This page provides previous updates from TCSS on our response to coronavirus/COVID-19. For the latest update from TCSS, please visit the page in this section that provides the latest update from TCSS.

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April 26, 2020

Below are answers to some of the common questions many of our students and families have right now. As you will see, decisions about activities beyond May will be based on guidance from the Alabama State Department of Education and Alabama Department of Public Health. While we do not have a definite timetable, indications are that we will know more from the State Department of Education and the Alabama Department of Public Health very soon. Regardless of any easing of gathering restrictions, all school facilities in Alabama will remain closed for in-person instruction through the end of this school year. Our Academic Continuity Plan will continue through the last day of the year on May 21, 2020.

When will kindergarten registration be held?

A new date has not yet been determined for kindergarten registration. Once a new date is set, that will be communicated through the TCSS web site and through our schools.

Will TCSS hold high school graduation ceremonies?

Graduation ceremonies will not be held in May, as originally planned. TCSS has developed a plan for holding graduation ceremonies later this summer, if guidance from the Alabama Department of Public Health allows us to do so. Read the full plan on this page.

Will TCSS offer in-person summer learning and/or credit recovery programs this year?

At this time, we do not know. That will be determined by further guidance from the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Alabama Department of Education. Once we have that guidance, we will share more information through our web site and through our schools.

Some schools typically offer summer day camps and other programs. Will those be held this year?

At this time, we do not know. That will be determined by further guidance from the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Alabama Department of Education. Once we have that guidance, schools that typically hold those programs will share more information.

My student left personal items at school. How do I get those?

Individual schools will provide information about how to get those items as soon as the Alabama Department of Public Health eases orders for gatherings. We expect and hope for that to be determined in early May.

How will tryouts be held for sports and activities for next school year?

Any tryouts held in May must be virtual. Schools will provide more specific information about any virtual tryouts. For any activities beyond May, we will follow guidance from the Alabama Department of Public Health and Alabama State Department of Education, as that guidance becomes available. 

How will grades be determined for this school year?

Students in grades K-11, with a passing grade at the end of the third nine weeks, will be considered to have successfully completed their grade or course. For a final course grade, students will receive their third nine weeks grade OR an average of their grades for the first, second, and third nine weeks, whichever of the two options is a higher grade. If the student does not have a passing grade through either option, schools are working with those students to determine next steps. Contact your school for more information.   

Seniors with passing grades at the end of the third nine weeks, and who had completed all graduation requirements up to that point, will be considered to have met all graduation requirements. Final course grades will be determined in the same way as those for students in grades K-11. Schools are working with seniors without passing grades or who had not met graduation requirements to determine next steps. Contact your school for more information.

As stated in our TCSS Academic Continuity Plan, the paper learning packets distributed to students will not be collected. These resources are being provided to help our students keep learning, while our school buildings are closed.

When will high school transcripts be available for 2020 seniors?

Transcripts will not be available until June.

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April 5, 2020

Dear Families, 

Let me begin by saying that our entire staff of over 2,200 educators shares your great disappointment in being unable to complete the 2019-2020 school year within our buildings and working closely with your children. The final nine weeks period is one that is filled with many extensions of learning through field trips, culminating activities from units of study, athletic contests, fine arts performances, awards programs, proms, and yes, senior graduation. In order to be able to support student learning at home for this final period, our school system has developed our TCSS Academic Continuity Plan. (Please click the linked file to see the entire plan.)

As our school system team has met and developed these plans and considered the last nine weeks of the year, we realize that our planning must extend much further. Please know that our efforts are being focused on three phases of work.

1. Providing educational resources to all families and a plan for all to complete the 2019-2020 academic year in the best manner possible.
2. Preparing for summer learning opportunities for students who may have fallen behind or need that extra attention to be ready for the 2020-2021 school year. At this time, we have no way of knowing whether or not we will be allowed to provide any type of summer programs. However, although summer learning opportunities may be limited, plans are being developed in the event we are able to do so.
3. Designing intensive efforts for the 2020-2021 school year. This includes quick and early assessments of students upon their return; focuses instruction on critical content standards; provides timely intervention as needed; and maximizes instructional time. Fortunately, our instructional work in the Tuscaloosa County School System is guided through professional learning communities of teachers who already understand the strength of collaboration and planning in content-alike teams. This work will allow our teachers to close gaps and recover lost instructional time as we return to school this fall.

A high priority in our planning has been for seniors in the Class of 2020. There is specific information for seniors who will be deemed to have completed all requirements of the Alabama State Department of Education for graduation and how we will work to assist those who may not be on track to graduate. Information about graduation ceremonies is also includes in our Academic Continuity Plan. 

Parents and families, let me say how much we appreciate you, your children, and the support you give our schools every day. While we may not be ending the school year as any of us had hoped, I am confident that we will come out on the other side of this event stronger and our children will have a very bright future. Thank you for your patience and please continue to practice safe and healthy habits during this critical period.

