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Students return to McGavock cluster school campuses




Ninth-grade students leave McGavock High School in Donelson after their first day on campus for in-person instruction. Students have not attended classes on campus in nearly a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ROGER FREGOSO

Ninth-grade students leave McGavock High School in Donelson after their first day on campus for in-person instruction. Students have not attended classes on campus in nearly a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ROGER FREGOSO

Local school administrators expressed excitement and relief last week, as 4,000 area middle and high school students returned to campuses for the first time since schools were shut down nearly a year ago due to the pandemic.

After months of planning, about 60% of all Donelson, Hermitage and Old Hickory middle and high school students who chose in-person learning went back to their respective school campus for the first time this school year.

Under the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention safety protocols, local public schools welcomed more than 4,000 mask-covered students back to campuses. It was the first time nearly a year since students have seen the inside of a classroom. The coronavirus pandemic shuttered Metro schools March 11 last year.

McGavock High School principal Angela Bailey first welcomed her new ninth-grade students to the Donelson campus Feb. 23.

“I’m excited to have them back,” Bailey said.

The first day of school “went very well,” said Bailey. “It was as smooth a process, all things considered. The students seemed to be happy to be back on campus. It was the first time a lot of them got to see each other,” she said.

Mask-covered fifth-grade students board busses at the end of their first school day at DuPont Tyler Middle School in Hermitage. The students’ departures are staggered to maintain social distancing. ROGER FREGOSO

Mask-covered fifth-grade students board busses at the end of their first school day at DuPont Tyler Middle School in Hermitage. The students’ departures are staggered to maintain social distancing. ROGER FREGOSO

Meanwhile, at DuPont Tyler Middle School in Hermitage, principal Fred Hewitt first welcomed back fifth-grade students with a similar enthusiasm.

“They love it. The first day of school was exciting,” Hewitt said.

“It’s finally nice to bring back a sense of normal, even if it’s not really normal. It was nice to get close to that. DuPont Tyler normally has a 570-student enrollment. I think the kids, parents and the teachers all felt the same way. Everyone was happy when they walked in. That was exciting.”

McGavock High School serves ninth through 12th grades and normally has an enrollment of more than 2,200 students. It is a model Academy school, the first high school in Nashville that combined academic programs with extensive vocational training.

Metro Nashville Public Schools bus driver Andy Wright points a McGavock High School freshman in the right direction for his bus. Students returned to school campuses last week for the first time in nearly a year. ROGER FREGOSO

Metro Nashville Public Schools bus driver Andy Wright points a McGavock High School freshman in the right direction for his bus. Students returned to school campuses last week for the first time in nearly a year. ROGER FREGOSO

“There was some apprehension by students as to what was to be expected as far as safety concerns go and being in a more controlled environment. But, the students were happy to be here,” said Bailey.

“For the first few days, we’ve been running through COVID protocols and getting them situated.” Hewitt said. “They’ve been great. We haven’t had any real issues with them taking masks off or anything. They’ve been adhering to that. It’s gone really smooth.

“Better than anticipated with the kids coming in and not knowing the new protocols but I’d say we were very prepared.”

Metro’s phase-in plan featured ninth-grade students returning first to two of the area’s public high school campuses in the McGavock cluster. Likewise, fifth-grade students also retuned first to four of the cluster’s public middle schools.

“It was like a typical first day of school, but it was a nice change to have all ninth graders only on campus,” she said. “We could focus on them, and they could get familiar and find their way on campus, because McGavock is like a big city in itself. In that respect, the phase-in plan for these students was a blessing for ninth graders to be on campus before the other students,” said Bailey.

McGavock High School campus support staff Henry Bean helps freshmen students find their bus assignment Feb. 23 at the end of their first day of school.ROGER FREGOSO

McGavock High School campus support staff Henry Bean helps freshmen students find their bus assignment Feb. 23 at the end of their first day of school.ROGER FREGOSO

Hewitt said his school also paid a lot of attention to details in the planning for a smooth return to campus for his students.

“Everyone is willing to go above and beyond those expectations and do things they really didn’t count on doing this year, but they know it’s for the benefit of everyone here, and it makes sure that we’re going to be able to keep our kids in school,” said Hewitt. “We’re a better place when the kids are here in person.”

All sixth- through eighth-grade students returned to middle school campuses Feb. 26. By March 3, all 10th- through 12th-grade high school students were scheduled to return to school, according to a modified phase-in plan, the rollout was delayed a few days by the recent winter storm.

