The 2021-22 School Year calendar options have been drafted and will be approved on January 14, 2020. We would like to know your opinion on which calendar option works best for your family. Please click on the link below to see the calendar options and then fill out the survey that selects the one that fits you and your family best. Thank you for taking the time to give us your opinion. Survey will close on 1/13/21 at 4:00PM.
https://forms.gle/GFWwauMBLbRAEUTY7
As a reminder, all students eat free until the end of the 2020-21 School Year! We will be continuing to offer meal delivery on Friday’s due to the extension of off-campus learning. A meal request must be submitted each week by Thursday at 12:00 noon to ensure a meal delivery on Friday by completing the online meal survey or by contacting the school cafeteria manager. Click below to access the meal delivery request:
https://forms.gle/epCrAzVYj6yUprS29
The Tennessee Department of Health has released updated guidance on releasing cases and contacts from isolation and quarantine regarding COVID-19. Please click the link to review the full guidance. The list below is a summary of the changes:
NON-HOUSEHOLD CONTACTS Non-household contacts must be quarantined after exposure to a case, regardless of whether the case was symptomatic. TDH and CDC recommend a 14-day quarantine. Acceptable alternatives to a 14-day quarantine include:
• after Day 10 (returning to regular activities on Day 11) without testing if the contact does not have symptoms.
• after Day 7 (returning to regular activities on Day 8) if the contact does not have symptoms and if they test negative by a PCR or antigen (rapid) test collected after Day 5. Continue to self-monitor for symptoms and wear a face mask through Day 14.
• If they go the route of getting a negative PCR or antigen (rapid) test, we will need proof of that test to allow them back before the 10 days are up.
Link to updated guidance: https://5il.co/nlkk
Digital Learning Academy Quarter 3 Enrollment is open until December 11, 2020 (5:00 PM close). Any student that wants to participate in the Academy for Quarter 3 must register by 5:00PM on Friday 12/11/2020. Students that are currently enrolled and want to continue with off-campus instruction through the Academy must re-enroll.
If you plan for your student to return to on-campus instruction, Quarter 3 starts January 4, 2021 (full day of instruction). There is no need to contact the school and let them know that you plan to return your student to on-campus instruction. We will send a list of students to the school that did not re-enroll in the DL Academy for Quarter 3.
Please remember, we will not allow any student to transition in or out of the Digital Learning Academy after the enrollment deadline (5:00PM December 11, 2020). If you choose to enroll your student, he/she will remain a Digital Learning Academy student for the entire Quarter 3. We will also not allow any student to transition from on-campus to Digital Learning Academy after the deadline.
Decisions of how your student will receive instruction for Quarter 3 must be made by Friday, December 11 at 5:00PM.
Digital Learning Academy Quarter 3 Registration Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HJB29RX
Digital Learning Academy Information: https://www.gcssd.org/page/digital-learning-academy
According to guidelines set forth by the TN Department of Health, COVID-19 testing refers to SARS-CoV-2 PCR. Negative antigen (rapid tests), and antibody tests are not approved for return to school.
We have been instructed NOT to accept a Rapid negative COVID test for school return. Notify your healthcare provider that we do not accept Rapid COVID tests.
Also, diagnoses of respiratory and viral conditions such as allergic rhinitis, seasonal allergies, upper respiratory tract infection (URI), pneumonia, pharyngitis without positive strep test, etc., DO NOT exclude the diagnosis of COVID-19 and DO NOT justify return to school.
GCSSD continues to offer meal pick-up or delivery on Fridays until the end of the semester. You must sign up by 12:00 noon each Thursday to be guaranteed a meal that Friday. As a reminder, all GCSSD students eat free until December 31, 2020!
Please use the correct link below to reserve a meal for your student(s):
GCHS: https://forms.gle/9JoWpeGrhcuMoGy79
KES: https://forms.gle/7DUJskjBtcJNQQXe6
RES: https://forms.gle/qTzG4VadLo5q156G9
DES: https://forms.gle/oJWYJfRjstUM76rz7
YES: https://forms.gle/udeJvqPrUpnz6Uui6
SHS: https://forms.gle/kuFBa9PnppCXUTrc7
SGCES: https://forms.gle/HnR6duN4YyXPyYRx6
SGCMS: https://forms.gle/hTRVRMfgRjagzGbs6
SGCHS: https://forms.gle/FtLa7oXTJa5x65vo7
Digital Learning Academy Quarter 2 Enrollment is open until 12:00 Noon today. Any student that wants to participate in the Academy for Quarter 2 must register by 12:00 Noon. Students that are currently enrolled and want to continue with off-campus instruction through the Academy must re-enroll.
Digital Learning Academy Quarter 2 Registration Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BDZJLTP
Digital Learning Academy Information: https://www.gcssd.org/o/gcssd/page/digital-learning-academy
Sunday, 10/4/2020 at a special called School Board meeting, the board voted unanimously to continue the full Friday planning sessions. They plan to revisit this issue during the December board meeting.
Digital Learning Academy 2nd Quarter open enrollment will be October 2-12, 2020. Any student that wants to participate in the Digital Learning Academy for the 2nd Quarter must register via the link below. All current Digital Learning Academy students must re-register if they plan to participate 2nd Quarter. Check out website News or social media websites for more information.
Digital Learning Academy Quarter 2 Registration Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BDZJLTP
Digital Learning Academy Information: https://www.gcssd.org/o/gcssd/page/digital-learning-academy
USDA has released COVID-19 flexibilities to allow ALL children 18 years and under to receive free breakfast and lunch through the school meal program. This decision will help ensure children have access to nutritious meals as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new flexibility is effective September 1, 2020, and will extend through December 31, 2020. Check out the News section for more information!
