Rural Georgia counties preparing for back to school

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) – College students return to highschool in only a few days for some college students within the Chattahoochee Valley, and college officers are busy ensuring they are going to be protected after they return, particularly in terms of COVID.

Latest incidents on the opposite facet of the nation are prompting them to be proactive and never get left behind.

On Monday, summer time break ends for Randolph County college students.

Faculty leaders inform Information Chief 9 they didn’t spend the break absorbing the solar however as an alternative getting ready to maintain their little one protected from risks seen and unseen.

Exterior of their common tasks, Randolph County faculties have two factors of emphasis this faculty 12 months, COVID and safety.

Michael Coley, the Director of Operations for Randolph County Colleges, mentioned the district not too long ago enlisted the assistance of businesses like Homeland Safety, Georgia Emergency Administration Company, and native regulation enforcement.

The district of about 800 college students has created plans for all their faculties in case one thing like the varsity taking pictures incident in Uvalde, Texas, involves their doorstep.

“The recent factor now could be what occurred in Uvalde, and it sort of brings a way of surreal that issues can occur,” mentioned Coley. “For those who see one thing, say one thing. One of many issues we’re pushing to our school and employees we are able to’t go away doorways unsecured. We understand we’ve loads of exterior doorways. If that state of affairs have been to happen, we’d be ready for it.”

Though Coley didn’t need to give an excessive amount of away, he did say the planning has improved communication between the college and employees.

COVID additionally finds itself on the prime of the record for the varsity district.

Superintendent Dr. Tangela Madge mentioned their palms are tied and can’t require college students to masks up. Nonetheless, they’re making hand sanitizer accessible in hallways and preserving humidifiers in school rooms.

“We all know the virus is on the market. We that there’s an uptick. We’ll most positively be following Georgia regulation in terms of sporting face masks. We’ll permit dad and mom to make that call. Nevertheless, we are going to let dad and mom know that there’s a rise within the virus, however it’s completely as much as them. “, mentioned Madge.

We additionally checked in with the Stewart County Faculty district. Superintendent Mike Robinson mentioned masks can be required for college students and employees, however there shall be a chance to opt-out. Concerning safety, he mentioned college students should carry a transparent or mesh bookbag.

College students shall be heading again to highschool in a number of different faculty districts within the coming days. For the entire record of begin dates in our space, click on right here.

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