Sevier County School System

Calendar Change for Spring 2021

December 30, 2020

As students and staff members return to schools from winter break next week, teachers and principals are planning to welcome many of our remote students back into classrooms for the first time since last spring.  Numerous schedule and teacher assignment adjustments have also been made to accommodate this change in programming, affecting all of our students.  Given these facts, the Sevier County School System has made a calendar revision that we expect will make for a more orderly transition for everyone involved.  

Teachers will return for an administrative day as scheduled on Wednesday, January 6, 2021.  In order to provide an orientation for COVID-related safety protocols for returning remote learners and to familiarize all students with schedule and teacher assignment changes, students will return on Thursday and Friday, January 7 and 8, in two staggered groups based on the students’ last names.  On Thursday, January 7, students with last names beginning with A-L will attend in person.  Students with last names beginning with M-Z will engage in remote learning utilizing the same materials/equipment which they used during their final school days in December.  On Friday, January 8, this process will be reversed, with students with last names beginning with M-Z reporting to schools for classes while those with last names beginning with A-L will utilize materials for remote learning.  All traditional students will return to classes in schools on Monday, January 11, 2021.  Students whose parents have opted to keep them in the remote learning program will attend from home throughout this period as usual.

Families with students of differing last names in the same household who need to request an adjustment to their children’s remote learning day for this period to help with home supervision are asked to reach out to their child’s principal to make these arrangements.

Dr. Jack Parton, Director of Schools, has stated, “We are very happy to see many of our remote learners returning to classrooms in the spring semester.  Taking a day to reorient and train our students on safety procedures as they begin attending in schools again is the best way to try to ensure their safety and that of their classmates.  Providing our returning students with the training and tools they need to protect their health is also our best bet for keeping school doors open as the semester progresses.”

COVID-19 Related Information

Please visit the COVID-19 page on the district website for resources and information.