Mountain Brook Board of Education delays start of school until Aug. 20

The Mountain Brook Board of Education — at a special called meeting on Thursday, July 30 — voted to postpone the start of the 2020-21 school year from Tuesday, August 11, to Thursday, August 20. 

“This decision was made to provide our school system more time to prepare buildings, train employees and finalize logistics before instruction begins,” according to a statement from Mountain Brook Schools.

“Due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases across our county...it became evident that we needed to pivot to protect our students, staff and all of their families,” according to the statement. 

The changes in the school reopening plan were presented to board members by Dicky Barlow, MBS superintendent.

The board announced previously that students and parents may choose either a traditional option, meaning that they will attend school in person, or a virtual option, meaning that they will make use of distance learning.

MBS announced July 30 that, in addition to postponing its start date, it will begin the year with its alternate plan.

This means that students in junior high and high school who select the traditional option will be assigned to one of two groups and attend school on continuous, alternating days from week to week.

The alternating schedule is designed to aid in “density reduction” by limiting the number of students in a building at the same time, according to the statement.

When away from campus, students will participate in e-learning and complete assignments at home.

The alternating schedule does not apply to students who registered for the full-time virtual option or to elementary students.

Elementary students who selected the traditional option will attend school five days per week. However, elementary schools will implement non-rotating schedules for grades 4 to 6.

These plans will be in place for a minimum of four weeks, but the plans will be regularly reviewed and changed as needed, according to the statement.

For all the details on these and other changes to the school reopening plan, go to mtnbrook.k12.al.us.

To read the complete statement from MBS, click on “July 30, 2020, Statement.”

To see the complete amended school plan, click on “MBS Reopening Information.”