Coping with COVID: Middle, high school students will continue hybrid schedule in January
Superintendent: ‘I will monitor our data when we return to school in January to determine the secondary school schedule for February.’
Catoosa County’s secondary school students will continue their hybrid schedule — two in-person days and three virtual digital days each week — after the Christmas break.
The county’s middle and high school students (grades 6-12) went on the hybrid schedule on Nov. 19.
Classes are scheduled to resume Thursday, Jan. 7.
“When I made the decision to transition to hybrid on November 19th,” Schools Superintendent Denia Reese said, “the seven-day average in Catoosa County was 22.7 cases per day (according to the
Department of Public
Health website). On
December 10th the seven-day average had increased to 31.6 positive cases per day.”
“Based on this data, middle and high schools will remain on the hybrid schedule in January,” she said. “We cannot predict how the Christmas break will impact the spread of COVID in the school system and the community. I will monitor our data when we return to school in January to determine the secondary school schedule for February.”
Elementary schools, including prekindergarten, will remain on a five-day-a-week in-person schedule, Reese said.
“Social distancing is possible in elementary schools since most classes have 16-18 students,” she said. “Overall, elementary school students represent 27% (47 students) of positive cases since school started. I watch student and employee cases closely, and I will make decisions for individual schools as necessary. Recently, Boynton students had to transition to digital learning for two days. If cases or quarantines increase with students or employees, an elementary classroom or school may transition to digital learning.”
The school system will continue contract tracing during the Christmas holiday, she said.
An email inbox has been set up for input from District 53 citizens, he said. “This will streamline the contact process, ensuring that your ideas are heard and will directly influence policy proposals,” Mullis said.
“As we review your suggestions and I hear the recommendations of the committee, I will release the highlights of the final draft piece of legislation once the upcoming session convenes in Atlanta,” he said. “I have promised from day one that I will fight for you, the security of our elections, and ensure that your voices are heard. This is one of many actions I intend to undertake in order to uphold that promise.”