News & Announcements
- January 15, 2021: Latest Data Update on COVID-19 & Our Schools
- TCSS Seeks Candidates for Position of Chief School Financial Officer
- TCSS to Implement Two-Hour Delay Tuesday, January 12, 2021
- Pre-K Pre-Registration Opens Friday, January 15, 2021
- TCSS to Implement Three-Hour Delay Monday, January 11, 2021
- TCSS to Return to Five-Day On-Campus Schedule Monday, January 11
- December 19, 2020: Data Update on COVID-19 & Our Schools
- TCSS to Implement A/B Schedule for On-Campus Students January 5 - 8, 2021
- Application Period Open Until January 7 for District 7 Board of Education Seat
- Photo Gallery - Celebrating the Holiday Season
- TCSS Educators Receive Tuscaloosa Education Foundation Grants
- Board of Education Approves Extraordinary Compensation for Employees
- TCSS CSFO Announces Upcoming Retirement
- ADPH Updates Guidelines for Schools, Regarding Quarantine Period
- TCSS Teachers Receive Nick's Kids Teacher Excellence Awards
- Sipsey Valley Celebrates Addition of Athletics Facilities
- 2021-2022 TCSS Academic Calendar Approved
- TCSS to Shift to A/B Schedule Beginning Monday, December 14
- December 4, 2020: Latest Data Update on COVID-19 & Our Schools
- Board Members Begin New Terms in Office
- December 3: Update from the Office of the Superintendent
- Choose Your Learning Option for Third Nine Weeks
- Provide Feedback on Proposed 2021-2022 TCSS Academic Calendar
- November 20: Data Update on COVID-19 & Our Schools
- Meet Our Education Heroes
- November 17: Update from the Office of the Superintendent
- TEF, Jalapeno's, & TCSS Celebrate Our Education Heroes
- November 12: Information Regarding COVID-19 & Our Schools
- November 10: Data Update on COVID-19 & Our Schools
- Photo Gallery: Vocabulary Parade
- TCSS Celebrates Red Ribbon Week
- Celebrating Decades of Service to Our Schools
- TCSS Receives $389,000 Grant for Career Technical Education
- October 26: An Update on COVID-19 & Our Schools
- Unity Day 2020 - Photo Gallery
- Alabama College Application Week 2020
- October 15: An Update on COVID-19 & Our Schools
- CRMS Tigers Celebrate Championship Win & Undefeated Season
- Second Nine Weeks: Important Upcoming Dates
- TCSS Goes Blue for World Day of Bullying Prevention
- Celebrating Homecoming Traditions
- TCSS Promotes BRAVE Bullying Prevention Initiative
- October 1: An Update on COVID-19 & Our Schools
- TCSS E-Learning Day Set for Friday, October 16
- Schools Receive Tuscaloosa Education Foundation Grants for Character Education
- Big Sandy Receives Visit from National Organization to Mark Achievement
- TCHS Wind Ensemble Receives National Recognition
- Join Our Team as a Substitute
- September 17: An Update on COVID-19 & Our Schools
- TCSS to Implement Edgenuity Online Learning Solution for Remote Learners
- TCHS Student Named National Merit Semifinalist
- An Update on COVID-19 & Our Schools
- Breakfast and Lunch Available to All TCSS Students, at No Cost to Families
- Continuous Improvement Planning
- Photo Gallery: Welcome Back to School!
- Welcome Dr. Johnson!
- Leaders Are Readers
- Celebrating Service to Our Students - Photo Gallery
- Congratulations to the Class of 2020!
- Thank You, Dr. Davie! - Photo Gallery
- Preparing for Our Return to School
- Holt Elementary Selected as 2020 Promising Practice School
- A Message to Our TCSS Community & Resources for Families
- Big Sandy Named First "Model PLC at Work" School in Alabama
- 2020 - 2021 Transportation Information
- Board Selects Candidates to Fill Superintendent and CSFO Positions
- Two TCSS Schools Chosen as 2020 National Schools of Character
- Board Approves Revised 2020-2021 Academic Calendar
- 2020-2021 Kindergarten Registration
- New Principal Named for Lake View Elementary
- TCHS Junior Names NASA's Mars Helicopter
- Storm Shelter Information
- Superintendent & CSFO Update
- TCSS Reads Across America!
