Todd Meckes appointed Chief Technology Officer
The Board of Education approved Superintendent Chad Holden's recommendation to promote Meckes on Monday night.
"Todd has worked in our system for a lot of years. He knows and understands our tech infrastructure and has the important relationships with employees already established. Having worked so closely with Kevin Stephenson, he's ready to hit the ground running on day one," Holden said.
Darby Lindsay joins MSMS faculty
Lindsay, a graduate of the University of North Alabama, most recently taught at Red Bay High School where she also served as the head coach of the varsity girls basketball team.
Darby and her husband, Daniel, currently reside in Red Bay but plan to move to the Shoals soon. Welcome, Darby Lindsay!
Missy Davis hired as Secretary/Bookkeeper at McBride Elementary
Davis is currently the secretary/bookkeeper at Sheffield Junior High School.
Missy and her husband, William, live in Muscle Shoals and have two children, Savannah (12th) and Sawyer (9th). Welcome, Missy Davis!
Mask Requirement Extended Until October 1, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.
The Muscle Shoals Board of Education met on 9/13/21 and approved my recommendation to extend the mask requirement for three more weeks, expiring on Friday, October 1, at 5:00 p.m. Our sincere hope is that the level of community spread and number of positive cases of coronavirus across the district decreases to the point that we can transition back to a mask preferred policy soon.
We fully understand and recognize that COVID is something that will be with us in the foreseeable future, and that we must learn to live our lives, work our jobs, and operate our schools with COVID as a concern for our health and safety. It's also why vaccinating against COVID-19, if your doctor recommends it, is so vitally important.
Since the pandemic started, a lot that we think or know about the virus has changed. The three basic protocols for slowing the spread, however, have remained the same: masking in close situations, social distancing, and good hygiene.
In the last four weeks, we have seen the highest rates of positivity in our communities that we've seen during the pandemic. Ninety percent of Alabama schools are now operating with some form of a mask requirement. Alabama’s K-12 schools saw more than 8,400 new COVID-19 cases last week, eclipsing the highest weekly total of roughly 4,000 cases recorded at the height of the pandemic last year.
With a more contagious variant, low (but rising) vaccination rates, and less community-wide mitigation, the surge has placed an unfortunate strain on our healthcare and education systems. However, we are optimistic that a plateau to the current surge is around the corner.
For the next three weeks, we will continue the same expectation of universal masking for all students, staff, and visitors when inside our buildings and when within 6 feet of a person from another household. We will reassess in a few weeks and decide on or before October 1, 2021, whether or not to extend the mask requirement or move back to a mask preferred policy.
We appreciate your continued understanding and cooperation as we prioritize health and safety in these challenging times.
Dr. Chad Holden
Superintendent
Board of Education Meetings and Minutes Available on Website
Dr. Chad Holden, Superintendent
