2021-22 Safety and Health Update (May 19, 2021)

May 19, 2021

Please note: This article was originally posted during a previous school year. Information and/or dates from past events
may be not be relevant for the current school year.

Good afternoon, CMCSS families,

The district’s Communicable Disease Team (CDT) is releasing the health and safety protocols for summer programs and the 2021-2022 school year based on updated guidance, recommendations, research, and requirements. The updated protocols will take effect on June 1, 2021. Current protocols will remain in effect until then. For high school graduations, CMCSS is following APSU’s guidelines for the Dunn Center, which includes a mask requirement and reduced capacities.

The following are a few of the significant changes effective June 1, 2021:

• Face Masks: In accordance with the CDC’s guidance that fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask, CMCSS strongly encourages students, employees, and visitors who are not vaccinated to wear face coverings in common areas and when physical distancing cannot be maintained anywhere in a building or on transportation. At this time, there will not be a universal face-mask requirement for students, employees, and visitors effective June 1, 2021.
• Continuum of Learning: In accordance with the TN State Board of Education’s rule and the expiration of Continuous Learning Plans, CMCSS will no longer transition schools and/or the district to remote learning. For students who cannot attend in-person instruction due to quarantines, the district will work with families on a case-by-case basis to ensure students have access to instruction at home.
• Field Trips, Mass Gatherings & Out-of-State Travel: In-person field trips, mass gatherings (such as assemblies and pep rallies), and out-of-state, school- or district-sponsored travel for students and employees will be reviewed for approval on a case-by-case basis.

Please note that at this time the rules on isolation and quarantines from the Tennessee Department of Health and the Montgomery County Health Department are still in place. Schools are still required to conduct contact tracing and exclude unvaccinated students and employees who are close contacts to a positive case from the school environment. CMCSS will continue to keep families updated on this requirement.

To view all of the health and safety protocols for summer 2021 and the 2021-22 school year, click here. Please note that the protocols take effect June 1, 2021 are subject to change based on future updates to local, state, or national guidance or mandates.

As a reminder, the last half day of school for CMCSS students will be next Wed., May 26. Due to graduation schedules, high school students only will be remote Mon., May 24 through Wed., May 26, as previously announced by each high school. However, high school students in self-contained special populations classrooms will report for in-person learning on May 24 and 25.