WACO, TX— Tennyson Middle School will transition to fully remote instruction Tuesday through Friday with plans to resume in-person learning on December 14.
Principal Matt Rambo sent the following message to Tennyson families and employees Monday evening:
“Today, we learned that four people, who have been on campus at Tennyson Middle School, tested positive for COVID-19. We are notifying the families of any students and any employees who were in close contact with the people who tested positive. Those students and employees have been told to quarantine in accordance with guidance from the CDC.
“Tomorrow, more than 20 employees at our campus will be out as a result of testing positive or being in close contact with someone who tested positive. While we expect a number of our employees to be able to return to campus by next Monday, the number of employees out this week makes it difficult to appropriately supervise our in-person students. As a result, Tennyson Middle School will transition to fully remote instruction starting tomorrow (Tuesday, Dec. 8).
“We are planning to reopen for in-person instruction on Monday (Dec. 14). However, we will continue to monitor the number of students and employees who test positive for the virus as well as the number of close contacts required to quarantine as a result of any new cases. If this plan changes, we will let you know as soon as possible.
“All of our students have already received Chromebooks that they regularly take home with them. In addition, any students without internet access at home are able to check out a mobile hotspot. If you need technical assistance with your student’s Chromebook or a mobile hotspot, you can reach our student help desk between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday by calling 254-284-1072.
“We are continuing to work closely with the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District. All areas of the campus will be deep cleaned and sanitized using hospital-grade disinfectants before the campus reopens for in-person instruction.
“Also, free COVID-19 testing remains available in our community, and I would encourage you to consider taking advantage of it – even if you don’t have any symptoms. You can find a list of community testing sites and hours at covidwaco.com. Please note that pre-registration is required.
“Thank you for helping us make this second transition to remote learning as smooth as possible. As always, if there is something that your student needs to be successful, please let us know.”
