K-12 Restart groups include 3 Calhoun officials
DBell@CalhounTimes.com
Gov. Brian Kemp and State School Superintendent Richard Woods announced the creation of six K-12 Restart Working Groups to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Georgia’s K-12 schools and plan for a safe 2020-21 school year.
Three Calhoun City Schools officials — Superintendent Michele Taylor, Director of School Nutrition Kim
Kiker and Instructional Technology Coordinator Melanie Harwell
— will represent the area in different groups.
Since the beginning of the outbreak and throughout the COVID-19 school closures, state leaders say they have worked to help school districts prepare and students adapt. The working groups announced Thursday will aim to assist in planning the next steps forward and providing guidelines and supports for schools for the next school year.
“As we work to defeat this virus, we want to ensure Georgia’s students are safe, secure, and learning,” Kemp said in the announcement. “Georgians can be assured the safety of students, families, and school staff is our first priority. The K-12 Restart groups will ensure we have experts at the table as we take measured steps forward.”
The working groups, which include teachers, school district staff and public health officials, along with representatives of education organizations, nonprofits and state agencies, will focus on six key topics: school meals; distance learning and professional learning; connectivity and devices; mental health and wellness; supplemental learning; and facilities, equipment and health guidelines.
Taylor will working with the connectivity and devices group; Kiker will be with the school meals group; and Harwell will be part of the distance learning/professional learning group.
“As we’ve faced the challenge of COVID-19, I have encouraged our local educational leaders to focus on compassion over compliance,” Woods said. “Our top priority continues to be ensuring that children get through this time healthy, safe, and nurtured and that they have opportunities to learn and grow. These working groups will join us in this studentfocused approach and will provide invaluable expertise and perspective as we ensure schools are prepared for the fall and have options to ensure learning continues, following the advice and guidance of public health officials on the national and state levels.”