Schools continue to adjust

The Holly Springs School District has gone to all virtual learning this week and next, while the Marshall County School District has resumed inclassroom instruction.

Irene Turnage, superintendent of the Holly Springs School District, made the announcement prior to the end of the Thanksgiving break.

“We are concerned that with the usual socialization that occurs during major holidays, the number of COVID cases will increase resulting in more cases in the schools after the Thanksgiving break,” she said.

All students are asked to attend classes virtually for the two weeks following Thanksgiving break.

Students should log-in and attend classes virtually using the same schedule they use for hybrid or virtual instruction. Attendance requirements are still in place. Staff members will teach virtually

from school and will be available to support students and parents.

“If you do not have adequate internet access, please contact your child’s school so that other measures can be put in place to ensure your child continues to learn,” Turnage said.

Students will be asked to come to school later for the December semester exams if the number of COVID cases in the area are not continuing to increase, she said.

The superintendent is thankful for everyone’s support.

“We would like to thank our parents for the continued support and understanding as we work our way through the most challenging times in our educational history,” Turnage said. “We will get through this difficult time, and we will get through it together.”

Holly Springs High School basketball games are scheduled to resume this week.

The Marshall County School District has resumed normal activities as of Monday, according to superintendent of education Roy Lawson.

Chromebooks for all students have arrived.

“We are in the process of inventorying all of these devices and getting ready to get them in the students’ hands before the Christmas break,” he said.

Parents should fill out a form and sign the user agreement on the school district’s website, and hard copies will be sent home with students in the coming days.

Once the Chromebooks are assigned to students in grades K-4, the devices will remain at school. Students in grades 5-12 will be allowed to take the devices home each day.

“If we are in a situation in which we will have to go to distance learning, all devices will go home with students, grades K-12,” Lawson said.

Student Wifi has been extended into all parking lots on all campuses in case the county school district has to go to distance learning.

“Students and parents could upload student work and receive work by coming to the campuses if that time arises,” he said.

“We will continue to try and improve our delivery methods within our virtual platform, and if a time arises, for distance learning.”

The county school district encourages anyone with any symptoms of COVID or who has been around anyone with symptoms to please stay home and do schoolwork from home.

“We certainly want to reduce the transmission of the virus,” Lawson said.

Basketball games for the county teams will be allowed moving forward, as long as there are no COVID cases within the teams.