School Reopening Plan Announced For Cherokee Schools

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — Cherokee County School Board Chair Kyla Cromer has called for a meeting to be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday to consider approval of the superintendent’s recommended reopening school plan.

The superintendent’s plan calls for the school year to begin on Aug. 3, with all campuses open for traditional in-person learning for all grades. Parents also will have the option to instead enroll their child in the district’s digital learning program.

Parents who choose to keep their child home to participate in digital learning will be required by noon on Friday, July 17, to complete a digital learning commitment form to commit to the program from:

• Aug. 3-Oct. 9 for elementary students
• Aug. 3-Dec. 18 for middle and high school students

The full reopening plan, which outlines operations and the state’s guidance to schools districts, is online, along with the district's reopening of school FAQs, which answers some questions the district has anticipated the public have and will be continuously updated as new information becomes available.

The following precautions will be implemented in Cherokee County schools:

• Staggering bell schedules to limit traffic congestion in hallways
• Avoiding large gatherings and discouraging congregating of students and staff
• Altering lunch schedules to minimize the number of students in one area
• Establishing workspaces that promote social distancing
• Washing hands frequently or using hand sanitizer when hand washing is not possible
• Covering of nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing
• Avoiding touching face
• Avoiding greetings involving physical contact
• Avoiding using shared equipment when possible
• Wearing a face covering/mask when social distancing is not achievable or when working with the public

Face coverings will be required for all employees to wear in situations where social distancing cannot be achieved. The district will provide all employees with up to two reusable cloth masks and/or a clear face shield upon request.

At this time, the district is encouraging and recommending students wear face coverings in situations where social distancing cannot be achieved. Guidance regarding student use of face coverings/masks will be modified if necessary. Cherokee Schools will provide every student with two reusable cloth masks upon request

In addition to considering approval of the reopening plan, the school board also will vote to ratify the superintendent’s graduation ceremonies plan.

Promptly following the meeting, a board business briefs report announcing the school board’s decisions will be emailed to all parents and posted on the website.

The school board meeting will be held in person in its auditorium at 1205 Bluffs Parkway. The meeting will be live-streamed, and a link to view the meeting online will be posted at 5:45 p.m.

Due to social-distancing requirements, in-person attendance will be limited to 80 people; the auditorium doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and school police officers will usher citizens to assigned seats.

Public participation will be in-person only; sign up will begin when the doors open and will be limited per school board policy.