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?Dear MNPS families and staff:That Los Angeles Dodger who spent the past few weeks regularly stealing bases and hitting home runs – and preventing opponents from hitting them – was an MNPS graduate.Yes, the one and only Mookie Betts, famous for his hitting, speed, arm, power and defense, is a 2011 graduate of Overton High School. He’s now a two-time World Series winner – first with the Boston Red Sox in 2018 and now with the Dodgers. He’s a former and probably future Most Valuable Player. And he’s just one example of what our students can do and where they can go from here (even without all that speed and power and leaping ability). I would be proud of Mr. Betts even if I weren’t an Overton graduate myself, as I know all of us appreciate how well he’s represented the district throughout his incredible career.COVID-19 UpdateWe are fortunate here in Nashville to have a Health Department that is committed to providing information daily on the spread of COVID-19 in our community, which is data we use to shape decisions on re-opening school buildings and phasing in students. The website??lists eight key metrics that inform public health decisions in the city. Of those, four of the most important to our decision-making process include the transmission rate, 14-day new case trend, new cases per 100,000 residents, and the 7-day positive test rate. We also look at daily case counts to get an idea of where we are or where we’re going; however, it is important to know that those fluctuate for a variety of reasons, and we shouldn’t take one data point out of the total context.In addition to community spread, we are focused on cases of COVID-19 throughout our schools that have in-person students and those that have staff who are teaching virtually. Our school nurse program is contracted through the Metro Public Health Department, which oversees contact tracing for the city and within our schools. Schools update families when there is a positive case of COVID-19 confirmed in their school building, and we provide updates on a weekly basis of cases in schools at?covid19.This past week, we’ve seen an increase in the number of cases in our schools, especially of students or staff having to quarantine as a result of being a close contact with a COVID-19 positive person or showing symptoms of COVID-19. 694 students have quarantined or self-isolated, with 28 testing positive for the coronavirus, while 214 staff have done the same, with 42 testing positive between October 26 and November 1. We know the quarantine process can be disruptive to schools and families alike and create even greater challenges in the learning environment, but it is important to prevent spread of the virus in our schools. You can learn more about our?COVID protocols and procedures on our website here.The initial goal from the outset was to make decisions two weeks in advance, and that certainly remains a goal, but sometimes the COVID-19 situation can change quickly. Two weeks prior to when middle school students were scheduled to come back, the daily case counts and metrics were just starting to increase. We were hopeful it was a statistical blip and that they would come back down, but unfortunately, they continued to rise.That is why the Board called for a work session on Friday, October 23, to discuss the metrics prior to bringing back middle school students into the classroom the next week. It was important for there to be a public discussion about the thinking and decision-making process of the Board. As a result of that conversation and the worsening COVID-19 metrics, we paused the phasing in of middle school students.There is no one standard at a national or Tennessee level for when it is safe to bring students and staff back into the classroom. Public school districts have been left to make these choices based on a large volume of information and data. We must consider a variety of different factors, including community spread, cases in schools, and the academic calendar, when making decisions about if, when, and how to bring students into the classroom.We will be releasing an updated phase-in schedule once we see sustained improvements in Nashville in reducing the spread of the virus, and we are reviewing public health data daily to inform that decision-making process. But this can’t be a passive response. We need everyone’s help to stop the spread by wearing masks, practicing safe social distancing, and washing hands frequently. Community transmission matters, and it has an impact on our ability to proceed with getting our students back to school in person.Principal AppreciationOn a final note, with Principal Appreciation Month just behind us, I’m even more grateful to our principals than I’ve been in previous years. They have taken on plenty of new challenges and met every one of them in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and they’ve never lost sight of our mission of providing a high-quality education to every child every day. I hope you’ll take a moment to thank your school’s principal with a quick email or note when you get a chance.Sincerely,Adrienne Battle ................
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