News & Announcements
- 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: Latest 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
- TCSS to Shift to A/B Schedule Beginning Monday, December 14
TCSS to Shift to A/B Schedule Beginning Monday, December 14
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From the Office of the Superintendent
December 8, 2020
To Our TCSS Students, Families, Faculty, and Staff,
As you know, providing in-person instruction for our students has been and continues to be the goal of the Tuscaloosa County School System. We are immensely thankful for the hard work of our educators, who have made this possible since August. For our final week of school for the semester, the Tuscaloosa County School System will shift to an A/B Schedule for On-Campus Learners. This will take effect Monday, December 14.
The decision to shift to an A/B Schedule is due to the growing number of classroom teacher absences and lack of substitutes we are currently experiencing. This has been a challenge for our schools throughout the semester. However, the severity of the situation has recently increased, with greater absence numbers, spread across more schools at one time. While we have worked to develop the largest substitute pool our system has ever had, the same quarantine and isolation issues that are impacting our employees are impacting substitute availability. An A/B Schedule will allow our On-Campus Learners to still receive some in-person instruction, but in numbers that are manageable under our current staffing situation. While we need to reduce our student numbers due to staffing issues, we still believe the safety precautions we take in our schools are effective in fighting the spread of COVID-19. The reduced student numbers next week will also allow increased social distancing.
The A/B schedule will impact On-Campus Learners. TCSS Remote Learners are not impacted by this schedule and should continue under the direction of their Remote Learning Coach and teachers.
Schools will let students know if they are in A Group or B Group. As outlined in our Reopening Our Schools plan, students in the same household will be in the same group, even if their students are in different schools. Students are in the group as assigned by their school and may not select a different group. The schedule for each group will be as follows:
A Group
Monday, December 14 & Tuesday, December 15: Attend School On-Campus
Wednesday, December 16 & Thursday, December 17: Remote Learning Days
B Group
Monday, December 14 & Tuesday, December 15: Remote Learning Days
Wednesday, December 16 & Thursday, December 17: Attend School On-Campus
All TCSS Students
Friday, December 18: Remote Learning Day for All TCSS Students
Extended Day programs (both before and after school) will not be available the week of December 14.
Students should not report to school on their scheduled Remote Learning Days. Teachers will provide information about assignments for these days. Access to an electronic device will not be required to complete assignments for Remote Learning Days.
This change in our schedule for the final week of school will impact the schedule for school activities and exams. Your school will communicate directly with you about how events will be rescheduled or adjusted. High schools will still have exams next week, and exam schedules will be adjusted so that students will be able to take their exams on the days they are on campus.
Transportation will run as normal from December 14 – December 17. Students should ride their normal bus route on their on-campus days.
School meals will also be provided as normal for students December 14 – December 17. Students will receive school meals on their on-campus days. Students may also receive meals for their Remote Learning Days. Families should come to a Remote Learner Meal Pick-Up Location on Monday, December 14, from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. to pick up these meals. Please visit the link below for more information, for pick-up locations, and to reserve your meals. The meal reservation deadline is Thursday, December 10, at Noon. A reservation is necessary, so our Child Nutrition Staff knows how many meals to prepare.
Our faculty/staff is scheduled to return to school for second semester on January 4, 2021, and students are scheduled to return on January 5, 2021. There are currently no changes to our second semester schedule, and providing in-person instruction remains the goal and intention of the Tuscaloosa County School System.
We ask you to please stay connected to all the ways you receive official information from your school. Schools will soon be communicating information with families on how our schedule change will impact schedules for school activities, exams, etc. We know our shift to an A/B Schedule will create a challenge for many of our families, but this is a change that is necessary under our current conditions.
We ask our entire TCSS community to stay vigilant about health-promoting habits. Also, our educators always work hard for our students, but this year has posed a challenge like none other. Students and families, as we bring our semester to a close, please take time to show appreciation to the teachers, administrators, and all other staff members at your school. It is because of their dedication that we have been able to continue serving our students and keep our schools open this year.