GRIFFIN-SPALDING SCHOOLS TRANSITION TO IN-PERSON/REMOTE LEARNING

On September 1, 2020, the Griffin-Spalding Board of Education approved the Griffin-Spalding County School System’s (GSCS) transition to in-person/remote learning plan. The plan provides for normal resumption of in-school operations while continuing to implement the remote at-home learning model for parents who may not feel comfortable sending their student(s) to school for in-person learning for the remainder of first semester.

GSCS will use a phased approach to reopen for in-person learning as follows:

• September 28, 2020: Targeted students with disabilities. Parents will be contacted by a caseworker with the GSCS Special Education Department.
• October 19, 2020: All students who want to return for in-person learning.

Families may choose to remain in remote at-home learning or begin in-person education on October 19.

“We are very pleased to offer parents a choice of having students return to in-building classes on October 19, or remain in a remote learning environment as they are doing now. A decision will need to be made for every student in our district allowing us to move forward with the scheduling and staffing portion of the process. The plan is very comprehensive and balances instructional options with safety protocols. We can't forget all this is being done with COVID-19 as a backdrop, meaning we have been working with local health and emergency management officials to incorporate procedures necessary to handle cases of infection that will occur among staff or students. We feel the plan approved by the Board does just that, stated GSCS Superintendent James D. Smith.

Please use the links below to access information about the in-person learning model:

Watch this GSCS Return to School Video for details on back to school safety measures and expectations for returning to school in-person: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17U0Q-6rrzOJ5uNZBCwlpavlEWFN5nYw2/view?usp=sharing 

GSCS Transition to In-Person/Remote Learning FAQs: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16W3_q-V5JAiBbp6PpsPaK6t0veRTTEVR/view?usp=sharing 

COVID-19 Prevention Strategies & Practices 2020-2021 – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Bsv8XEIeE3xY8kXkAu2NLRUMbUU6LqVW/view?usp=sharing

Families must complete the GSCS Learning Model Selection Form to indicate either in-person learning or remote at-home learning for the remainder of the first semester. Parents/guardians should complete a separate form for each student and must commit to the remainder of the first semester, which ends on December 18, 2020. This commitment will allow the school district to effectively staff for in-person learning as well as remote at-home learning. This form must be completed and submitted for each child by Friday, September 11, 2020.

The GSCS Learning Model Selection Form, can be completed by clicking on the link below:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/15C7QoQlf2WI76Owpy5GNls56ifpvHYJ_-eGyYEL-YUU/edit?usp=sharing

Parents/guardians can contact their student’s school if they need a hard copy of the GSCS Learning Model Selection Form.