Rabun school start plans still in limbo

TIGER— The start date for the 2020-2021 school year remains in limbo due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Rabun County officials say that plans on when and how to start the school year are still being decided.

“We continue to work with the Department of Health,” said Superintendent April Childers in a phone interview Tuesday. 

She said that the health department is the organization that determines the level of spread and plans will be developed based on what that level is.

“It’s a major planning effort,” Childers said. She said that a plan has not yet been implemented because information about COVID-19 continues to change, and school officials did not want to have to constantly notify parents of plan changes.

She added that other school districts that made decisions about the school year have had to modify those plans each time new information and guidelines from the state are implemented.

“Our guidelines continue changing,” Childers said. She said that the school system continues to refine a plan for the start of the school year, and expects it to be finalized at the end of July or early August.

Childers said that the traditional start date for the school year is Aug. 12, but that date is tentative based upon guidelines set from the most recent information.

Childers said that school officials have begun contacting Rabun County families and asking survey questions as part of a way to establish the start date plan.

If families have not gotten a phone call from the school system by the end of the week, they are encouraged to contact the school to update their information, Childers said.

She said that they want feedback on thoughts and concerns from all families.

The survey asks questions related to comfort levels in sending children back to school.

Among other survey questions, parents are being asked that, assuming no vaccine is available and schools were to reopen following all guidelines, if they would prefer students attend instruction face-to-face, solely online or in a hybrid setting where they complete work online and attend in person a couple times a week.

The verbal survey also asks about feelings towards students wearing face masks and social distancing requirements in the institutional environment.

Childers said local officials are working with the Dept. of Transportation to determine how to implement safety guidelines when transporting students on school buses.

One of the survey questions asks what method of transportation children use to get to school, and if parents will continue sending those students on school buses who ordinarily are transported that way.

Childers said that school officials will continue calling families and an update on the official school start date and procedures will be provided as soon as possible.