As students and teachers celebrate the last official days of an unprecedented school year, marred by school closures and the challenges of virtual learning, education leaders are already grappling with what school might look like for thousands of Tennessee students in the fall.
When and if schools do physically reopen is still a debate nationally. As President Donald Trump encourages schools to reopen this fall, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and the nation’s top medical expert during the coronavirus pandemic, cautioned leaders against moving too quickly.
With Gov. Bill Lee and local governments’ efforts to reopen the state this month, most Tennessee school districts are planning for school to take place this fall, but many are also planning for multiple scenarios or even phases and most say that school will look very different.
‘Systems will be transformed forever’
Staggered lunch times, social-distanced classrooms with desks spaced 6 feet apart, temperature checks, face masks – the very logistics of running a school building this fall will be a challenge, local district leaders say.