- Information on Search for TCSS Superintendent and Chief School Financial Officer
- Waiver Requested for February 11 Weather Day
- TCSS Students Spread Kindness
- National School Counseling Week 2020
- February Is Career Technical Education Month
- TCSS Schools Chosen as 2020 State Schools of Character
- School Board Member Recognition Month
- Fighting the Flu
- TCSS 2020 Educator Recognition Award Recipients
- TCSS Student Chosen as Finalist in NASA Contest
- Honors for TCHS Wind Ensemble
- Pre-K Registration Information for 2020-2021 School Year
- TCSS Superintendent and CSFO Announce Retirements
- Honors for Holt High Carpentry
- Nick's Kids Teacher Excellence Awards
- TCSS Celebrates Alabama's Bicentennial
- TCSS Teachers Achieve National Board Certification
- Holiday Book Drive
- 2020-2021 TCSS Academic Calendar Approved
- TCSS Students Honor Veterans
- Commission Provides Funding for Projects at Schools
- TCSS High School Students Participate in Reality Check
- Pumpkins Become Book Characters
- May 2020 Graduation Ceremonies Announced
- Alabama Education Report Card
- TCSS Teams Up Against Bullying on Friday, October 18
- TCSS Launches BRAVE Bullying Prevention Program
- TCSS Launching New Community Engagement Program
- TCSS Schools Selected as Bicentennial Schools of Excellence
- TEF Celebrates Superintendents & Supporters of Education
- Ribbon Cutting & Open House for Sipsey Valley Middle School
- TCSS Teacher on "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?"
- 2019 TCSS Summer Meals Program
- TCSS Names New Administrators
- TCSS Celebrates Alabama Bicentennial
- Tuscaloosa County School System
- An Update on COVID-19 & Our Schools
An Update on COVID-19 & Our Schools
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September 3, 2020
From the Office of the Superintendent
To Our TCSS Families, Faculty, Staff, and Community,
There are many aspects of student, employee, and health-related information we are unable to share publicly, due to the need to protect the privacy of individuals. However, the Tuscaloosa County School System has compiled data regarding COVID-19 and its impact on our schools, within the first two weeks of the new year, that we are able to share with you. We have all learned that the COVID-19 situation changes rapidly, with so much information coming from so many sources. This is a way to keep our community informed of the current COVID-19 situation within our schools. If a student or faculty/staff member is identified as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case within the school, they will be contacted directly by their school.
The information below reflects cases from August 20 – September 1, 2020. This information is compiled by our TCSS Department of Health Services, working in conjunction with administration at local schools.
- We are aware of 29 TCSS students who have tested positive for COVID-19 during this time period. TCSS has approximately 19,000 students, enrolled across 34 schools. District-wide, approximately 65 percent of our students are currently attending school on campus. Some schools have as much as 80 percent of their students on campus.
- During this time period, a total of 308 students have had to quarantine, due to possible COVID-19 exposure. TCSS identified these students following Alabama Department of Public Health guidelines. These students were not identified because they displayed COVID-19 symptoms, but because they were determined to be close contacts of positive cases within our schools.
Additional Information:
- Since TCSS employees returned to work on August 12, TCSS is aware of less than ten faculty or staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19. TCSS has approximately 2,275 employees.
- Brookwood High School has the greatest number of students who have quarantined, due to possible COVID-19 exposure. From August 20 – September 3, 125 Brookwood High students have been quarantined. The reason for this higher number is because five positive COVID-19 cases at the school are students involved in several extracurricular activities, in which students come in close contact with a greater number of their peers. Brookwood High has a total enrollment of approximately 1,000 students. Brookwood High School became aware of the positive student cases through parents communicating with the school. This type of communication, as quickly as possible, is necessary in fighting the spread of COVID-19 in our schools.
- TCSS has been in contact with ADPH regarding the COVID-19 cases at Brookwood High School, and it has been determined there is no need for any additional safety measures at the school, beyond the extensive cleaning and sanitation already being conducted. The students with positive cases have not been identified as close contacts with one another at the school. Therefore, there is no indication that the students contracted COVID-19 at school.
- At this time, we do not have a total number of faculty/staff who have quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure since the start of school. However, on September 2, 2020, 43 employees were listed as absent under the “COVID-19” absence code. This does not mean an individual has a COVID-19 diagnosis, but they may have been exposed to COVID-19. This equals less than two percent of our 2,275 employees.
Of course, it is our hope that none of our students or faculty/staff members would be affected by COVID-19. However, we know the virus is in our community, and that it will impact our schools. Considering the highly contagious nature of the virus, we are encouraged that the steps we are taking to reduce risks are effective. These key steps involve wearing masks, social distancing, cleaning within our schools, hand washing, and quarantine for those who have been exposed to the virus. We ask our entire TCSS community to keep maintaining these healthy practices, especially as we move into a long holiday weekend. It is our goal to keep our schools open for On-Campus Learning, and we all must keep working together to make that possible.