School to start Aug. 17 with virtual learning

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Decatur’s school board voted unanimously Tuesday night to delay the start of K-12 schools to Aug. 17, opening with virtual instruction for all students through at least Sept. 25. The board also voted to eliminate the Sept. 21-25 fall break.

The College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center remains open, as it has been all summer, for ages 0-3, while all pre-K students will follow the K-12 plan.

As of now, it remains uncertain if or when athletics and other extracurricular activities will resume.

As recently as mid-June it appeared City Schools of Decatur was leaning toward some type of hybrid approach, includingone scenario with K-6 students in the classroom everyday, while 7-12 students would return to the classroom in shifts, alternating one week in the classroom and one week online.

But Tuesday, according to figures published by the CDC and the World Health Organization, Georgia has roughly 124,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19. From July 1 though July 14 the average daily increase in newly confirmed cases was 3,048, compared to the previous 14-day period when the average daily increase was 1,587.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Maggie Fehrman said the virus will get continually monitored and that by Sept. 18 a decision will get made on the next phase. But whether that means a full return to the classroom or some type of hybrid remains in doubt.

Superintendent David Dude mentioned two primary reasons for canceling the fall break.

“Having a one week break,” he said, “usually means people travel, meaning they could bring the virus back into the community. The experts strongly suggested we consider eliminating the break for that reason. It also means, given the [starting] delay, we get five more days with the students.”

Although by law the board had to vote on those calendar changes, it wasn’t required to vote on the learning model. The decision to go virtual for the first six weeks was a collaboration between the CSD staff and local medical experts, with the board vote a mere formality.