MCSD News
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November - 2020
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20
Mercedes Parham
Columbus, GA- In an effort to further increase transparency and provide clarity to its public stakeholders, the Muscogee County School District has updated its data points related to active COVID-19 cases to reflect school-based sites only. The data reflects information made available to the District from individual sources. Information is updated each Friday and accessible on the District’s COVID-19 website.
Muscogee County School District
COVID-19 school-based active cases
Week of November 16-20, 2020
Category Description
#
Total enrolled students
31,344 Total in-person students
16,697 In-person student positive cases*
5 In-person student self-quarantine or isolation cases**
315 Total employees
5,175 Total school-based employees
3,559 School-based employee positive cases***
7 School-based employee self-quarantine or isolation cases****
32
The data points were updated to further align the District report to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s report, which exclusively reports school-based site information.
*Accounts for in-person students reported with active COVID-19 positive cases during the specified week
**Accounts for the total in-person students reported with self-quarantine/isolation cases, considering quarantine periods of 14 days which could overlap with District reporting weeks
***Accounts for school-based employees reported with active COVID-19 positive cases during the specified week
****Accounts for the total school-based employees reported with self-quarantine/isolation cases, considering quarantine periods of 14 days which could overlap with District reporting weeks
Totals within each data set reflect active cases reported to the District within the specified week of each report with the exception of self-quarantine or isolation cases, which could overlap with the weekly District report due to the mandated 14-day quarantine or isolation period.
All active cases are monitored in coordination with the Department of Public Health to prevent the spread of illness. The District will continue to monitor data regarding COVID-19 within our local community, under the advisement of our public health agencies.
The mission of the Muscogee County School District is to inspire and equip all students to achieve unlimited potential. For more information, please contact the Office of Communications at 706.748.2034 or communications@muscogee.k12.ga.us.
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20
Mercedes Parham
View a message from our Superintendent HERE
IMPORTANT INFORMATION & REMINDERS
Choice model plan declarations: Notify your student’s school of any changes to your current declaration for virtual or in-person instruction before 12:00 noon, December 8, 2020. Due to testing and end of year preparation, choice model preferences will remain in effect for the full spring semester (January 6-May 21, 2021).
Gifted referral window: Parents and teachers can refer students through the online application located on the MCSD Families Page. This will be the only referral window for the 2020 - 2021 school year.- Open date: 12:01 a.m., Tuesday, December 1, 2020
- Closing date: 12:00 a.m. (midnight), Monday, December 21, 2020.
- Application link: https://apps.muscogee.k12.ga.us/Gifted/
Safety reminders for in-person students:- Wear face masks or coverings at all District sites.
- Stay home if you/your student(s) are displaying any signs or symptoms of illness.
- If your student tests positive for COVID-19, do not send him/her to school until the following criteria is met:
- At least 10 days have passed since the student first displayed symptoms AND
- The student has had no fever without fever reducing medicines (e.g. Tylenol, Advil, etc.) for 48 hours AND
- The student is no longer displaying symptoms
- If someone in your household has been diagnosed with COVID-19, or your child is exposed to someone who has COVID-19, do not send him/her to school until 14 days after their last exposure to the person with COVID-19 (note: The CDC defines exposure as being within six feet for a total of 15 minutes or more with someone who has COVID-19).
- Observe District social distancing guidelines upon entry.
- Avoid direct contact with District staff and other guests.
- Wash or sanitize hands before entering the building, before meals, after bathroom breaks, after sneezing/coughing, and frequently throughout the instructional day.
- Avoid sharing personal items such as pens, pencils, devices, etc. to prevent cross-contamination.
- Testing overview
- The difference between quarantine and isolation
- When to quarantine
- When you can be around other after you’ve had/likely had COVID-19
- Travel Recommendations by Destination
- Travel during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- State & Territorial Health Department Websites
- CDC COVID Data Tracker
- Celebrating Thanksgiving
Student mental health resources
Provided by the District Mental Health and Wellness Committee in partnership with the Pastoral Institute*
Students can now access pre-recorded videos related to various mental health topics. Each month, the Pastoral Institute will provide grade-level appropriate content focused on subjects such as resiliency, suicide and self-harm prevention, dealing with grief, depression, and self-care.
