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Remote Learning Day

The Tennessee Department of Education now allows us to use two remote instructional days per semester.  However, these days can only be used for inclement weather or other events requiring the closure of school buildings.  The Department of Education has put several guidelines in place that we are required to follow in order to utilize these days.  

• The school system must obtain permission from the Dept. of Education prior to using those days.
• Breakfast and lunch must be served at Mountain City Elementary School for all of our students in Prek-12 at a specified time, and students who choose to do so must eat in the cafeterias.

• • Breakfast 8am-9am
  • Lunch 11am-12pm

• Remote instruction must be provided (work packets, online assignments, etc.) and NO new material can be implemented.
• Special Education services must be available.

We will use one of these remote instructional days on March 5^th.  This is the Election Day that was already on the calendar, and students are required to be out of our buildings because they are polling places.  This will enable us to reclaim one of the snow days we have already used.  This leaves us one remaining remote instructional day to use due to inclement weather.  The callout message will say it is a remote instructional day if we choose to use it.  

FLU Vaccinations Available at Your Child's School

The Johnson County Health Department and the Johnson County School System have partnered to provide seasonal influenza (flu) vaccinations at your child's school. If your child is uninsured, there is no cost to you for the flu vaccine. If your child is covered by insurance, including TennCare and private insurance, the County Health Department will file a claim with the insurance plan and receive reimbursement directly from the insurance plan . There is no out of pocket cost to you for the flu vaccines provided during this school flu vaccination clinic.

Health Department nurses will vaccinate children and school staff using the injectable (shot) flu vaccine. Clinics will begin as soon as the vaccine arrives at the health department (usually middle to late fall).

If you would like for your child to receive flu vaccine, please complete the following consent form. Be sure to sign the form electronically as this will be your permission for your student to receive the vaccine. You must fill out a separate consent form for each student you would like to receive the vaccine. If at a later date you change your mind and do not wish for your child to receive flu vaccine at the school, please notify the Johnson County Health Department at 423-727-9731 prior to the clinic date. This service to the students and staff is being done to decrease the impact of seasonal flu in our communities and to decrease school absenteeism.

If you have any questions, please call the Johnson County Health Department at 423-727-9731

Consent Form - English (to be updated)

Consent Form - Spanish (to be updated)

Homebound Information for 2022-23 School Year

The purpose of Homebound Instruction is to provide educational services outside of the regular classroom to students with temporary illness or injuries to help students maintain their academic performance during recovery.   The Johnson County School System has updated its homebound services/policies and request packet. We will no longer accept the previous homebound forms.  For any questions, please contact Edna Miller, Homebound Supervisor, at emiller@jocoed.net.

Johnson County Schools Homebound Guidelines

Johnson County Schools Homebound Request Packet

COVID and School Attendance

COVID continues to be a concern in our community and schools.  The following protocols are in place for the 2022-2023 school year to address COVID and school attendance:

A student that is at school and is symptomatic with a fever will be sent home and given 2 days of excused absences by the school nurse.  If the child is not better after the two days, he/she will be required to be tested for COVID.  This can be done in the doctor’s office, by the school nurse, or a home test.  If the test is completed by a doctor, the school nurse MUST have verification from the doctor that the student tested positive.  This can be in the form of a doctor’s excuse stating that the child has tested positive.  If the test is completed at home, a picture of the positive test MUST be sent to the school nurse.  If the test is positive, the student’s absences will be coded as excused absences (including the two days mentioned above).   The student will only be allowed five (5) days of excused absence unless a doctor’s excuse extends the time.  Please note that if the child is sick over the weekend, those days are included in the five days.  If the test is negative, the student must return to school.  If the child does not return to school, the absences will be counted as unexcused.  Any further missed days after the two-day period without a doctor’s excuse or positive test results will be counted as unexcused absences. 

If a child is at home and becomes symptomatic and does not attend school, the parent/guardian may call the school stating such.  However, the parent/guardian must provide proof that their child has tested positive for COVID (please see the paragraph above.)  Proof of the positive test results will result in the student being allowed five (5) days of absences.  The student will only have five (5) days of excused absences unless a doctor’s excuse extends that time.  Please note that if the child is sick over the weekend, those days are included in the five days.  If a parent/guardian chooses not to test, all absences will be counted as unexcused. 

Information released in September from the TN Department of Education states that absences due to being COVID positive will count towards chronic absenteeism.  Chronic absenteeism means that a student is absent (excused or unexcused) 10% or more of the number of days that he/she is enrolled in school.  Absences due to being COVID positive will not count towards truancy.

There will be no contact tracing or quarantine for exposed students.  Students will not be placed on homebound due to COVID. 

All school employees must use sick leave for all COVID related absences.  All employees must have proof a positive test result in order to avoid requiring a doctor’s note for four or more consecutive days.  This must be attached to the absentee form.