To comply with social distancing guidelines, every other circular seat is removed from the lunch tables in the cafeteria at DuPont-Tyler Middle School. ROGER FREGOSO

To comply with social distancing guidelines, every other circular seat is removed from the lunch tables in the cafeteria at DuPont-Tyler Middle School. ROGER FREGOSO

Preschool and elementary students through fourth grade began returning earlier in the school year.

However, some families still chose an all-virtual education option that will continue to keep their students learning from home for the rest of the school year.

The current school year began remotely for most students, with their little eyes glued to a computer screen and learning from home. Last month, Metro Nashville Director of Schools Adrienne Battle announced the plan to return to campus attendance after Nashville’s COVID-19 risk score – a composite score of daily metrics tracked by the city – dipped to less than seven. On Feb. 20, teachers began receiving the first dose of COVID-19 vaccinations after county officials moved to the next phase of vaccine distribution.

While the return to school buildings was recently announced, the monumental work to prepare began months ago, school administrators said.

Stickers and tape mark the floors of hallways to show the students direction of travel and distance to maintain while using the common space corridors at DuPont-Tyler Middle School in Hermitage. ROGER FREGOSO

Stickers and tape mark the floors of hallways to show the students direction of travel and distance to maintain while using the common space corridors at DuPont-Tyler Middle School in Hermitage. ROGER FREGOSO

“We have a 92-page COVID playbook going right now that all of our staff has that breaks down every little thing to the detail,” said Hewitt. “We put it together, and we had the staff look it over.”

Hewitt said most of the feedback he’s received from teachers was “we were over prepared.” He said they have two weeks before students take spring break to make any adjustments and necessary changes to their routine.

“Our goal is that when we enter back after spring break, it’s a well-oiled machine,” said Hewitt.

DuPont’s teachers are “the ones that have their eyes open, looking if we need to tweak this or that,” said Hewitt. “We’ve just had to be very comfortable with anyone being able to point out the issues and not fearing you’re stepping on my toes with this plan and everything. It’s been a lot of discussion. Discussions after discussions to make sure we have the right plans in place.

“But it’s been fun planning it and all that stuff.”

Plexiglas dividers and large bottles of hand sanitizer sit in the front office to help keep Ms. Perkins and staff safe while at work at DuPont-Tyler Middle School.ROGER FREGOSO

Plexiglas dividers and large bottles of hand sanitizer sit in the front office to help keep Ms. Perkins and staff safe while at work at DuPont-Tyler Middle School.ROGER FREGOSO

Similarly, a lot of work went into the plans at her high school, said Bailey. “A lot of work went into thinking of every detail to make students feel welcome,” she said. “We are all tired and exhausted, but overall it went very well because of the devotion of the faculty. That was key.”

Hewitt said DuPont students stay in the same classroom and the same seat for their four core subject areas. In previous years, students would relocate to different classrooms for each subject throughout the day.

“Halls are quieter because the kids don’t transition. Our teachers go from classroom to classroom instead of our kids leaving the classroom,” said Hewitt.

Students get out of their classrooms for lunch, related arts and gym class. Hewitt pointed out some seats at the lunch tables in the cafeteria were removed so students are socially distanced.

“If we did get a kid who contracted COVID, it’s only three or four we need to keep an eye on, instead of the whole class,” said Hewitt. “That took a lot of scheduling and scheduling changes.”

 

 

“Kids usually need to know where they’re moving next. Now, we have teachers wondering ‘where do I go next?’ Teachers have to follow the schedule, not the kids. It gives [teachers] insight into what the kids have to worry about on the first day of school. It’s been funny at times,” said Hewitt.

Both school administrators also acknowledged the efforts of not only their own faculty, but also the efforts from students and parents, as well, who helped with the transition back into the classroom.

“Teachers, faculty and staff have worked harder this year than they have in any other year,” said Hewitt. “It’s all behind the scenes, and sometimes people don’t see it or get it, but the time and effort they even put into learning the new technology and stuff has been incredible.

“It’s been trying, but I think there’s a lot of things we can take from this year into whenever or whatever normal looks like to utilize moving forward. I think it’ll make school better.”

“We also need to recognize the patience of the families and the community,” said Bailey. “The positivity of the parents and the understanding of students – I appreciate everyone for that. They helped make it easier to face a challenge like this,” said Bailey.

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