Nashville retention rate expected to be up following year of virtual learning
It was made clear during Monday’s meeting of the Nashville School Board that the education process has suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Superintendent Doug Graham told board members to expect phone calls or in person encounters from parents who are likely to be upset because their students will not be passing this year. Graham said the Nashville district’s retention rate is likely to be the highest seen in several years:
As an example, officials say the high school has 27 students participating in virtual learning for this year. About half of those were classified as doing a great job, while the remaining students are not. In some cases, Graham said virtual students have not been logging on the system in a consistent manner. Nashville personnel have been attempting to contact parents through a variety of means, including phone calls and email messages, to alert them. Graham said the reality is, there will be an increased number of senior students who will not be allowed to participate in this year’s graduation ceremony because those students have failed to meet the requirements.
At this point, the superintendent said he is undecided on how to handle the virtual learning for next year, but he told board members Monday that he’s currently leaning toward having no virtual learning program next year for students in Kindergarten through 8th grades, and a limited virtual offering for students in the 9th through 12th grades. At a recent meeting Graham attended at the area’s educational cooperative, 9 of the 13 school superintendents indicated they do not plan to offer virtual learning next year.
The federal government has provided the Nashville district with additional funds of more than two million dollars and the district plans to utilize those resources to hire personnel who will help get students caught up on their learning:
Those personnel won’t begin working until school starts up in August.
The Nashville School District’s calendar for the 21/22 school year has been approved. As required by state law the calendar includes 178 days for students and 190 staff days. Teacher in-service days are listed for August 2nd through the 13th, with the district’s first day of school in the fall set for August 16th. Two days will be set aside in the school year for parent/teacher conferences.
Graduation for the 21/22 school year at Nashville is scheduled for May 15th, 2022.
