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This site includes important resources regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) and information regarding the re-opening of our campuses for the 2020 - 2021 school year. During uncertain times, information can change quickly. We will use this page to provide the latest updates as they are available.
You may also download the Cullman City Schools app from the Apple App Store or Google Play to receive notifications as important updates are posted.
Click the linked images above that corresponds with your smart device.
If you have specific questions about the re-opening of our schools that are not answered in the FAQ section below, please submit those at this link.
For general health and safety information regarding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic please visit http://www.alabamapublichealth.gov or www.cdc.gov.
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Parents/Guardians,
The Cullman City Schools will begin the 2020-21 school year on August 19, 2020 pending guidelines set forth by the Alabama State Department of Education. We are excited to begin the new school year though we will have many challenges ahead of us. Our primary goal is to provide a safe and instructionally sound plan for reopening the Cullman City Schools. We are providing parents two options for their child to receive the best education possible. The Traditional option allows students to return to the school campus and receive face to face instruction, although the school day will look different than in the past. The Traditional option includes a remote opportunity transitioning from campus to online work at home as needed following guidance from the ADPH and CDC to ensure a safe learning environment. The Virtual option allows students to work from home through the Schoology learning platform. Attendance is tracked daily requiring students to log in daily to complete assignments. Grades will be given to determine promotion/retention (same as with Traditional option). With the Virtual option, instruction is directed by a virtual teacher not the classroom teacher.
We all must work together to help ensure safety by following guidance from the ADPH and CDC.
We ask that parents:
- Check your children’s temperatures and do not send them to school if 100.4 or greater.
- Monitor your children for symptoms daily, including cough, congestion, shortness of breath, or gastrointestinal symptoms. Any positives should be kept home from school.
Our attendance policy will be revised and shared at a later date.
The CCS Central Office has sent out parent surveys via email to determine which educational option parents feel is best for their child. Parents are asked to register for one option by July 17, 2020. You will need to complete a separate form for each student in your family.
We want all of our parents to know how much we appreciate thier patience as we navigate our new school year.
Dr. Susan Patterson
Superintendent
The Cullman City Schools Roadmap to Reopening is embedded below. If the document fails to load. please refresh your browser.
Latest Updates
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CHS School Re-Opening Plan
Posted by Sharon Drake on 7/30/2020Cullman High School has developed their 2020 - 2021 Roadmap for Reopening. You may view the plan by clicking the link below.
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Update 7/8/2020
Posted by Sharon Drake on 7/8/2020
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In the FAQ section below, click the question you would like to know more about to see additional information.
FAQs - COVID
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Are we still doing virtual day on Wednesday for in school students?
Cullman City Schools has not published a plan that would have students attending virtually on Wednesdays.
At this time, beginning Monday, August 24th, all traditional students will report to class for their first full week of classes, Monday through Friday.
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Will virtual school students still have option to come on campus for classes like Theater? Drivers Ed?
You will need to contact the guidance department at your child's school.
Some electives are available digitally, however, Driver's Education is not one of those.
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Will the virtual option be available after this school year?
CCS has had a virtual option in place for grades 9-12 for five years now.
No decision has been made as to the availability of this option for younger students in future years.
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Will a teacher actually teach classes or will it be recorded instruction or both --or only assignments to complete?
It will be a combination of these items.
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Will some testing be done onsite?
Yes. All required state testing, possibly some diagnostic testing, and exams (where required) will be taken in person.
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Will there be an online training session for parents and/or parents and students?
Yes
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Will there be a way that attendance will be logged by the parent?
Attendance is based on work completion. If a student is on-target with work completed, he/she is considered in attendance. If he/she is behind, it is considered an absence.
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Is there a portal for parents to monitor work as it is being done, when it is completed, the progress and to request assistance for the student if needed?
For students in 6-12, yes. For students in K-5, your child's teacher will be able to provide you with that information.
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Will there be text books for virtual students? If so, when and how are they obtained?
No - all content is virtual/digital.
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Will we have to wear masks
Per Governor Ivey's mandate, all persons in a public building who are unable to maintain a 6-foot distance from others will be required to wear a mask.
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If I missed the July 17th Deadline to choose a Traditional or Virtual learning option for my child, what do I need to do now in order to ensure my child is properly registered?
Contact your child's school.
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If we decide to go virtual, would we be able to transition back to traditional, after the first 9 weeks?
Our expectation is that students remain in an option for one semester.
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Is it oblitori for students to attend school?
The Alabama compulsory attendance laws require children between the ages of 7-16 to attend school. The law also states that parents or guardians having control over school age children are responsible for the children's regular attendance and proper conduct.
Families have the choice of public education, private education, or home school.
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If we do opt into "traditional" enrollment today. Would it be possible for us to change our minds before school begins and opt into "virtual" enrollment?
Yes. It is much easier for us to remove a student from a roster than to build a schedule that didn't exist.
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To clarify, if the entire system "flips the switch" to virtual and all EES teachers and students transition to the Schoology system. Would our children, if we had previously opted to enroll in Schoology from day 1, be merged into the local EES virtual classroom - with a locally sourced teacher and local classroom children? Or would our children continue to be segregated into the generic Schoology system because they had not enrolled in the "traditional" setting originally.
Schoology is a content management system (like Google Classroom, Blackboard Learn, Canvas) that will be utilized by all traditional classroom teachers to communicate classroom activity so that any time a student needs to be out for any illness, he/she can easily retrieve classroom content. It also allows parents to see what is happening in classes and view grades. This will be used in all phases of traditional instruction, but will obviously be more heavily relied on during remote learning.
Virtual school will likely take place in another platform but will be supported by Cullman City School teachers who will not be tasked with tradition classroom instruction.
The traditonal and virtual options will operate seperately at all times. One will not look like the other. Because the virtual students will be assigned to a teacher, they will not "integrate" with a traditional classroom, regardless of setting.
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Message from the Superintendent
Cullman City Schools is taking proactive steps to protect students, employees, and the community from the spread of illness. Our custodians regularly clean and disinfect common surfaces. Our nursing staff will work to remind students and employees of preventative practices. Students and staff will be provided with ample soap and sanitizer to encourage frequent hand washing. Our administrators will remind students and parents to keep students home when an illness is present.
While Cullman City Schools is sensitive to the concerns surrounding the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), we also remain focused on educating our students. At this time, we are continually monitoring levels of infection in our community and in the State of Alabama. We continue to be in contact with the Alabama State Department of Education as well as the Alabama Department of Public Health and will act upon recommendations of these agencies.
Cullman City Schools will keep students and parents aware of developments that may directly impact our community. Should a concern arise, Cullman City Schools, in conjunction with State and Local officials, will make decisions in the best interests of student and community safety. We ask that if your family is affected by the virus, please contact your school nurse as soon as possible so that measures may be put in place to ensure our students, employees, and the community are protected.
We appreciate your support in this matter as we work to protect all of our stakeholders.
Sincerely,
Susan Patterson, Ed.D. Superintendent