1st day of school now Aug. 7
The Georgia Department of Education has amended its “Path to Recovery for K-12 Schools.”
The revisions were announced Monday, and the most notable change was the removal of the three levels of guidance based on the number of confirmed COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in a community.
Those delineations included “substantial spread,” “minimal/moderate spread” and “low/no spread.” Depending on where a school system fell determined which path of guidance to consider.
“They took out the part about cases per 100,000,” superintendent Dr. Shanna Downs said. “(For example), if we had more than one case we got out of the green (low), less than 30 put us in the middle category (moderate) and 30 or more in the whole county meant we were in the high spread.
“They took that off and we no longer have those specific numbered restrictions.”
The amendment creates an ambiguous situation for school systems and gives them a less concrete plan to consider.
“They basically kept the instruction of what to do if you’re in red, yellow or green, but now there is no measure,” Downs said. “You just have to guess what you’re in (low, moderate or high spread).”
By the old criteria, which is no longer in use, Gilmer County would be considered an area of substantial spread. There were 257 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Monday afternoon, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s website.
“But they threw all that completely out the window,” Downs said.
The announcement also noted, “Face coverings and masks, which are not state-mandated but are strongly recommended, particularly in settings where social distancing is difficult to accomplish (i.e. class transitions, drop-offs, pickups, etc.).”
The department of education said these changes came as a result to “better align with the Georgia Department of Public Health’s return to school guidance issued June 13” and to “Equip districts and schools to mount a targeted response based on confirmed COVID-19 cases or exposures within a school community.”
The press release concluded by adding, “These are updates to the existing plan, and should not necessitate changes in already-developed district-level plans. Districts continue to have the flexibility to implement prevention strategies above and beyond the recommendations laid out in this guidance and adopt instructional models that best serve their students, teachers and community.”
School set to start Aug. 7
Gilmer County Schools were initially set to begin the new year Aug. 3.
To give schools more time to roll out technology and train teachers, the first day of school has been moved to Aug 7.
“We originally had kids coming back on Aug. 3, but because we’re doing this virtual option, we are trying to give Chromebooks to all students in first through 12th grade,” Downs said. “When you do that, you’ve got to be able to train teachers to use the online platform. So those four days from the 3rd through the 6th are now professional learning days to train staff.
“That way, we bring the students in on Friday and kind of establish routines and then if anything needs to be done we’ve got the weekend to do it.”
All Gilmer County students were given the option to either return to classrooms for instruction or take classes virtually online.