We know that students achieve more when they are engaged in face-to-face learning. Our goal is to ensure all students remain in school. Our number one goal is to ensure our students are safe and healthy.  TCS will implement the following plan:

Stay Safe and Healthy

In Tuscaloosa City Schools

Human Behavior and Procedures

• Enter the building at the main entrance, with no families or non essential visitors entering. For example: students enter the building at only 1-2 sites and egress from other exits to keep traffic moving in a single direction.

• When possible, maintain three to six feet of separation between students and staff in all areas of the schools. Monitor traffic hallway pattern while maintaining three to six feet of separation as students/staff transition throughout the building.

• Continue to reinforce Hand Hygiene and Respiratory Etiquette- Teach and reinforce handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and/or the safe use of hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol by staff and older students.

• Follow ADPH guidelines on face coverings. Staff and students should use face coverings in the classroom and when leaving the classroom and entering general areas. Students wear face coverings according to TCS guidelines.

• Encourage staff and students to cough and sneeze into their elbows or to cover with a tissue. Used tissues should be thrown in the trash and hands washed immediately with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

• Monitor the number of student interns, volunteers, and other visitors in the building.

• School busing operations proceed normally unless otherwise indicated; handrails should be disinfected often. Students should face forward and not lean across seats. School buses will be cleaned at the end of each day. 

• Continue to sanitize frequently touched areas. It is strongly suggested that student desks should be wiped down with either an EPA-approved disinfectant or dilute bleach solution at the beginning and end of every day.

• Continue to disinfect between uses of communal spaces and/or close smaller areas.,  to minimize the risk of any airborne particles. 

• Keep students’ personal items separate and in individually labeled cubbies, containers, or lockers.

• Limit sharing of personal items and supplies such as writing utensils. Limit use of classroom materials to small groups and disinfect between uses or provide adequate supplies to assign for individual student use

• Where possible, health services work with local agencies to provide or connect employees and students with COVID-19 testing and tracing.

Scheduling Procedures

• Create schedules that allow for frequent hand-washings for staff and students.

• Schedule times for sanitizing and disinfecting classrooms, bathrooms, and common areas. It is strongly recommended that frequently touched surfaces including lights, doors, benches, bathrooms, etc., should undergo cleaning with either an EPA-approved disinfectant or dilute bleach solution (? cup bleach in 1 gallon of water) at least twice daily.

Physical Organization and Procedures

• Provide Signs and Messages- Post signs  in highly visible locations (e.g., school entrances, restrooms) that promote everyday protective measures and describe how to stop the spread of germs (such as properly washing hands and properly wearing face covering. 

• Broadcast regular announcements on reducing the spread of COVID-19 on PA systems. Include messages about behaviors that prevent the spread of COVID-19 when communicating with staff and families (such as on school websites, in emails, and on school social media accounts.

• Utilize sanitizing stations that are placed throughout the school and in classrooms. Systematically and frequently check and refill hand sanitizers.

• Where feasible, install physical barriers in reception areas and works spaces where the environment cannot accommodate social distancing.

• Classroom arrangement- Where possible, arrange classrooms in a way that ensures students are appropriately “distanced” For example: desks separated, skipping seats, smaller groupings for centers, desks all facing the same direction, etc.

• Disinfect classrooms and commonly touched surfaces daily-and possibly throughout the day.

• Disinfect between uses of communal spaces (libraries)  and/or close smaller areas, if possible, for 24 hours before cleaning to minimize the risk of any airborne particles. Libraries, computer labs, arts, and other hands-on classrooms should undergo standard cleaning procedures per normal operating status. 

• School campuses should undergo cleaning on a daily basis

• Sanitize playground equipment between uses. It is strongly suggested that playground equipment and athletic equipment can be cleaned with either an EPA-approved disinfectant or dilute bleach solution daily or more often if practical.

TCS will utilize an Equity Officer for the purpose/s of directing, planning, and coordinating equitable services that support closing the opportunity gap. Since many students do not have a means of transportation after school, bus transportation will be provided for after-school programs and tutoring to ensure ALL students are connected to activities outside of normal school hours. TCS will provide HOSA Translation Services to support students with limited English proficiency during Health Science Internships (HOSA) at DCH and other health care facilities. TCS will hire a community HUB coordinator. This community hub will serve students, families, and the community  by providing resources that will integrate student supports, expanded and enriched learning opportunities, collaborative leadership, and family and community engagement. TCS will hire additional intervention teachers to address academic learning loss and will provide direct intervention efforts to address the specific gaps of learning for all students.

Family engagement is a priority within TCS. Families are active participants in the life 

of the school, and feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to school staff, and

 to what students are learning and doing in class. TCS will implement the following plan:

CRITICAL INITIATIVE: FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 

Tuscaloosa City Schools (TCS) will partner with families and the community to create an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect, ensure effective communication, and enhanced engagement with families. 

INTENDED OUTCOMES 

Positive student outcomes including improved student achievement, decreased disciplinary issues, improved family-teacher and teacher-student relationships, and improved school environment. 

KEY MEASURES 

COGNIA Stakeholder Feedback Surveys 

K12Insight Parent Surveys 

DEFINITION 

Tuscaloosa City Schools partners with all families to build and support student success in 

and out of the classroom. 

CALL TO ACTION 

Tuscaloosa City Schools family engagement reflects equitable, inclusive relationships based in understanding of the community, is service-oriented to welcome and support students and their families, and which promotes a culture of student success. 

The Parent Teachers Association (PTA) National Standards for Family-School Partnerships offers a framework for how families, schools, and communities should work together to support student success. Using this framework as the structure to craft the action plan for our critical initiative will ensure we are aligning our work and developing and strengthening our practices that support those partnerships. The PTA’s process for building successful partnerships starts with the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships and consists of three steps: 

• Raising awareness about the power of family and community engagement. 

• Taking action to cultivate engagement through specific programs and practices. 

• Celebrating success as your school sees increased engagement and its impact.  

STANDARD 1: WELCOMING ALL FAMILIES 

Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to school staff, and to what students are learning and doing in class. 

STANDARD 2: COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY 

Families and school staff engage in regular, two-way, meaningful communication about student learning. 

STANDARD 3: SUPPORTING STUDENT SUCCESS 

Families and school staff continuously collaborate to support students’ learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively. 

STANDARD 4: SPEAKING UP FOR EVERY CHILD 

Families are empowered to be advocates for their own and other children, to ensure that students are treated fairly and have access to learning opportunities that will support their success. 

STANDARD 5: SHARING POWER 

Families and school staff are equal partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs. 

STANDARD: 6: COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY 

Families and school staff collaborate with community members to connect students, families, and staff to expanded learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation.