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Extended Day

If your child will be attending extended day this year, you may fill out the Extended Day Registration Form and email it and any questions you may have to Mr. Di Bona at ddibona@tcss.net. Students must have a registration form on file before they can attend. 

Brookwood Elementary School

Reopening Protocol and Procedures

2020-21

We are excited to begin the 2020-21 school year with you!  As we navigated the COVID-19 pandemic over the past several months schools have been working to ensure a safe environment when students return to the classroom.  In this document you will receive information to help you prepare for the start of school and what is shaping up to be a year far different from those we have become accustomed.  The information you find herein is prepared based on the TCSS Reopening Plan and contains information we currently have. It is subject to change based on data and directives from our state and local officials.  We encourage you to be flexible and adaptive as we embark on the 2020-21 school year together. 

Learning Options

• Traditional On-Campus Learning – Students report to the school building as they have always done. Students in 1^st thru 5^th grades will return on August 20^th.  Students in Pre-K and Kindergarten will return to school on a staggered schedule with ½ of the class returning on August 20^th and the other ½ returning on August 21^st.  All traditional learning students will be in school beginning August 24^th.
• Remote Learning – These students will access the curriculum from their classroom teacher away from school with the use of technology devices and internet. The lessons for remote learners will be the same as those taught to on-campus learners.  This information may be accessed directly from a WiFi connection or may be downloaded to a device and uploaded back to the Schoology platform when work is completed.  Students choosing the remote option are required to continue this method of instruction for a period of nine weeks.  Students may return to traditional learning if they choose at the beginning of each grading period.

The Tuscaloosa County School System is working to provide devices for remote learning to families in need of technology.  Schools are awaiting further instruction regarding the availability and acquisition of devices. Chromebooks are not a compatible device with the remote learning platform.   Continue to monitor www.tcss.net for updates.

Face Masks

• Under the current health order all students in 2^nd thru 12^th grades and employees are required to wear masks. For the safety of all of our students and staff, students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1^st grade will wear masks when they are outside the classroom (hallway, restroom, etc.). Teachers of PreK – 1^st grade will determine when students will need to wear masks inside the classroom.  These practices will remain in effect until further notice.
• All staff are required to wear masks when within 6 feet of another person AND when they are outside their classroom.
• Exceptions to wearing masks would be during breakfast, lunch, when eating and when students are outside and socially distanced.

Visitors

• Visitors to campus will be allowed by appointment only.
• Visitors will be asked a series of screening questions, have a temperature check, and will be required to wear a mask.
• There will be no visitors in the building for lunch or classroom visits for at least the first semester. This may be extended depending on information from the TCSS.
• Parent teacher conferences will be held virtually or by phone.
• Parents are not allowed to enter the building to walk students to classrooms.

Safety

• All staff will be screened each day and receive a temperature check.
• All students will receive a temperature check prior to entering the classroom.
• All teachers will be provided sanitizing solution to maintain their classrooms. Additionally, custodians will sanitize each classroom at the end of each day.  Frequently touched or used surfaces will be cleaned multiple times throughout the day.
• Students will participate in computer class, music, PE, counseling and library activities. Teachers in these classes will sanitize materials in between class changes. 
• Hand sanitizer stations have been provided throughout the building to encourage healthy habits.

Classroom

• In addition to the daily cleaning schedule each teacher will be provided with sanitizing solution and the classroom will be sanitized prior to students returning to the classroom.
• Teachers are expected to discuss proper hand washing, sanitizing, sneeze and cough protocols, mask wearing, and social distancing with their students.
• Classrooms will be arranged to promote distancing as much as possible.

Lunchroom

• Sanitizer is provided at the cafeteria entrance.
• Pre-packaged meals will be provided as students move through the lunch line.
• The cafeteria will operate at 50% capacity meaning students will eat in the classroom certain days of the week. Our schedule allows all students the opportunity to dine in the cafeteria each week.
• Tables will be cleaned and sanitized in between lunch groups.
• Outdoor dining will be encouraged as much as possible.
• It is highly encouraged that myschoolbucks.com be used to pay for student lunches.

