ALUMNI NEWS
Memphis-Shelby Superintendent Dr. Joris M. Ray Secures $91 Million to Equip Students Amid Pandemic
"He was dogmatic in his belief that now was the time," Woods described. "When I expressed to Dr. Ray that there were legitimate concerns with the dis- trict's ability to fund the plan, he com- mitted and delivered on getting others to step up and provide financial support for the plan. The foresight to close schools before it was mandated may have saved lives. The vision to equip every student with a device and to make sure learn- ing continues during this pandemic may help to save a generation of future Achievers." Ray and Woods have been recognized for their leadership in Shelby County and were both named on the inaugu- ral Memphis Business Journal Power 100 list. As for the dynamics of Ray's S.A.F.E. Re-Entry Plan, all teachers will have the option to teach remotely or in classrooms. Principals and school district supervisors will provide further guidance to teachers and staff about plans, procedures, and expectations for beginning the year virtually in each school and department. Students will have live interaction with their teachers and peers every day and closely follow the routine of a regular school day. In addition to every student being provided with a digital device, students will also have the opportunity for an internet hotspot based on need. Moreover, under Ray's S.A.F.E. Re- Entry Plan, meal preparation will still happen at every school site with en- hanced procedures for health and safety. Multi-day meal packs will be available for pick-up to reduce the number of times families have to come to campus. Families will receive more details about meal pick-up plans from their child's school. As for addressing learning loss or ensuring that students don't fall behind due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ray said, "We must make sure we leave no stone unturned. Doing nothing to ad- dress learning loss is not an option. We are stronger together! Coronavirus will not defeat us. We are 901!”
By Nicholas Cole
As school districts across the Unit- ed States prepare for students to return to school amid the COVID-19 pan- demic, there are many questions about how to return safely, but one question that parents with students in the Shelby County Schools System (SCS), don't have to ask is whether their child will be left behind. Following a historic vote, the SCS Board of Education approved Superin- tendent Dr. Joris M. Ray's $91 million 1:1 digital device plan that puts more than 95,000+ new devices in the hands of every student at SCS-managed schools. "All means all," said Ray (Kappa Beta 1996). "I believe in Shelby County Schools, and I'm willing to put it all on the line for our students and families in the name of equity. I'm thankful to our school board and our Digital Advisory Committee for their valuable input as we worked to prepare a sustainable, cost-effective plan." SCS covers the Memphis metropoli- tan area and is the largest school district in the state of Tennessee. It is also one of the largest school districts in the na- tion, with more than 113,000 students, 200 schools (including a charter school portfolio), and over 15,000 employees (6,500 are teachers). Ray, who was voted unanimously by the Shelby County School Board to become Superintendent in December 2018, revealed that providing all stu- dents with digital devices is part of his S.A.F.E. Re-Entry Plan. To fund the plan under Ray's leader- ship, SCS received $48.6 from the fed- eral CARES Act that Congress passed for coronavirus relief. The Memphis City Council is contributing $5 million, and another $8 million will come from other state, local, and federal sources. The district also hopes to sell more than $2 million in educational advertise- ments and notes they will save $3.4 million in textbooks and other materials.
Ray, who was featured on CNN and NBC Nightly News in July to discuss his S.A.F.E. Re-Entry Plan, said equip- ping students with digital devices was essential, with the school district opting to open 100 percent online on August 31. The school district will remain virtual until further notice. "This decision aligns with the over- whelming feedback of SCS families," Ray stressed, before adding, "More than 80 percent of families who selected a fall learning option requested virtual learning. We take our responsibility to provide a high-quality and meaningful learning experience for every student, very seriously, and I can assure you that we will deliver on this promise, at school or at home. My commitment is that we will open our buildings as soon as it is safe to do so and that no matter what, on the first day of school, teach- ers will be ready to teach online and for the entire school day." Kevin Woods, (Kappa Beta 1998), Shelby County School Board Past Chairman and Past Vice Chairman, who represented the Board on the Digital TaskForce, said that while it was the school board that ultimately voted to approve digital devices for 113,000 students and WiFi for any family that needed it; it was Superintendent Ray's relentless pursuit to accomplish this lofty goal prior to the start of school that ultimately led to Tennessee's largest school district having the necessary funding and strategy to realize this bold vision.
86 | SUMMER-FALL 2020 ♦ THE JOURNAL
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