NCSD Updates  

Our district is working in collaboration with all state and local governments and 
the Florida Department of Education to prepare and respond to the Coronavirus. 

As new information is available, it will be posted below. Check here and our social media accounts (@NassauSchoolsFL) for updates.

Current COVID-19 Report

Masks Update from Assistant Superintendent from September 3, 2020
Dear Parent or Guardian,

In response to the latest guidance from the Health Department concerning the wearing of masks, the school district is making a change regarding the wearing of face shields only. When the reopening plan was written and rolled out the district wanted students and staff to have options on what type of face covering to wear. At that time we believed that masks or face shields would be acceptable. However, we have since learned that face shields only provide protection for the eyes of the person wearing the shield. They do not provide protection for the people around the person wearing the face shield. Therefore, beginning Tuesday, September 8th, students who wear face shields will also be required to wear masks.

This change does not mean that students will be required to wear their masks for 100% of the school day. There will be opportunities throughout the day for students at all levels (grades K- 12) to remove their masks.

This change will enhance our ability to keep coronavirus from spreading in our schools.

This change does not affect students who were exempt from the mask rule due to medical conditions.

This change also applies to staff members.

Please reach out to your school's principal if you have any concerns regarding this change.

Sincerely,

Mark Durham
Assistant Superintendent

Return to School - Understanding Your Options from July 27, 2020

The deadline for choosing an educational option for your child is Wednesday, July 29th. Please view our “Understanding Your Options” video. If you have not already notified the school of your intent, please call your child’s school by Wednesday.

Reopening Plan from July 23, 2020

At the School Board Meeting on July 23rd, our Return to School Plan and the revised calendar was approved. Also included below is a parent/student guide for a Safe and Healthy Return to School. Each item can be viewed by clicking the link below. 

       
Reopening Plan                                              Parent & Student Guide                            Updated 2020-2021 Calendar 

Message from Superintendent Dr. Kathy Burns from July 21, 2020

Please view the message from our Superintendent, Dr. Kathy Burns. We appreciate all of the submissions for our Frequently Asked Questions document. We continue to update it daily. If you have submitted a question and it has not been answered yet, we are still working on some responses. Thank you for your support and patience as we work through this process.

Visit https://www.nassau.k12.fl.us/Page/3222 to read frequently asked questions regarding our district's reopening plan.

Dr. Burns' Update - https://youtu.be/APuA-80h04I

2020-2021 School Update from July 16, 2020

Draft Reopening Plan from July 9, 2020

Our DRAFT Reopening Plan was presented at the July 9th School Board Meeting. Parents and Community Members may watch the recorded presentation at http://nassaucountysd.swagit.com/archived. The plan can also be viewed by opening the link below. 

DRAFT Reopening Plan

Reopening Survey from June 30, 2020

Dear Parents/Guardians,

To prepare for the 2020-2021 school year, we have created a Reopening Nassau County Schools: A Safe and Healthy Return to Teaching and Learning document and a survey to gather information for pre-planning and staffing purposes. We know the concept of returning to school is exciting for some and concerning for others; therefore, we need our families to complete this survey to gauge your plans for the upcoming school year. 

While the survey is not a binding statement of your final intentions for the 2020-2021 school year, it is vital for you to select the option you most likely will choose. The survey will be available until Tuesday, July 7th, at 11:59 p.m. We greatly appreciate your help in completing this survey. 

The district will provide two possible options (Return to school or Nassau Virtual) for your child for the 2020-2021 school year. Please indicate the option that applies to your child.

Please review our Reopening Nassau County Schools: A Safe and Healthy Return to Teaching and Learning document. 

The purpose of this document is to assist you in making an informed decision about your child’s return to school.

We understand this document does not answer every possible question or concern you might have. We are preparing a more comprehensive plan that will be presented at the July 9th School Board Meeting.

Thank you in advance for your support and assistance.

To take this survey, please click here.

Message from Superintendent Dr. Kathy Burns from June 18, 2020

You may also download or view a PDF file. 

