Public school students in Huntsville, Madison County and Madison will be returning to the classroom next month, officials said today.
All three systems had planned to do remote learning for the first nine weeks, which would have been up Oct. 23. But because of improving COVID-19 numbers in Madison County, the districts all announced Friday they would begin returning to the classroom about a month earlier than planned.
Huntsville says its students will return by grade level starting the week of Sept. 14 with students pre-K through grade 8. Students in grades 9-12 will return the week of Sept. 21. They will return in a staggered schedule. See the announcement here.
“The hallmark of our plans surrounding a phased and staggered re-entry is the flexibility to adjust to the public health situation,” said HCS Superintendent Christie Finley.
Huntsville school officials said they “made the decision to return students to school after witnessing improvements in the public health situation in North Alabama. Additionally, the decision was made in conjunction with local health and city officials.”
Huntsville said its virtual school students - those enrolled in the new Huntsville Visual Academy - will continue in their virtual education programs.
Madison City Schools will also begin the return to school in phases after Labor Day, Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols said. Nichols explained in the video below.
Madison City’s re-entry schedule is as follows:
Elementary schools (Pre-K thru 5th grade) will start Tuesday, Sept. 8 on an A-B rotating schedule, divided by last name. The “A” group will attend Tuesday/Thursday and “B” group on Wednesday/Friday). Elementary will then go to a full 5-days-a-week schedule beginning Sept. 14 and so on.
Middle schools (grades 6-8) will begin a two-week, A-B rotating schedule on Sept. 14, with Wednesdays being an all-virtual day where no students will be in school. The “A” group will meet Mondays/Thursdays and “B” group on Tuesdays/Fridays. The all-virtual Wednesdays will also allow time for a deep cleaning of the schools. Middle Schools will go to the 5-days-a-week schedule starting Sept. 28.
High schools (9-12) will start an A-B rotation the week of Sept. 21 and continue the week of Sept. 28, with Wednesdays remaining an all-virtual day. Meeting days will be the same as middle schools: “A” group on Mondays/Thursdays and “B” on Tuesdays/Fridays.
Following the fall break holiday of Oct. 5-9, Madison City Schools plan to have all school-based learners on the normal full week schedule. That depends on the COVID-19 status and Alabama Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control guidance and protocols.
Madison County said Friday afternoon that county schools will also start Sept. 14 with a “transition week.” Students with last names from A-K will attend on campus Monday Sept. 14 and Tuesday Sept. 15 and attend remotely Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of that week. Students with last names from L-Z will attend remotely Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of that week and on campus Thursday and Friday.
All Madison County students will start traditional full weeks on campus with normal hours Monday-Friday on Sept. 21. Remote instruction will continue for students that selected that option.
(This story has been updated throughout the day with new information)