Sincerely, 

Walter W. Davie, Ed.D.

Superintendent

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March 31, 2020

Dear TCSS Families,

I hope you are staying safe and well during this time. Although our educators are disappointed that we will not return to a traditional school setting this year, we value nothing more than the health and safety of our TCSS community. During this time, I encourage you to practice the healthy habits and social distancing that medical experts say is so important right now. And even though our school buildings are closed, TCSS is moving forward together.

Right now, our educators are working hard to finalize the pieces of our Academic Continuity Plan, which takes effect Monday, April 6, and runs through the end of our school year. Throughout this week, we will share many more details of the plan and answer the questions I know you have. However, I want to go ahead and share some key points with you.

• Guidance from the Alabama State Department of Education gives TCSS flexibility in designing an Academic Continuity Plan that works best for our school system. Our plan involves blended learning – primarily paper packets of learning materials, supplemented by online resources for those who have access. However, devices and the ability to access the internet will not be required for students to continue learning.

• Even though our students will be at home for the remainder of the school year, the learning will still be teacher-led. Families, you are not in this alone! I know many of our families and students are dealing with a great deal of stress and anxiety right now. Please know our intention is not to add to the stress you are already feeling. We want to provide resources to keep our students engaged, promote learning, and maintain our connection with our students and families.

• The packets and materials students receive will be selected by their teachers and created by their individual schools. Schools will provide information about how students will receive the packets. In addition, Homework Help Lines will be available at each school, and teachers will make direct contact by phone with students and families, on a continuing basis. Much more information is to come on the specifics of all of this. Be sure you’re watching our TCSS web site, listening to automated phone calls, and monitoring all the ways your school typically communicates with you.

• The packets and learning materials students receive will target critical learning standards for each grade/course, which is determined by the Alabama State Department of Education. We will provide more information about these standards to our families.

• The plan will provide resources for English Language Learners and Special Education students.

• Although our faculty and staff members are working from home when possible, our Academic Continuity Plan will require faculty and staff to be in school buildings for essential duties to serve students. We are using staggered work schedules and promoting social distancing at all times, keeping these needs in mind as we develop our Academic Continuity Plan. Not only are we concerned about the health of our students, but also our faculty and staff.

• We are continuing our Grab & Go Meals. These meals are free to anyone age 18 and under, who is present to receive the meals. Continue to watch our web site for any updates on times and locations.

• Within our Academic Continuity Plan will also be counseling, social work, and mental health resources for students. We realize many of our students rely on our schools for these services, and we are working to continue meeting these needs, especially during this time.

• Although this is a difficult time for all of us, I know it comes with added disappointment for our seniors. Seniors are a priority to us, and our Academic Continuity Plan will address specific concerns for this year’s graduating class. If we are not able to have graduation ceremonies on the scheduled dates, schools will hold graduation ceremonies this summer, if we are able to hold large gatherings safely at that time. Right now, it is just too early to know those plans, but it is important to us to celebrate our graduating seniors however we are able to do so.

• Until we begin providing Academic Continuity Plan materials on Monday, there are resources available at tcss.net/covid19, for review and reinforcement. And remember, one of the most important things our students can do through all of this, at all grade levels, is keep reading!

There is much more information headed your way about the details of our Academic Continuity Plan, and we will continue to roll out information and answer questions as we go. Also, please continue to check our FAQ section of this site, as we add information there on a continual basis.

Remember, even though our school buildings are closed, we are moving forward together!

Sincerely,

Walter Davie, Ed.D.

Superintendent

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March 26, 2020

Dear TCSS Families,

Along with many of you, we learned just this afternoon that our students will not be returning to our school buildings this year. Also along with you, our administrators, teachers, and support staff are extremely disappointed, and we realize the implications this has for our families and community. However, we want you to know the Tuscaloosa County School System is with you moving forward. Right now, there are many unknowns, but in conjunction with the State Department of Education, our educators will work quickly to create a plan to continue our all of our students’ education. Please visit our TCSS web site in the coming days as we work to answer many questions and keep our families updated on how we will continue to serve our students. We will also communicate with you by phone calls and any other communication methods your school uses. Although this is devastating news for many of us, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our TCSS community. We will work through this and get through this together.

March 25, 2020

Dear TCSS Families, Faculty, and Staff,

Even with so many rapid changes and concerns developing over the past week, we hope our families were able to have some enjoyable time during Spring Break. We may not be together at our schools, but I want to assure you the Tuscaloosa County School System is still with you and here to support you, during this time of social distancing. The coronavirus situation continues to evolve quickly, and it is unlike anything we have experienced before. Therefore, our system’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) school closure will be continual, and we will introduce new measures of support to our families as we develop them. Our TCSS leaders and school administrators will all work together on our plan of support.  