Spanish translation may be downloaded or viewed here. 

Distance Learning Update from April 18, 2020

Today during his 4:30 p.m. COVID-19 Press Conference, Governor Ron DeSantis recommended all school districts in Florida remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. The Nassau County School District will continue educating students via Distance Learning for the remainder of the year.

We know you have many questions about your student’s grades as well as activities and events. We will be providing you with additional information as it becomes available. Now more than ever, it is vital for us to continue to work together. We appreciate your patience and flexibility during this time as we work every day for the success of students and the improvement of schools.

WE ARE NASSAU!

Device Swap Center launches April 6, 2020

The District has opened a Device Swap Center. In order to follow CDC guidelines and minimize your wait time, please follow the procedures outlined in the graphic.

Superintendent Update from April 3, 2020
Please click our logo to view a video update.

Suspension of Meal Delivery from April 3, 2020

School Meals Here Comes the Bus ~ Update from March 30, 2020

Schools Extended Closure Update from March 30, 2020

During a conference call this afternoon, the Commissioner of Education announced that schools will be closed until Friday, May 1.

 Superintendent Update from March 30, 2020

Good afternoon Nassau County Families –

As Superintendent of Nassau County Schools, I wanted to take a moment to update you on our School District and plans for the days ahead.  On Friday, March 13^th, teachers had a planning day and we were all preparing for Spring Break.  By the end of the day things changed, FOR EVERYONE!  Schools were closing and we had to completely redesign what school would look like for our students.  It happened!  In true educator fashion – local administrators, teachers, volunteers, and our communities, came together to figure it out!  It’s remarkable the work that has been done in just a few short days.  I would like to share just a few of the highlights from the past week!

• Over 14,000 meals were served to Nassau County students. On Friday, they were provided with not only Friday’s meal, but breakfast and lunch for Saturday and Sunday as well
• Over 14,000 calls were received by Nassau County families from our 16 schools.
• Over 3000 computers were distributed to Nassau County students.
• Over 6000 learning packets were mailed to elementary students on Friday. There will be more information coming this week about your learning packets.
• Over 60 teachers and other personnel volunteered their time this past week to begin lesson planning and creating instructional videos. All this in an effort to provide quality lessons and assist their colleagues and team members in the days ahead.
• As we move forward, here’s some additional information that may be helpful to you:

We will continue to serve meals from 10-1 PM daily at Southside Elementary, Yulee Middle School, Callahan Elementary School, and Hilliard Middle Senior High School

• Plans will be posted soon on bus routes that will begin on Wednesday, April 1^st delivering meals and other items to our students
• If you did not request a computer for your child but still have a need, please contact your child’s school
• Teachers will be contacting their students and families this week
• If you have additional questions, you may contact your child’s school or the District Office at 491-9900
• Starting today, you may go to our district website, click on the COVID19 update and look to the left – you will see FAQs. You may submit your questions there and answers will be updated each day.  Hopefully this will answer some questions and assist in clarifying misinformation.

I could not be prouder of our School District team and our County as a whole.  Our theme in the school district is “We Are Nassau!”  This is a time when it must ring true for ALL OF US.  We are all in this together.  We must continue to move forward with a strong sense of camaraderie and teamwork.  We are in a challenging time and we are going to strive to do our VERY BEST WORK during this time.

Starting a Chromebook at Home

 
Chromebooks at Home


Please make sure that your computer is fully charged. If there are any issues with the device, please enter a help desk ticket through the icon on your student’s Classlink page or at https://nassau.incidentiq.com. The login number would be your child’s student ID number. 

Student Device Registration Update from March 25, 2020

The pre-registration window for student devices is now closed. If you did not pre-register, you can complete the attached form or visit https://fl02213748.schoolwires.net/Page/3207 to expedite the process. Printed forms will also be available on site. Device distribution times are:

March 26th 10am - 1pm / 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Southside Elementary, Emma Love Hardee, Yulee Primary, Yulee Elementary, Yulee Middle, and Wildlight Elementary

Enrichment Learning Update from March 24, 2020

Dear Parents & Guardians,

Thank you for your continued patience as our distance learning plans are finalized. Below are some enrichment activities suggested by grade level for the remainder of this week. Students and parents may also access our public resource portal at https://portal.classlink.com/nassau for more activities.

