Dyersburg City Schools to implement modified Phase 3 next week

Thursday, April 15, 2021
State Gazette photo/ submitted

BRANDON HUTCHESON

bhutcheson@stategazette.com

On Thursday afternoon, Dyersburg City Schools announced the implementation of modified Phase 3, beginning Monday, April 19, for all city schools. Under the new phase, masks will be optional for students and staff members and visitors will begin to be invited into the school buildings.

State Gazette photo/ submitted

Speaking on the recent phase announcement, Dyersburg City Schools Director Kim Worley told the State Gazette, “This is a great move for our students and families. Everybody wants a little hope to return to normal. I think this gives everybody a feeling of hope that’s the direction we’re moving.”

Worley noted the deciding factors for the phase change were the decrease of COVID-19 cases within the community and monitoring COVID numbers following Spring Break.

“We have been on the decline [of COVID-19 cases] since mid-February. We also wanted to wait and see what would happen after Spring Break,” Worley explained. “We wanted to wait until at least two weeks after Spring Break to see if we had a spike in the number of cases, and we did not. Since there wasn’t a spike in cases after Spring Break, we felt like it was time to start to move that dial and make another change toward normal.”

Referring to the main changes modified Phase 3 presents, Worley said though students and staff would have the option whether or not to wear a facial covering, the school system would still ask visitors to wear a mask.

“We would ask all visitors who come into our building to continue to wear a mask to keep our students and staff safe if social distancing cannot be maintained,” she stated.

Additionally, Thursday's announcement noted city schools would allow visitors, such as parents, at awards programs for students in 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 12th grade.

“That would limit the number of people so we would not have those large gatherings,” Worley said. “We would be able to maintain social distancing with those visitors.”

As for students in other grade levels, Worley said those students may be recognized within the building without visitors.

She added the system will continue to watch the COVID numbers and if the numbers change, Dyersburg City Schools will adjust accordingly.

A release from Worley, issued on the Dyersburg City Schools social media pages and website Thursday afternoon referring to the phase announcement, is listed below:

“Dyersburg City Schools plans to 'turn the dial' a bit closer to normal next week! With everyone in our community working together with social distancing, washing hands, wearing masks, receiving vaccinations, etc., we have seen the number of COVID-19 positive cases decrease since mid-February. The question on everyone's mind was 'what will happen after spring break?' The number of cases did not increase after that time period.

“Beginning Monday, April 19, Dyersburg City Schools will implement a modified Phase 3, which will turn the dial a bit closer to normal. What will this look like for Dyersburg City Schools? There are two main changes that you will notice in each of the schools. The first is that masks will be optional for each student and staff member. However, we will continue to ask our visitors that enter our building to wear a mask if social distancing cannot be maintained. The other change you will see is that we will begin to invite some visitors into our building during the school day. We will first try to incorporate those awards programs for the 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 12th-grade levels as those students will be completing their education in that building. Parents will be invited to those programs. We realize the importance of recognizing all our students. Other grade levels may be recognized within the building without visitors as we begin this transition. More information will follow from the school.

“This is the next step to return to a normal school year. Thanks to each person for making our students successful during the 2020-21 school year.”

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