Mountain Brook Schools to open this fall with plans for 3 COVID-19 ‘scenarios’

The Mountain Brook Board of Education plans to reopen the city’s schools in the fall after their closure this spring due to COVID-19, Superintendent Dicky Barlow said on June 8 at the board’s monthly meeting.

However, it’s “incumbent on the school system to plan for multiple scenarios” for that reopening, said Barlow, many of whose remarks were drawn from an announcement released that day by Mountain Brook Schools.

“As we’ve learned with their pandemic, we plan, but we have to be nimble,” Barlow said.

The state Department of Education has a task force, of which Barlow is a member, making plans for “a safe, efficient and equitable return to school,” he said.

At press time, this state plan was to be released June 19 and will outline three scenarios concerning COVID-19: zero to minimal community spread, minimal to moderate community spread and substantial community spread.

In preparation for all three, Mountain Brook Schools will be addressing “essential actions” regarding health and wellness, instruction, and operations and services, Barlow said.

The school system will be “working diligently” in all three areas over the summer, he said.

More information, including a draft of the school system’s reopening plans, was likely to be shared by late June, he said.

The superintendent also thanked teachers, parents and students in Mountain Brook for their efforts in making the most of electronic learning during the pandemic.

The school system has sent surveys to teachers, parents and students to gather important information about electronic learning and will review those responses over the summer, Barlow said.

He also said — no matter how good electronic learning may be — “there is no replacement for students being school with their teacher, building relationships and creating an environment that leads them in a continuous learning process and that also accentuates and builds on their student wellness — as well as parent and teacher wellness.”

HONORING DIFFERENCES

MBS has formed a Diversity Committee consisting of parents, teachers, administrators, faith leaders and representatives from local diversity organizations, Barlow said.

The committee is meant to help MBS achieve its goal of honoring individual differences, diversity and the dignity of all and to ensure that all members of the school community are treated with respect, he said.

The formation of the committee was driven, in part, by an anti-Semitic incident in May involving students in the Mountain Brook Schools.

Barlow also cited “the recent injustices experienced by communities of color” in America.

The goal is for the committee to meet at least three times this summer and help determine how MBS can improve in diversity.

The committee will “discuss what MBS is currently doing successfully, what needs to be redesigned, what resources are available, what MBS needs to start doing, and what MBS needs to stop doing,” Barlow said.

All information discovered will be shared with the community, he said.

“MBS is responsible for providing children with an education that leads them to embrace and value differences,” Barlow said. “Strengthening such an education from pre-K to graduation will be among the chief priorities moving forward. MBS acknowledges the need for a comprehensive plan incorporating cultural sensitivity and acceptance that ultimately shifts the paradigm of ideology toward love, acceptance and tolerance of differences.”

“I appreciate the formation of that committee, and I can’t wait to see the work they do,” said Nicky Barnes, president of the board.

In a May 18, statement, the members of the board expressed their “complete horror and sadness” regarding an anti-Semitic video that was posted on social media.

“As part of the school system’s long-term strategic planning, ‘Honoring Diversity’ was among our most important goals,” the board members said in the statement. “It is time we take the programs that have already been implemented and supplement and fast track more programming to further this objective — put it on the front, center burner.”

The board members said at that time they had already been in touch with the Anti-Defamation League, the Birmingham Jewish Federation and various community clergy.

SUMMER REPAIRS

“Every summer we work on our schools to get them up to speed for the coming year,” Barlow said.

MBS Director of Facilities Tommy Prewitt gave the board a rundown of some repairs and improvements to be made at various school campuses this summer.

There will be some painting jobs throughout the school at Cherokee Bend Elementary, which is located at 4400 Fair Oaks Drive.

There will be a few repairs at Mountain Brook Elementary, which is located at 3020 Cambridge Road, including replacing carpet in a few classrooms and working on the water-proofing on the front wall.

MBS may also repave the back carpool driveway at Brookwood Forest Elementary, and Prewitt is getting some quotes on some painting work at the school. They are also looking at a new SRO space at the school.

Prewitt also said bids were going out soon for several projects.

Two projects that were going out to bid first were at Mountain Brook High School: resurfacing the running track and updating the lighting at the football stadium.

At press time, Prewitt and his staff were scheduled to meet with architects for some larger projects coming up in the summer of 2021. They will also begin meeting with the “end users,” he said.

OTHER BUSINESS

The Board of Education held its annual election of officers. Barnes will continue as president. Tommy Luckie will continue to serve as vice president.

“I really appreciate the faith that you’ve entrusted me in this position, so I just promise to take it seriously and to serve Mountain Brook Schools in any way I can,” Barnes said.

At Barlow’s suggestion, the board tabled consideration of two new textbooks in order to allow one month for community review. One textbook being considered is the Zaner-Bloser handwriting program for grades 1-3. Also being considered are materials from McGraw-Hill for seventh grade science called Life iScience.

The next board meeting is scheduled for July 13 at 3:30 p.m. New Teacher Orientation Week will be July 20-24. The first day of school is Aug. 11.

For more news from the school board, including the complete statements about the Diversity Committee and reopening the schools, go to mtnbrook.k12.al.us and click on “MBS News.”

TEACHER APPRECIATION

Despite the closure of schools, MBS recognized National Teacher Appreciation Week in May, according to a news release.

Barlow holds teachers in the highest regard and knows how much value they bring to the school system, the release states.

“They’re the ones who think about, ‘How can I help students excel and become who they should and can be?’” he said.

The 400 teachers in the school system in Mountain Brook didn’t waver in their commitment to excellence during the COVID-19 pandemic when the schools shifted to electronic learning, Barlow said.

“What I’ve seen through this is that they haven’t said, ‘Let me just do the bare minimum,’” Barlow said. “When we had our virtual learning conference, I heard teacher comments saying, ‘Oh my goodness, now that I’ve learned these strategies, it’s going to make me a better teacher.’”

“I am grateful to work with teachers who genuinely care for their students and who hold themselves to high expectations,” MBS Director of Curriculum and Instruction Missy Brooks said.