Back to school in Nashville: What to know about COVID-19 policies, school safety and more
Metro Nashville students start school on Monday. The 2022-23 school year brings a few changes for children across the district. Here's a guide on what you need to know.
COVID-19 Policies
COVID policies only have a couple of adjustments this year. Masks are still encouraged for students and staff but won’t be required. Vaccines will also be encouraged but not required. The school nurse team has rapid testing and will do any contact tracing. For positive tests, students and staff will follow the CDC guidelines.
Changing this year is how parents are notified of exposures. Exposures will be notified to classrooms instead of schoolwide as they have been in the past.
Another change is students will be counted as absent for the days they are out like with any other illness. In the past, a student could do virtual learning and be considered present, but those rules expired during the 2021-22 school year.
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Still hiring
As the new year begins, Nashville schools are still looking to hire teachers, bus drivers, and paraprofessionals. As of Sunday, there were 189 full-time positions open, but some were in the hiring process. English, math, and science teachers are in high demand. The district is also looking for exceptional education and middle school teachers.
The district is short 75 bus drivers but was seeing an increase in applications this year, attributed in part to the wage increase of $16.85 per hour to $22.25. While the district waits to fill those positions, drivers will use strategies such as A/B routes, combining routes, or having CDL-trained staff drive.
Fifth grade in elementary schools
The list of elementary schools that will have fifth graders will expand this year. Nashville schools announced last year that they would begin transitioning fifth grades out of middle schools and back into elementary schools.
The district now has 33 elementary schools using the K-5 grade model. The plan is to have all schools use the K-5 and 6-8 grade models by the 2024-25 school year. Once those transitions are complete, the district will begin shifting magnet schools.
Middle schools transitioning to 6-8:
Margaret Allen Middle School
West End Middle School
H.G. Hill Middle School
Goodlettsville Middle School
Madison Middle School
Donelson Middle School
Dupont Hadley Middle School
Dupont Tyler Middle School
Two Rivers Middle School
Croft Middle School
Litton Middle School
Stratford Stem Middle School
Elementary school safety
Ahead of the new school year, Metro Nashville Public Schools and the Metro Nashville Police Department announced Tuesday there will be a higher police presence in and around elementary schools. Middle and high schools will continue to have school resource officers, and there will be a coordinated police presence at the magnet schools.
The move is part of the agencies' two-pronged school safety plan. This came as a surprise to some since earlier this summer MNPS announced they didn’t have plans to place SROs in elementary schools.
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"After the latest school shooting, we doubled down on working with Chief Drake to create a safer learning environment. Ambassadors will also help to keep everyone vigilant and alert while ensuring that teachers and staff can focus on their jobs," said Metro Schools director Adrienne Battle at a news conference.
Reporter Kenya Anderson can be reached at kanderson@gannett.com or on Twitter @KenyaAnderson32.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Back to school in Nashville: COVID-19 policies, safety, more
