Metro Nashville Public Schools students will remain remote after MLK Day
Meghan MangrumMetro Nashville Public Schools officials reiterated Friday that schools will still be closed after Jan. 18 and students will remain at home, learning virtually as COVID-19 continues to spread in the community.
Many parents and families have criticized the district in recent days for a lack of communication or clear plan for students to return to the classroom.
Director of Schools Adrienne Battle gave an update during a school board meeting Tuesday on the district's plan to remain closed for in-person learning until the district's COVID-19 risk score drops below a seven out of 10.
"As of yesterday, that number is at 8.7 due to the uncontrolled spread of the virus throughout our city and state," Battle said in an email to families Friday.
"As a reminder, three metrics that are reported daily inform the risk score, and as of Thursday the transmission rate was at 1.01, the 7-day average positivity rate was at 17.8%, and the 7-day average of new cases per 100,000 residents was at 98.7," Battle said. "The positivity rate and cases per 100,000 residents in particular are both critically high and need to drop significantly to make enough progress in the risk score to safely phase students back into the classroom."
All Metro Nashville Public Schools have been closed since Thanksgiving as COVID-19 cases surged across the state. Students in pre-K through fourth grade and students with disabilities were able to briefly return last fall before the district halted its phase-in reopening plan.
Middle school and high school students have not been inside a classroom in-person since schools closed last spring at the beginning of the pandemic.
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Districts across the state have grappled with opening and closing schools thanks to staffing challenges, outbreaks within schools and overall transmission of the virus.
Three of the state's four largest school districts, including Shelby County Schools, Metro Schools and Hamilton County Schools in Chattanooga remain closed since classes resumed after winter break. Of the four largest districts, only Knox County Schools has reopened in-person.
Some parents frustrated with district communication
As schools have remained virtual, many parents have continued to call for them to reopen, taking their frustrations to social media and even school board meetings.
GraceAnn Visser, a mother of three, said whether or not schools should reopen, she is disappointed with how the district has communicated changes with parents.
"The very least that we deserve is to be communicated with," Visser said. "I know that we as parents deserve truthful communication. There has been so much trust that has been violated."
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Before Friday's announcement, Visser said her family had received information about when to pick up meals and homework packets from their children's schools next week but hadn't gotten a clear answer to whether schools would reopen.
She and other parents also noticed the YMCA adding dates through March for its child care and virtual learning support programs.
"I need information to make decisions," Visser said. "Without information I'm flying completely blind."
Megan Callender, also the mother of three young Metro Schools students, said many parents are anxiously watching how the districts makes decisions but feels the district's choice hasn't been clear.
She sent an email to school board members this week, sharing her concerns.
"You have shaken our faith in MNPS to the core. I know a lot of people who are watching and waiting to see what happens this year before they decide what to do next year," Callender said in her email. "Your inaction and inability to make a clear, safe and conscientious choice during this time is leaving a stain on our schools and in turn our city that will be here long after the virus is contained. You must be decisive and act now."
Resources for families
The district will continue to monitor Nashville's metrics daily and update the risk score "to give families and staff an idea of when our community context will be safe enough to allow for in-person instruction," Battle said in her email to families.
While schools are closed for in-person learning, school meals are still available to all children age 18 and under at both school locations and along bus routes.
The district also continues to operate four virtual help centers area high schools. The centers are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the following locations:
- Glencliff High School, 160 Antioch Pike
- Maplewood High School, 410 Walton Lane
- Overton High School, 4820 Franklin Road
- Pearl-Cohn High School, 904 26th Ave. N.
For more information, visit: www.mnps.org/playbook-meals.
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Meghan Mangrum covers education for the USA TODAY Network — Tennessee. Contact her at mmangrum@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter @memangrum.