News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The directors of both the Clay and White County School Systems agree with Governor Bill Lee’s recommendations to keep schools closed.
Clay School Director Matt Eldridge said Wednesday’s announcement did not surprise him.
“Well that’s what most of us thought would happen, and one reason is there not being a cure for this yet, it’d be hard for them to come back in just a year with them already having grades finalized. There wouldn’t be much during those last two weeks to do,” Eldridge said.
White County Director Kurt Dronebarger said the schools will follow the governor’s recommendation.
“It certainly gives us a little bit of closure, at least it gives us a path now that we can follow, we know where we’re headed towards the end of the school year but there’s still a lot of unanswered questions about grades, graduations, ceremonies, activities and things like that now are going to have to be realized and answered at this point,” Dronebarger said.
Eldridge said next school year should begin on time if not earlier. He said the district plans to bring in small groups of teachers over early summer to plan out the next academic year.
“We may have to go back a little bit farther and start a little earlier in what we’re going to teach them,” Eldridge said. “So that’s what we’ll do probably, have a couple in service days, professional development days, to look into areas we need to, and where we’ll need to, begin.”
Dronebarger said the concern about an academic gap from this shutdown leading into summer break is real. Dronebarger said the gap could carry on over the next calendar year.
Online work and packets will continue in the White County Schools until May 22. Dronebarger said food programs will also continue until May 22 and could expand through the summer.
Cumberland County Schools Director Janet Graham said the school system has begun discussing how to honor seniors, planning summer school, and how to begin the new school year.
“This is a decision that weighs heavily on the heart of educators and we know there will be significant implications as a result of this extended closure. Our administrative team will be hard at work in planning for the closing of a school year in a truly non-traditional way,” Graham said.