November topic: anxiety
Click here to access the video for students in Grades K-5
Click here to access the video for students in Grades 6-12
*All sessions are free and have been made possible by the Coronavirus Response Fund—a partnership between the United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley and the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley.Additional resources:- Board Presentation: Re-opening Plan Updates (August 10, 2020)
- Daily Health Assessment survey
- Online Registration
- Parent Tech Academy (technology support)
- Program for Exceptional Students Re-opening Plan
- Re-opening Plan (at-a-glance)
- Re-opening Plan (detailed)
- School Nutrition
- Student Handbook and Code of Conduct
View the latest updates related to the District's COVID-19 plans HERE
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17
Mercedes Parham
Dear MCSD Parents/Guardians:
We are continuing to monitor the outcomes of this ongoing pandemic. As you are likely aware, cases of COVID-19 are currently on the rise throughout our nation and state. We remain in contact with a panel of medical professionals to review our local situation. Although we cannot predict future implications of COVID-19, we try our best to plan and prepare for all possible situations. We especially focus on items that could affect you and your student(s).
Based on current conditions, we plan to continue with our choice model plan following the Thanksgiving break. However, in the event our outlook shifts while we are away for the holiday break, please help us to prepare accordingly by taking the following steps during the break:
- Ensure your student brings his/her device and instructional materials home.
- Ensure all devices remain in a safe place to avoid damage or theft during the break.
- Begin coordinating any alternate plans for childcare in case of an urgent change of plans.
Starting December 22, 2020, we will move forward with adjustments to our calendar to include early release days. These days were approved in official action by our Board of Education and will provide our teachers additional time for planning, collaboration, providing student feedback, grading, and parent/student conferencing, etc. Students will be released 2.5 hours ahead of their regular schedule on the following days:
- Tuesday, December 22, 2020
- Wednesday, February 3, 2021
- Tuesday, March 16, 2021
- Thursday, April 15, 2021
- Friday, May 21, 2021
School Year 2020-2021 Calendar Revised
Early Release Presentation
Despite the challenges and hardships resulting from the pandemic, we hope you and yours enjoy a safe and restful break, and we look forward to welcoming your student back, according to his/her choice model plan, Monday, November 30, 2020.
Please contact your school family with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
David F. Lewis, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Education
Muscogee County School District
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17
Ronald E Pleasant
Here is a link to the video presentation from Wynnton Arts Academy from the 11/16/20 Board of Education meeting.
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13
Mercedes Parham
Columbus, GA- In an effort to further increase transparency and provide clarity to its public stakeholders, the Muscogee County School District has updated its data points related to active COVID-19 cases to reflect school-based sites only. The data reflects information made available to the District from individual sources. Information will now be updated each Friday and accessible on the District’s COVID-19 website.
Muscogee County School District
COVID-19 school-based active cases
Week of November 9-13, 2020
Category Description
#
Total enrolled students
31,517
Total in-person students
20,459
In-person student positive cases*
8
In-person student self-quarantine or isolation cases**
344
Total employees
5,175
Total school-based employees
3,562
School-based employee positive cases***
5
School-based employee self-quarantine or isolation cases****
35
The data points were updated to further align the District report to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s report, which exclusively reports school-based site information.
*Accounts for in-person students reported with active COVID-19 positive cases during the specified week
**Accounts for the total in-person students reported with self-quarantine/isolation cases, considering quarantine periods of 14 days which could overlap with District reporting weeks
***Accounts for school-based employees reported with active COVID-19 positive cases during the specified week
****Accounts for the total school-based employees reported with self-quarantine/isolation cases, considering quarantine periods of 14 days which could overlap with District reporting weeks
Totals within each data set reflect active cases reported to the District within the specified week of each report with the exception of self-quarantine or isolation cases, which could overlap with the weekly District report due to the mandated 14-day quarantine or isolation period.
All active cases are monitored in coordination with the Department of Public Health to prevent the spread of illness. The District will continue to monitor data regarding COVID-19 within our local community, under the advisement of our public health agencies.
The mission of the Muscogee County School District is to inspire and equip all students to achieve unlimited potential. For more information, please contact the Office of Communications at 706.748.2034 or communications@muscogee.k12.ga.us.
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12
Ronald E Pleasant
In light of the scheduling and instructional challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers are in need of additional undedicated time to plan, collaborate and assess student work. In order to facilitate this additional time, the superintendent recommends an adjustment to the 2020-2021 school calendar to add early release days prior to the distribution of progress reports and report cards each nine-weeks grading period for the duration of the 2020-2021 school year (see attached proposed calendar and schedule revisions).
Early Release Day Proposal REV 11 6 2020.pdf
Proposed School Year 2020-2021 Calendar with adjustment -
10
Mercedes Parham
Columbus, GA- According to a recent release from the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), the Muscogee County School District (MCSD) has surpassed the state graduation rate for the eighth consecutive year. The District graduation rate has increased to 89.4 percent, an increase of 3.3 points, year-over-year, from 86.1 percent. This marks the highest graduation rate for the District since the four-year cohort rate has been calculated.
