Madison School District Announces Phased Reopening to Begin March 9

Dear MMSD Families,

Thank you for your continued collaboration, patience and support over the past year as we have navigated the COVID-19 global health pandemic and worked to ensure the safety of our students, staff and families.

Today, I am happy to inform you of our decision to begin a phased return to in-person instruction, starting with Kindergarten students, March 9th. Additional grade levels will be transitioned back to in-person on a weekly basis, while virtual learning will remain an option for all students who wish to continue learning from home. Please note, virtual asynchronous days, previously held on Wednesdays, will move to Mondays for all K-12 students (whether receiving instruction virtually or in-person) beginning March 8th.

The current schedule for returning grade levels to in-person instruction includes:

• Kindergarten (March 9th)

• Grades 1-2 (March 16th)

• 4K (March 23rd)

As we continue to monitor COVID-19 metrics and receive guidance from public health experts, we will later determine when other grade levels and co-curricular activities can transition safely to in-person.

On January 8, 2021, we announced the possibility of implementing a phased return to in-person learning if COVID-19 conditions improved. As we have continued to monitor our current COVID-19 metrics, from Public Health Madison & Dane County and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, we are moving forward with a phased-in approach, starting with our youngest learners.

Next week, you will receive a request to indicate your intentions on whether your student(s) will be returning to in-person instruction or remain learning in an all-virtual model. It is important for you to return this survey, as the information it provides will help us better prepare and plan for our phased return to in-person instruction.

We understand families will have many questions, and encourage you to visit the MMSD School reopening page found on our district website to find more details about the phased return to in-person instruction in our school buildings. You may also reach out to your school’s principal and expect to receive more detailed information next week on a variety of topics specific to your learner(s).

Additionally, we will be holding a Facebook Livestream tomorrow, February 11, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. This event will provide an interactive real-time format to answer your questions. To participate in the livestream, please follow this link on the date and time of the livestream.

Again, we are grateful for the support, grace and understanding of our students, staff, families and community during these unprecedented times.  As part of our commitment, we will continue to refine our virtual learning instructional delivery model, and pay close attention to the social-emotional well-being of our students, staff and families. Thank you for your continued partnership as we navigate these challenging times.

Sincerely,

Carlton D. Jenkins Ph.D.
Superintendent

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