Tuscaloosa City Schools to Resume Normal Operation After Break

The Tuscaloosa City Schools system will resume normal operations Tuesday after closing all schools Friday and temporarily switching to virtual learning Monday.

In a Monday afternoon announcement, TCS superintendent Mike Daria thanked parents for adapting to a fast-changing situation and allowing the system a few days to recover from the rapid spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19 through the community.

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"Our teachers across this system have been working tirelessly to make sure our in-person learning continues," Daria wrote. "That said, these last weeks have been tough and exhausting for all who serve our students. This time allowed them to catch up and prepare for the coming weeks."

Daria said with all schools closed Friday and classes conducted virtually Monday, staff at all 21 TCS schools were able to catch their breath and knock out a long list of COVID prevention measures.

Daria said all schools and buses have been cleaned and disinfected, teachers had time to plan in-person lessons, a large number of absent faculty and staff are due to return to work and applications for critically needed substitute teachers have been processed.

The threat of the virus obviously still looms, and Daria said as new positive cases continue to crop up among students and TCS employees, decisions about operations will be made on a school-by-school basis and parents will be notified of any closures with as much notice as time allows.

Daria finished his Monday message by thanking all who have answered the call to serve as a substitute teacher in these unprecedented times. The need for substitutes is still extreme, and Daria asked anyone who is interested in becoming a substitute should call 205-759-3535.

For more updates on TCS system operations as they become available, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.