A few options have been released as potential ways schools should proceed this fall in GA.
Even with numbers dropping in Georgia, schools will still be cautious with re-opening this fall. Several potential plans have been released and will be based on how rampant COVID is in each district.
Online learning was very difficult for teachers and students to end the spring school year. Many predict it would be even tougher in the fall, when school returns. The Georgia Department of Education and Georgia Department of Public Health are releasing Georgia's K-12 Recovery Plan– guidance to help schools plan for a safe return to in-person learning.
"We all want to open schools, but our primary goal is to provide the safest possible environments for students, teachers and staff," said Kathleen E. Toomey, M.D., M.P.H., Georgia Department of Public Health commissioner. (PATCH.com)
For areas with minimal to moderate spread of the coronavirus, several options are available, including “hybrid” models that minimize physical attendance to maximize social distancing.
The A/B model would be splitting classes in half, having some on Monday and Wednesday, then others on Tuesday and Thursday, with everyone doing virtual learning on Fridays. Working parents will cringe at that because daycare will be hard.
Another model, keeps high school and middle school students at home doing virtual learning, while elementary students use the buildings, since they have a tougher time with online learning.
No matter what, there will be a new normal at all schools. Hallways would be divided into travel lanes, schools would help health officials with contact tracing, and new safety protocols for cleanliness, as well as, signs reminding everyone of hygiene and personal responsibility will all be in play.
Read full report here: Georgia's K-12 Recovery Plan