The Public Portal does not require your child’s district login information. However, all students still have access to their district-subscribed programs on their ClassLink page located at https://launchpad.classlink.com/nassau.

Student Device Registration Update from March 23, 2020

STUDENT DEVICE REGISTRATION UPDATE: Thank you for your continued patience during this time. We have finalized our device distribution plan and have included the details below.

The distribution of NCSD computers for virtual student instruction will be on March 26 and March 27. Please complete the device request form below.

1. Devices must be picked up by the student’s parent or guardian listed on the device registration submission. (When submitting the form, please submit the name of the parent or guardian picking up the device).

2. Device pickup will be located at your student’s school in the parent pick-up area unless indicated otherwise at that location.

Free Meals Update from March 20, 2020

March 19, 2020 - No Updates

Superintendent Update from March 18, 2020

Good afternoon,

I want to start by thanking you for your patience as we navigate uncharted waters during this unprecedented time. As Spring Break ends and we enter the week of March 23rd, I wanted to inform you of our plans moving forward, recognizing that our guidance from the Department of Education continues to be updated.

1) Meals will be available beginning Monday, March 23rd from 10 am - 1 pm at the following locations: Southside Elementary, Yulee Middle, Callahan Elementary, and Hilliard Middle-Senior High.

Superintendent Update from March 17, 2020

Nassau County School District Families,

Within the last hour, Superintendents throughout the state held a conference call with the Chancellor of K-12 Education, Jacob Oliva.  We wanted to update you on the latest information we have received.

• School districts throughout Florida, including Nassau County, will be closed until April 15^th.
• All PreK-12 grade state assessments will be canceled for the remainder of the year.
• We are working diligently to prepare our instructional continuity plan.
• The state is working closely with us to make sure this has no negative impact on students, especially Seniors.

We will update you tomorrow with more details.  Please know that we will continue to work together for the success of students during this unprecedented time.  We Are Nassau!

In Education,

Kathy Burns

Update from March 16, 2020: Student Meal Plan for the week of March 23^rd - 27^th 

We appreciate all of you who have reached out to us regarding efforts to feed our students. Pending approval of the Florida Department of Agriculture – Consumer Services (FDACS), the Nassau County School District will be providing breakfast and lunch for students during the week of March 23^rd. Breakfast and lunch will be served from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Meals will be prepackaged and distributed at the parent pick-up or bus loop to be consumed off-site. Breakfast and lunch may be picked up together at one time. 

Children must be present to receive their meal per federal requirements.  Any child 18 and under may receive free meals.

We will be serving meals at the following 4 school sites:

• Southside Elementary
• Yulee Middle
• Callahan Elementary
• Hilliard Middle-Senior High 

The preferred way to distribute meals is by vehicle; however, foot traffic is allowed if necessary.

For those in need of food during Spring Break or those who are ill or self-isolating and unable to pick up meals, please contact your local food banks and area churches for assistance. 

Thank you for your patience as we work through all the logistics. Together, we will get through this. We are Nassau!

Superintendent Memo from March 13, 2020

Nassau County School District Families,

The Florida Department of Education in conjunction with the Governor’s Office announced this afternoon that all school districts in Florida will close for the next two weeks. This window includes our scheduled Spring Break week of March 16-20 and the following week of March 23–27.

All extra-curricular activities, including athletics, will be canceled during this time.

The SAT scheduled for tomorrow, March 14, 2020, at West Nassau High will still be administered.

More details will be forthcoming as the state releases additional guidance regarding state assessments and the remainder of the academic year.

All 12-month employees should communicate with your supervisor concerning your work schedule.

We wish you all a safe and healthy Spring Break.

