JMCSS teachers plan for upcoming school year
JACKSON, Tenn. — Jackson-Madison County School System welcomed new and old teachers with an orientation Friday morning.
Together, they learned from the school board what to expect for the upcoming school year.
“Back to somewhat of a little bit of normalcy, being able to, you know, have more kids and bigger group environments, not separating as much,” said Mason Taylor, a special education teacher at South Side High School. “Kids being able to sit together at lunch tables and stuff like that, the actual school feeling. We’re excited to get back to that kind of environment.”
“New students coming in, new faces, new environment for everyone. I think it’s going to end up as a great year,” said Laboris Weddle, a math teacher at West Bemis Middle School.
Having a traditional school year is the goal. However, for everyone’s safety, the school board plans to look at data on a daily basis with the assistance of the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department, and they’re open to adjustments.
“If you want to wear a mask, wear a mask. If you don’t want to wear a mask, don’t wear a mask. If you want to get vaccinated, get vaccinated. If you’re not comfortable with that, you know, go with what you see is best,” said Greg Hammond, chief of staff and public information. “So as long as we can offer choices to parents and make masks optional, we will.”
The school board believes getting back in the classroom is going to bring back a special part of learning.
“We realize how important in-person learning is being able to really teach the whole child, not just the the hard skills like math and reading, but also those soft skills like teamwork and leadership, so we’re hoping this year will be as normal as possible, and we’re just ready to get started,” Hammond said.
The school system is ready to open their doors back up for the first day of school on August 2.
“Our goal is to make JMCSS the best by any measure. We’re not there yet, but we’re working our way toward that,” Hammond said.
For more information on frequently asked questions for the upcoming school year, click here.
For information on school open houses, click here.
For more local news, click here.
