By Mike Hutchens
Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–By all accounts, the first day of the new school year in the Union City System was a good one.
Students on all three campuses reported for the 2020-21 school year Monday, attending classes on a modified schedule for the first time in nearly five months due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Those in Grades 1-12 whose last name begins with letters A-L went through a full day and will do so again Tuesday. Students whose last name begins with M-Z will go through the same routine on Wednesday and Thursday.
Pre-K and kindergarten students also attended in-person classes at half capacity as determined by their teachers and will do so the next three days.
Principals at all three UC Schools reported no major issues, even with many new safety guidelines in place to help guard against the spread of COVID-19.
“Given all that’s gone on in the last several months, the anxiousness and everything our faculty and staff had to prepare for, I thought it went very well,” Union City Director of Schools Wes Kennedy said. “That’s a testament to our principals and teachers and the many extra hours of work they’ve put in to be prepared and follow the many different regulations that have been put in place. There’s no better bunch of people to work with anywhere.
“And kudos to our students, as well. They were excited to be back in a traditional classroom setting and they had wonderful attitudes when hearing about and adapting to the changes we’ve made. Their parents should be proud of them.”
Social distancing was observed and masks were plentiful where that wasn’t possible in every building, classroom and hallway. Temperatures were taken of every student and teacher, either before they entered the building or before boarding a bus to get to school.
Cleaning was done between classes and after school was dismissed.
Students received both traditional classroom instruction as well as preparation for next week when the education plan radically changes.
Beginning next week, UC Schools will educate its students via an established Hybrid Level 3 plan that mixes both in-person and Distance Learning for Grades 5-12. Students in grades 5-8 will attend traditional classes on campus two days a week and practice Distance Learning two days a week. Those in Grades 9-12 will study on campus one day a week and via Distance Learning three days a week. Fridays will serve as a “flex” day, as needs determine.
The Level 3 plan will be in effect until at least Sept. 11 before the situation is reevaluated.
The complete Level 3 plan can be found on the school’s website (tornadotouch.net) under “Quick Links.”
