of buildings at a given time,” Jackson said.

Ray said they have another advisory group discussing how to address the digital divide within the district.

Additionally, he said the district will host three community sessions where parents and students can weigh on the task force’s progress.

Ray said the district is eligible for funding from the Federal CARES Act but during Monday’s press conference, he didn’t specify how much the district could receive.

More on the coronavirus

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