Restroom

• Restrooms will be cleaned according to the daily schedule and be sanitized throughout the day.

Water Fountains

• Water fountains will not be accessible this year.
• Students are encouraged to bring a personal water bottle that may be filled from classroom sinks as needed.

School Bus

• Students will have assigned seats on the bus.
• Students are expected to wear masks in accordance with the Governor’s mandate.
• Buses will be sanitized each day upon completion of their routes.

Nurse

• Students who do not feel well or display symptoms of COVID-19 will have their temperature taken and be directed to the school nurse.
• Upon evaluation the nurse will determine the next steps.
• Students who are suspected of COVID-19 will be placed in the isolation area and the parents will be called to pick up the student. It is important that sick children be picked up as quickly as possible.

Morning Drop-Off

• Drop-off begins at 7:30am and students must be in classrooms no later than 8:00am.
• Bus riders will be released in a manner that prevents crowding.
• Students eating breakfast will report to the cafeteria immediately. A holding area will be available to ensure distancing in the cafeteria.
• Students not eating breakfast will report to their classroom.

Afternoon Pick-Up

• Students will be dismissed by grade level to ensure safe distancing.
• Bus bell rings at 2:40pm and car riders dismiss at 2:45pm (there may be some adjustment depending on time constraints). Patience and flexibility are required, especially the first several days of school.
• Car riders will distance in the gym and wait for their name to be called. Parents must have a placard with the student and grade name clearly marked.

Open House

• Open house will be conducted virtually this year.
• Classroom teachers will upload a video introduction and classroom tour to their teacher page on the school website.
• Parents of Pre-K and Kindergarten students will be given information about open house for those students. For distancing and safety reasons only one parent or guardian should accompany students.

We hope to be able to return to normal and open our doors for visitors and families soon.  We apologize for any inconvenience during this time and thank you for your cooperation as we prepare to do our best for your child.  We look forward to seeing all of our learners on August 20^th!  Stay safe, stay well, and have a great rest of your summer!

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Brookwood Elementary Earns a C in New Report Card, Double Digit Increase in Academic Growth

October 18, 2019

As required by the Alabama Act 2012-402 and the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015, the Alabama State Department of Education released the new Alabama Unified Report Card for the state, school systems, and schools. The purpose of this reporting system is to provide parents, community members, and other indicators of how a school or school system is performing. While one letter grade does not define a student, school, or system, it is a starting point for discussion.

The grade received reflects several factors, including academic achievement, academic growth, chronic absenteeism, as well as graduation rates and college and career readiness (for high schools). Of course, one grade does not tell the whole story. We hope the grade will add to our community discussion about how to improve the education for each student in our school – regardless of where it falls on the grading scale.        

We are happy to report that Brookwood Elementary increased ten points for the 2018-19 report card receiving a letter grade of a ‘C’, accumulating a total of 76 points.  We are extremely proud of the efforts of our students and staff.  As we celebrate the improvements made, we will continue to focus on areas in need of improvement.  Though we saw significant gains in reading growth we will maintain focus there in addition to mathematics and attendance in an effort to enhance achievement by implementing the following strategies:

• Continually strengthen Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s)
• Concentrate on content standards and learning targets so that each is clearly understood by teachers. It is important that teachers are engaged in collaborative work to analyze student data, unwrap content standards, and assure the appropriate level of rigor is in place.
• Use formative data obtained on a periodic basis that instructional changes may be made as needed. Students who are struggling must be identified early and appropriate interventions applied. Students who are higher achievers need to be challenged and presented with enrichment and extension learning activities.
• Strengthen efforts with parents to assure that students attend school, on time and all day, every day that is possible. Parents are key partners in this effort!
• Provide high quality professional development to enhance teachers’ abilities in instructional strategies and student engagement.

Dr. Davie, Superintendent of the Tuscaloosa County School System, “The progress in this indicator (Academic Growth) shows that students are meeting annual growth targets of performance. Every school in our system, regardless of proficiency scores, showed significant gains in this area. Academic growth is a critical area and the one where the most rapidly improving schools and districts across the nation place their focus.” \

You can find additional information at https://www.tcss.net/domain/6160.