Rabun County Schools to close March 16-20

As many of you are aware, yesterday Governor Kemp provided guidance in regards to the Coronavirus and outlined best practices that we should all consider moving forward. With ongoing collaboration with both local and state health officials and in addition to Governor Kemp’s guidance, the Rabun County School System will be CLOSED beginning Monday, March 16, 2020, through Friday, March 20, 2020. We will re-evaluate the situation on Thursday, March 19 for the following week.

We will continue to communicate any and all updates we receive as they become available. Our number one goal is the safety of our students, faculty, staff, and community as a whole.

As of today, Rabun County Schools has had ZERO confirmed Coronavirus cases.

Please use the following as guidance throughout the upcoming days. We also ask that you refer all initial questions to your student’s principal.

• Schools will be closed for ALL students beginning Monday, March 16, 2020, through Friday, March 20, 2020. We will re-evaluate the situation on Thursday, March 19 for the following week.

• Students will be expected to complete school assignments at home beginning Monday, March 16, 2020, as we will facilitate On-Line Learning Days. Communication about assignments will be delivered by their teacher/s, the Google Classroom, and or posted on the schools’ websites.

• As of Monday, March 16, 2020, all travel, including Field Trips, will be cancelled through spring break.

• All athletic events are cancelled through Friday, March 27, 2020 and then re-evaluated using guidance from the GHSA. In addition, all practices are canceled until school re- opens.

• We have asked that all teachers make themselves extremely available through email to all students, parents, and guardians.

• Rabun County School Nutrition will provide meals at NO COST for all children ages 2 – 18 (children do not have to be Rabun County Students). Meals will be available on Mondays only; however, you can pick up meals for the whole week at this time. Meals will be available for pickup at the Primary School Bus Loading Area (10am-12pm), the Mountain City Flea Market (10am-12pm), Vista Ridge Apartments on Marsen Knob Dr. (10am-12pm), Dunlap Apartments (10am-10:30am), Stavemill Apartments (10:40am-

11:15am), and Clayton-Duckett Apartments (11:15am-12pm). Children must be present to pick up meals. Please complete the survey that will be sent through Remind and available on the district website today to help us prepare for this service. Survey is attached with this Remind email.

• We will also issue Chromebooks to students who do not have access to a computer at home. Our goal is to issue one Chromebook per household. Again, we are asking that parent/ guardians notify us with their computer needs through the survey as well. We will notify parents/guardians as to when and where they can pick up the Chromebooks as early as Monday. Survey is attached with this Remind email.

• Our technology department will be on stand by and available to assist all students, parents, guardians, faculty, and staff on an as needed basis. Contact information will be available on the district website.