ASMS COVID-19 State Guidelines Update

Dear ASMS Community Members,

As many of you might know, the State Department of Education held a press conference today to discuss how schools will reopen in the fall. In response to State School. Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey’s comments, I want to give you a brief update on how ASMS is preparing to begin the 2020-2021 school year.

In early May, ASMS organized a 16-member COVID-19 Task Force to develop a comprehensive plan to start school and keep the community as safe as possible in the process. Our plan is complete, but the task force will now review and incorporate the state's guidelines, which were released today, as they make sense for our unique institution. As an independent Alabama state agency, ASMS has the legal autonomy to offer educational programs outside of the State Department of Education's guidance. ASMS will publish and distribute our plan in mid-July.

ASMS intends to hold classes on campus in the fall. We strongly believe that face-to-face instruction, coupled with the residential experience, results in the best educational outcomes for our students. However, we will be prepared to transition to distance learning at any time, should the need arise. We are also examining the feasibility of allowing some students and faculty to work and learn from home as an option.

Will things look a little different on campus next year? Yes, but the changes are necessary, and it will all be OK. Some practices, like handwashing, are simpler to put in place, but other guidelines require significant planning and resources. ASMS is making decisions based on best practices and science as we move the community forward.

I also want each of our community members to know that profound flexibility and, perhaps, individual sacrifices will be required next year. Although there is intense uncertainty in our world, the turbulence underscores the critical importance of ASMS’s mission to develop Alabama’s future leaders. The ASMS community is resilient, and I am confident that we will navigate COVID-19 and other challenges if we work together.

Students and parents, if you have not completed our survey, please take the time to do so now. The information you provide will help us plan for next year.

Sincerely,

John Hoyle, Ph.D.