Students at Union Public School District won’t jump immediately into 5-day-a-week classes come August, after the district announced it would be extending a proposed staggered start to the new school year. In an update sent to parents Friday, UPSD announced staggered start classes would be held through August 28.
“Due to the elevated number of positive COVID-19 cases, UPSD is extending its staggered school re-entry through August 28th,” the update said.
Under the new guidelines, students would attend in-person classes two days per week and have remote learning classes three days per week. Students would attend classes either Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday, with remote learning being held for all students on Fridays.
“Students will have remote assignments for days they are not on campus, and attendance will be taken on remote days under the guidelines set forth by the Mississippi Department of Education,” the update said.
UPSD had already planned to being the school year with a staggered start, with students with last names A through I beginning August 5 and students with last names J through Z beginning August 6. Parents are asked to complete an online survey to tell the district whether they’d prefer to have their students on a Monday-Wednesday or Tuesday-Thursday schedule after August 6.
“In the interest of helping parents plan for their children, we are asking parents to give their preference on whether their students attend Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday,” the update said.
Details on the staggered start guidelines can be found on the district’s website, unionyellowjackets.org/district-office/district-updates