Travel Recommendations from the Florida Department of Education from March 13, 2020

COVID-19 – Travel Recommendations from the Florida Department of Education

The Department of Education has been working with the Department of Health and we have received the following additional recommendations concerning COVID-19:

• Anyone (students/faculty/staff/etc.) who goes on foreign travel, to any country, must self-isolate for 14 days upon return.
• Anyone (students/faculty/staff/etc.) who goes on a cruise, anywhere, must self-isolate for 14 days upon return.

A Message for all NCSD Stakeholders from Superintendent Dr. Kathy Burns from March 11, 2020 

Dr. Kathy Burns, Superintendent of Nassau County School District (NCSD), has directed several actions to help prevent  the spread of the Coronavirus, COVID‐19. These actions include guidelines for re‐entry of students and employees to  school after travel from high‐risk areas, new student registrations from high‐risk areas, sanitization of school facilities,  school attendance, and school‐related employee and student travel.  

This is an emerging situation that the district will continue to monitor and update the public with information as it becomes available. We will continue to rely on the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to provide us with the most up‐to date and accurate information available. NCSD remains in close communication with the Florida Department of Health‐ Nassau and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to make appropriate operational decisions. 

Re‐entry of Students Traveling from High‐Risk Areas
The Nassau County School District requests for all parents and guardians to inform their schools by telephone if people in their household have traveled to areas that the CDC has deemed to be high‐risk for widespread sustained transmission of the virus. Upon notification, schools will work with district and community health officials to determine the appropriate action regarding the re‐entry of those children into the school.  

Registration of New Students from High‐Risk Areas
Any new families arriving to Nassau County from high‐risk areas are also requested to telephone the school for instructions prior to registration. School officials will work with district and community health officials to determine the appropriate registration and attendance plan for those students. Families arriving from high‐risk areas are asked not to visit the school(s), but to interact with the school by telephone.  

Sanitization of School Facilities
NCSD will begin a process of sanitizing and disinfecting all schools. 

School Attendance 
Students who provide written documentation from their healthcare provider advising them to refrain from attending school due to COVID‐19 will be excused. Families of these students are asked to coordinate with their school principals to develop an appropriate education plan on a case‐by‐case basis. 

Employee and Student Travel (School Sponsored and District Sponsored)
Currently planned school‐sponsored or district‐sponsored out‐of‐state travel for students and employees may be allowed if a trip is to an area which is not on the CDC’s list of concern. District administration will review each trip on a  case‐by‐case basis.  

Until further notice, new out‐of‐country travel requests will not be approved. 

Until further notice, new out‐of‐state travel requests will not be approved. 

The district is proceeding with caution regarding in‐state travel. All in‐state travel must be approved by the Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent.  

There are currently no restrictions for in‐county field trips. The district will continue to work with the Florida  Department of Health‐Nassau and monitor any potential issues in our local community. 

We are currently working with the Florida High School Athletic Association regarding regional and state athletic events and will provide guidance to schools once that information is received. 

Parents and guardians are urged to ensure their phone numbers are correct in Focus. Please login to Focus and click My  Child and then Addresses & Contacts to verify the phone number(s) on file. Please contact your child’s school if your information needs to be updated. 

Staff Responsibility  
Staff returning from any location the CDC recommends “avoid all nonessential travel” will be required to “self‐ quarantine” for 14 days upon return to the United States.  

Stay home for 14 days from the time you left an area with widespread, ongoing community spread (Level 3 Travel Health  Notice countries) and practice social distancing.   

Discuss your work situation with your employer before returning to work.  

The district requests for all employees to inform their supervisor by telephone if people in their household have traveled to areas that the CDC has deemed to be high‐risk for widespread sustained transmission of the virus. Upon notification,  the supervisor will work with district and community health officials to determine the appropriate action regarding re-entry of the employee to the school or facility.  

Florida Preparedness for COVID-19 FLDOE Memo from February 28, 2020

FLDOE Memo 2/28/2020