As new resources are available to our families, they will be added to our tcss.net/covid19 web site. I encourage you to check this site frequently for updates. When developments warrant, we will place a call and/or send you a text through our automated messaging system. This system uses phone numbers that have been provided to us by parents and guardians. Currently on our site you will find: 

• a list of frequently asked questions regarding the school closure and coronavirus response.
• reinforcement and review packets for students in grades Pre-K through 5. Resources for students in grades 6 – 12 and for English Language Learners will soon be added.
• online learning resources for students in grades Pre-K through 8 and English Language Learners.
• a list of resources to find timely, expert information regarding coronavirus and slowing the spread of the virus.
• details, locations, and times of our Grab & Go free breakfast and lunch service. These meals are free to anyone age 18 and under and available at more than two dozen locations across our county. On just the first day of service, our employees and volunteers served more than 6,500 meals across all locations!

In addition to resources provided by the school system, your individual school may provide other resources for reinforcement and review of skills during the school closure. Please stay connected with your schools through any of the methods your school typically communicates with families (school web sites, school social media channels, classroom apps, automated phone calls, etc.) to receive this information during the school closure.

The Governor has ordered all Alabama public schools to be closed through Friday, April 3, with a target reopening date of Monday, April 6. The State Superintendent of Education has informed local school systems that we will know prior to April 3 if we will be allowed to reopen on April 6. If we are not able to reopen April 6, our plan of support for families will continue.

Many of you are also aware that TCSS is currently conducting a search for the next Superintendent and Chief School Financial Officer. Earlier this year, I announced my upcoming retirement effective May 31, and CSFO Mr. Danny Higdon announcement his upcoming retirement on March 31. Considering the current circumstances, Mr. Higdon and I have both offered to delay our retirements, and the Board of Education has accepted our offers. With the coronavirus pandemic and so many unknowns at this time, neither of us wanted to put the school system in a difficult situation, or leave the Board with an unreasonable timeline to find successors. You can learn more about this in the News & Annoucements section of our web site.

While we are all navigating through this difficult time, I encourage our families to focus on the healthy practices and social distancing that health experts say will slow the spread of coronavirus. Please reinforce this with your children, and help them understand this situation that is confusing for them, too. Know that our teachers, administrators, and support staff miss your children, and we all look forward to the time when we are back in school together.

Sincerely,

Walter W. Davie, Ed.D.

Superintendent

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March 23, 2020

Please visit the Grab & Go Breakfast and Lunch page for details on our meal service during the school closure. This begins Monday, March 23. These meals are free and available to anyone age 18 and under. Every child in the vehicle or at the walk-up site will receive the meals. Also, TCSS will communicate more information this week about plans to support learning during the school closure.

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March 13, 2020 - 7:20 p.m.

TCSS Families, Faculty, and Staff,

I know many of you are aware of the Governor’s annoucement this afternoon that all public schools in Alabama will be closed Thursday, March 19, through Friday, April 3, 2020. For TCSS, our plans for Spring Break remain in place for the week of March 16 - March 20. Therefore, our schools will effectively be closed March 16 through April 3.

During the period of closure, there will be no school activites of any kind, including athletic practices and events. All schools and the central office will be closed.

According to Alabama’s State Superintendent of Education, state education and health officials will assess the current COVID-19 situation in our state during the last week of the closure. At that time, they will determine if schools will be able to reopen on Monday, April 6.

I know this is unexpected for many of us, and creates a disruption to our normal routine, concerns for our families, and disappointment for students over canceled activites. However, state leaders made clear in today’s annoucement that this closure is a proactive and important step in slowing the transmission of the novel coronavirus, with the goal of lessening the impact on our state and community. As our state health and education officials stressed in today’s annoucement, it is important to use this time to avoid large gatherings and continue the healthy practices that reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses. 

Other important items to remember:

• Schools and school systems must report to the State any information about a student or staff member who has tested positive for COVID-19. If any of our students, families, faculty, or staff members test positive for COVID-19, we ask you to notify us by sending an email to report@tcss.net. Please be sure to include: (a) your full name; and (b) the name of your school. This is important in keeping our school communties safe and reducing the spread of the virus.
• If any our our students, faculty, or staff members travel overseas, please also notify us by sending an email to report@tcss.net. Please be sure to include: (a) your full name; and (b) the name of your school. Guidance from the CDC, regarding those who travel to areas with active transmission of the virus, remains in place.
• Since the Governor has declared a State of Emergency, the days we miss during this closure will not have to be made up.
• All earlier guidance remains in place through April 30, 2020. There will be no field trips in or out of state at least through April 30. This includes travel for any athletic event.

During Spring Break and the closure, we will update this site with any new information we need to communicate to our school communities.

Although the specific circumstances of this situation are new, our state and community has faced hardship before. Each time, we have emerged stronger and more prepared for the next challenge to come our way. This closure provides us an opportunity to promote the health and well-being of our own families, and also that of our friends and neighbors. Our school system leadership will be monitoring the COVID-19 situation throughout the closure, and we look forward to seeing our students, faculty, and staff back in school as soon as safely possible.

Sincerely,

Walter W. Davie, Ed.D.

Superintendent