“We applaud our schools, District support teams, parents, and students for their hard work and dedication that contributed to the steady increase of our graduation rates leading to this year’s historic high rate. This improvement is attributed to more intentional identification of students as early as middle school who are not on track to graduate on time. We then provide them with additional support, resources, and encouragement toward attaining this important educational milestone,” said Dr. David Lewis, Superintendent of Education, Muscogee County School District.
The Cohort Rate is calculated using the data from students who graduate from high school within four years as required by the U.S. Department of Education. It is also one of the indicators used in the calculation of the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI).
Graduation Rate
2018
2019
2020
Muscogee County
88.9
86.1
89.4
State
81.6
82.0
83.8
Difference
7.3
4.1
5.6
In addition to the District-wide increase, several schools continued to see improvements in their cohort rates.- Three earned their highest cohort graduation rate to date: Carver, Jordan and Shaw.
- Five achieved graduation rates above 90 percent: Carver, Columbus, Northside, Rainey-McCullers, and Shaw.
- Seven were above the State average: Carver, Columbus, Hardaway, Kendrick, Northside, Rainey-McCullers and Shaw.
- Seven maintained or saw an increase in their cohort graduation rate: Carver, Columbus, Hardaway, Jordan, Kendrick, Shaw, and Spencer.
- One school achieved a 100 percent graduation rate with its first graduating class: Rainey-McCullers.
School
2018
2019
2020
Carver
86.3
88.5
92.3
Columbus
99.3
100.0
100.0
Hardaway
91.6
89.3
89.6
Jordan
75.4
69.2
81.1
Kendrick
87.3
82.6
85.4
Northside
93.0
94.4
93.5
Rainey-McCullers
N/A
N/A
100.0
Shaw
87.9
87.9
91.4
Spencer
86.2
76.6
83.0
The mission of the Muscogee County School District is to inspire and equip all students to achieve unlimited potential. For more information, please contact the Office of Communications at 706.748.2034 or communications@muscogee.k12.ga.us.
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6
Mercedes Parham
Columbus, GA- In an effort to further increase transparency and provide clarity to its public stakeholders, the Muscogee County School District has updated its data points related to active COVID-19 cases to reflect school-based sites only. The data reflects information made available to the District from individual sources. Information will now be updated each Friday and accessible on the District’s COVID-19 website.
Muscogee County School District
COVID-19 school-based active cases
Week of November 2-6, 2020Category Description
#
Total enrolled students
31,270
Total in-person students
16,730
In-person student positive cases*
11
In-person student self-quarantine or isolation cases**
409
Total employees
5,175
Total school-based employees
3,657
School-based employee positive cases***
8
School-based employee self-quarantine or isolation cases****
52
The data points were updated to further align the District report to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s report, which exclusively reports school-based site information.
*Accounts for in-person students reported with active COVID-19 positive cases during the specified week
**Accounts for the total in-person students reported with self-quarantine/isolation cases, considering quarantine periods of 14 days which could overlap with District reporting weeks
***Accounts for school-based employees reported with active COVID-19 positive cases during the specified week
****Accounts for the total school-based employees reported with self-quarantine/isolation cases, considering quarantine periods of 14 days which could overlap with District reporting weeks
Totals within each data set reflect active cases reported to the District within the specified week of each report with the exception of self-quarantine or isolation cases, which could overlap with the weekly District report due to the mandated 14-day quarantine or isolation period.
All active cases are monitored in coordination with the Department of Public Health to prevent the spread of illness. The District will continue to monitor data regarding COVID-19 within our local community, under the advisement of our public health agencies.
The mission of the Muscogee County School District is to inspire and equip all students to achieve unlimited potential. For more information, please contact the Office of Communications at 706.748.2034 or communications@muscogee.k12.ga.us.
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October - 2020
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30
Mercedes Parham
Columbus, GA- In an effort to further increase transparency and provide clarity to its public stakeholders, the Muscogee County School District has updated its data points related to active COVID-19 cases to reflect school-based sites only. The data reflects information made available to the District from individual sources. Information will now be updated each Friday and accessible on the District’s COVID-19 website.
Muscogee County School District
COVID-19 school-based active cases
Week of October 26-30, 2020
Category Description
#
Total enrolled students
31,478
Total in-person students
16,634
In-person student positive cases*
9
In-person student self-quarantine or isolation cases**
431
Total employees
5,175
Total school-based employees
3,557
School-based employee positive cases***
3
School-based employee self-quarantine or isolation cases****
35
The data points were updated to further align the District report to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s report, which exclusively reports school-based site information.