Dyer School will offer meal delivery / pick-up to enrolled students during the off-campus learning period on Fridays only starting this Friday until October 16, 2020. To request a meal during this period, please fill click the link below to fill out a form each week to guarantee a meal.
Meal Form: https://forms.gle/sbhwkBSeVuQd4vUWA
Thank you for a great first week of learning for all students at GCSSD. Due to the number of COVID-19 cases not declining as rapidly as we had hoped, we are adjusting enrollment for the Digital Learning Academy. Enrollment for the Digital Learning Academy will always remain open allowing a student to transition into the Academy at any time. If you would like to transition your student to the Academy, email the Director of Schools, Eddie Pruett (epruett@gcssd.org) with the required information below. Once approved, your student will continue in-person instruction until the student’s teacher or principal alerts them that it is time to transition. From that point forward, the student will remain as a Digital Learning Academy student for the remainder of the 9 weeks. All Digital Learning Academy students will re-register each 9 weeks. As a reminder, GCSSD feels that on-campus learning is best for all students but we understand that you, as a guardian, know which learning environment is best for your student and family.
If you choose to transition your student, you must:
- Have reliable internet connection.
- Your own personal device (with keyboard).
- Email Eddie Pruett at epruett@gcssd.org with the student name, grade, and school.
In an effort to make Schoology sign-in more user friendly, I have updated the log-in process while Schoology was down this afternoon.
Students will utilize their GCSSD username (NOT the full email) and their GCSSD password to log in to Schoology from this point forward. This change will allow multiple users to log in to one computer much easier as the log-in credentials will not be saved.
EXAMPLE:
gcssd.schoology.com
UN: caseya
PW: ac2345
Additional help located at: https://www.gcssd.org/o/gcssd/page/schoology-lms
Thank you to everyone who completed the survey. Based on your input, the GCSSD School Board voted to go with Option 5 (All students at home on Fridays for the first nine weeks). We had 2,108 survey responses in less than 24 hours.
This option will allow our staff additional time to build out lessons that will be used for the Digital Learning Academy. Off-campus learning on Fridays will not start until 8/28 and will continue through 10/16. Teachers will work with their students to give them assignments that they will need to complete while they are at home on Fridays. This could be through the Learning Management System or through instructional materials that are sent home. We understand that not all students have a device at home or internet access. Teachers will provide instructional materials for all students to ensure learning continues on Friday. Additionally, on Fridays until 10/16, students meals will be offered for parent pick-up and home delivery.
I know this is a major change. However, when we were originally developing the Digital Learning Academy in mid-July, we had 280 students enrolled. Once the decision was made to wear masks, our numbers increased to 650. At that point, the plan we had in place for 280 students was not possible. Therefore, we had to think through how best to manage the difficult situation we found ourselves in. Again, thank you for filling out the survey and helping us with that difficult decision. We also appreciate your patience as we try to ensure all students continue to learn. We are so proud of our staff as they continue to rise to the occasion to ensure each student at GCSSD has all their needs met.
Eddie Pruett
The COVID-19 releasing household contacts from isolation & quarantine has been updated. This is a major change. Please review page 15 of the Reopening Plan at: https://5il.co/i86m
The board is requesting feedback to help determine the option they take to give teachers additional planning time, to be used to develop digital learning content, during the first nine weeks. We realize that the decision will impact families and the board wanted to get your feedback. The board votes on 8/18 so we apologize for the quick turnaround.
Option 1 - School will be dismissed at 2 each day. (first 9 weeks)
Option 2 - Students will dismiss at 11:30 on Fridays. (first 9 weeks)
Option 3 - Students will attend Fridays on an A/B schedule. (every other Friday for the first 9 weeks)
Option 4 - Students attending is optional on Fridays. Families that do not have childcare can register for them to attend. Students that do not attend will use the learning management system. (first 9 weeks)
Option 5 - All students will stay home on Fridays and use the learning management system. (first 9 weeks)
Link to survey: https://forms.gle/ZT6caVHfkvCspMB39
The board is requesting feedback to help determine the option they take to give teachers additional planning time, to be used to develop digital learning content, during the first nine weeks. We realize that the decision will impact families and the board wanted to get your feedback. The board votes on 8/18 so we apologize for the quick turnaround.
Option 1 - School will be dismissed at 2 each day. (first 9 weeks)
Option 2 - Students will dismiss at 11:30 on Fridays. (first 9 weeks)
Option 3 - Students will attend Fridays on an A/B schedule. (every other Friday for the first 9 weeks)
Option 4 - Students attending is optional on Fridays. Families that do not have childcare can register for them to attend. Students that do not attend will use the learning management system. (first 9 weeks)
Option 5 - All students will stay home and use the learning management system. (first 9 weeks)
Link to survey: https://forms.gle/ZT6caVHfkvCspMB39
GCSSD on-campus instruction will start Monday, August 17, at a Level 3. Students will be required to wear a mask.
Digital Learning Academy start date has been moved to August 24, 2020 to allow teachers more time to prepare content.
We are excited for the start of school! Please continue to follow COVID-19 CDC guidelines to help us work together to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of students, teachers, staff, their families, and communities.
- Stay away from work, school, or other people if you become sick
- Wear your mask in public
- Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth
- Sneeze or cough? Cover your mouth
- Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily
These are the most important actions that will support schools safe reopening and will help them stay open.
https://youtu.be/z067y5-KUQI
Go to the Dyer School Facebook Page to check out our virtual open house information!
The Digital Learning Academy Handbook is now available for DL students and parents to review. Please click the link below to access. A timeline is available within the document to ensure all DL students are ready to begin August 17, 2020!
https://5il.co/j8et