*Accounts for in-person students reported with active COVID-19 positive cases during the specified week
**Accounts for the total in-person students reported with self-quarantine/isolation cases, considering quarantine periods of 14 days which could overlap with District reporting weeks
***Accounts for school-based employees reported with active COVID-19 positive cases during the specified week
****Accounts for the total school-based employees reported with self-quarantine/isolation cases, considering quarantine periods of 14 days which could overlap with District reporting weeks
Totals within each data set reflect active cases reported to the District within the specified week of each report with the exception of self-quarantine or isolation cases, which could overlap with the weekly District report due to the mandated 14-day quarantine or isolation period.
All active cases are monitored in coordination with the Department of Public Health to prevent the spread of illness. The District will continue to monitor data regarding COVID-19 within our local community, under the advisement of our public health agencies.
The mission of the Muscogee County School District is to inspire and equip all students to achieve unlimited potential. For more information, please contact the Office of Communications at 706.748.2034 or communications@muscogee.k12.ga.us.
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30
Mercedes Parham
Federal Program edFlex Waiver Submission Notice
We are pursuing the following waivers from the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) for the 2020-2021 school year:- Waiver of Title I, Part A Limitation on Carryover – ESSA Section 1127(a) (unspent Title I, Part A FY2021 funds carried over to FY 2022 If approved, this waiver would allow all unspent Title I, Part A funds from school year 2019-2020 to return to the school district this year.
- Waiver of the Title IV, Part A Content Area Minimum Percentage Spending Requirements – ESSA Section 4106(e)(2)(C), (D) and (E) under sections 4107, 4108, 4109 If approved, this waiver lifts the spending percentage threshold under the law, which will increase the flexibility in spending to better meet the needs of students.
- Waiver of Title IV, Part A Spending Limitation of 15% on the Use of Funds to Purchase Technology Infrastructure – ESSA Section 4109(b) If approved, this waiver lifts the spending percentage threshold under the law, which will increase the flexibility in spending to better meet the needs of students.
- Waiver of the Uniform Grant Guidance (UGG) Time and Effort Requirements (Standards for Documentation or Personnel Expenses) - 2 CFR Part 200.430(i) If approved, this waiver will reduce the ongoing documentation federally funded employees submit on a monthly basis, which will provide additional time to work with students, teachers and families.
- Waiver of Title II, Part A Allowable Participants for Professional Development -ESSA Section 2103 If approved, this waiver will remove the limitations we have for training school-based personnel. Currently, Title II, Part A funds can only provide training for K-12 teachers, principals and other school leaders. Under this restriction, we cannot use the funds to support Pre-K teachers, paraprofessionals, or district staff supporting schools.
After reviewing these waiver requests, please submit any feedback or questions to:
Tim Smith, Ed.D.
Executive Director of Federal Programs
smith.timothy.s@muscogee.k12.ga.us
Safety expectations for in-person students:- Wear face masks or coverings at all District sites.
- Stay home if you/your student(s) are displaying any signs or symptoms of illness.
- If your student tests positive for COVID-19, do not send him/her to school until the following criteria is met:
- At least 10 days have passed since the student first displayed symptoms AND
- The student has had no fever without fever reducing medicines (e.g. Tylenol, Advil, etc.) for 48 hours AND
- The student is no longer displaying symptoms
- If someone in your household has been diagnosed with COVID-19, or your child is exposed to someone who has COVID-19, do not send him/her to school until 14 days after their last exposure to the person with COVID-19 (note: The CDC defines exposure as being within six feet for a total of 15 minutes or more with someone who has COVID-19).
- Observe District social distancing guidelines upon entry.
- Avoid direct contact with District staff and other guests.
- Wash or sanitize hands before entering the building, before meals, after bathroom breaks, after sneezing/coughing, and frequently throughout the instructional day.
- Avoid sharing personal items such as pens, pencils, devices, etc. to prevent cross-contamination.
- Testing overview
- The difference between quarantine and isolation
- When to quarantine
- When you can be around other after you’ve had/likely had COVID-19
Student mental health resources
Provided by the District Mental Health and Wellness Committee in partnership with the Pastoral Institute*
Students can now access pre-recorded videos related to various mental health topics. Each month, the Pastoral Institute will provide grade-level appropriate content focused on subjects such as resiliency, suicide and self-harm prevention, dealing with grief, depression, and self-care.
October topic: suicide awareness
Click here to access the video for students in Grades K-5
Click here to access the video for students in Grades 6-12
*All sessions are free and have been made possible by the Coronavirus Response Fund—a partnership between the United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley and the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley.
Additional resources:- Board Presentation: Re-opening Plan Updates (August 10, 2020)
- Daily Health Assessment survey
- Online Registration
- Parent Tech Academy (technology support)
- Program for Exceptional Students Re-opening Plan
- Re-opening Plan (at-a-glance)
- Re-opening Plan (detailed)
- School Nutrition
- Student Handbook and Code of Conduct
View the latest updates related to the District's COVID-19 plans HERE