Cooper outlines reasons for recommending school delay

Editor’s Note: Habersham County School Superintendent Matthew Cooper issued the following press release outlining his reasons for recommending postponing the first day of school from Aug. 21 to Sept. 8.

During the August 10th Regular Monthly Board Meeting, the Habersham County Board of Education voted to change the first day of school for all Habersham County School System students to September 8, 2020. This is the Tuesday after Labor Day.  This will now be the first day of school for students who have chosen to return to real classrooms and for those students who have chosen the virtual option.  

The decision to move the first day of school to September 8^th was based on a number of factors including the following:

1. Readiness – Habersham County School System Principals and system leaders have expressed the need for more time in preparing for the return of both school-based students and virtual students.   In fact, 13 of our 14 principals expressed support for delaying the first day of school until Sept. 8.  The other principal was willing to support either date.  The school system made the decision to offer a virtual option where Habersham County teachers work with students.  Using Habersham County staff members in the virtual option requires much for planning than a model where a private company provides teaching staff. Initial consideration was given to the model where a new school would be created and staff outside of Habersham County would be used. Ultimately, it was decided that it was in the best interest of our students to allow students to remain enrolled in their home schools and be taught by Habersham County staff.  This approach has a significant impact on our schools and requires the shifting of staff members within schools and within the school system and also requires complex schedule changes to be made at the high school level.  Delaying until September 8^th will ensure that a high-quality virtual option is available to those students that need it and that our high schools have the time to work with individual students regarding their scheduling needs.
2. The need to see the full impact of our staff returning to school buildings

• On August 3rd, 755 staff members returned to their schools.  
• We will not know the full impact of COVIV-19 spread on our staff for another week or two.  Before bringing students back into our schools it is important that we first make sure our current staffing plan is stable and that a sufficient number of staff members are ready to serve our students.
• As of today, 1 staff member in our school system has tested positive for COVID-19 since returning to work on August 3^rd.
• 18 of our 1094 employees are currently in isolation or quarantine.   17 of these were exposed outside the school setting.  For perspective, this is about 1% of our entire workforce in the school system. 

3. Current staffing situation requires a later start date 

• Our largest school, Habersham Central High School is currently short three custodians.  The earliest these three positions can be filled is August 27^th.  It would be unwise to have 1500 students return to a school that did not have adequate custodial staff.  We also have other schools currently working to fill custodial vacancies.  

4. Virus spread in Habersham County has increased since July 16^th when we set August 21^st as the first day of school

• 443 cases per 100K over the last 14 days
• 14.57 14-day average
• We recently spoke with a Department of Public Health official and she indicated that community spread here in Habersham County is currently increasing.  The good news is that this same official told us she was hopeful we could see the spread decline over the next few weeks.   We are optimistic that the level of spread will be declining by September 8^th.

5. Heat

• Heat is less of a factor in reopening our schools on September 8^th.
• As superintendent, I have asked our elementary schools to double the amount of recess time for students this year.  The current science says that students are less likely to spread illness outdoors.  Illness aside, we believe this year presents a great opportunity for our children to have more physical activity and fun at school.  After what our children have been through over the past six months, they need it.
• We are asking students and bus drivers to wear a face covering on school buses. Buses are already very hot during the month of August.  Wearing a face covering in the intense heat could lead to other health issues for students and drivers.
• We are strongly encouraging our teachers to do as much outdoor learning as possible this year.  September 8 is more conducive to outdoor learning than August.
• Our PE teachers are also planning to hold classes outside as much as possible this year.

6. Comments from state health experts indicate it is good practice to open schools after Labor Day

• On July 31^st, The Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey stated to school superintendents that she believed it was possible to get things under control with regard to serious virus spread within four weeks.  If she is correct, then spread could be declining by early September.
• Dr. Marybeth Sexton, who is a member of the Serious Communicable Disease Unit at Emory University Hospital, indicated that if all schools waited until after Labor Day to open, it could help curb the spread of the virus.  

The first day of school may have changed, but to be clear, our goal of getting students back into real classrooms has not.  We realize that delaying two more weeks makes it difficult for some parents, but if this delay means getting our students back into real classrooms, it will be worth it.  If the delay until September 8th means that our students can stay in real classrooms, then that is even better.

Unless state officials intervene, the first day of school will not be delayed again.  Students must resume learning on September 8^th.  Our desire is that learning resumes in real classrooms.  If factors prevent this from happening, we will temporarily begin a “learning from home” plan on September 8th until we are able to get our students back in real classrooms.  The key words here are “if” and “temporary”.  The ultimate goal for all of us must be to get students back in schools. 

We need the community to help us get our students back in school.  It is time for all of Habersham County to work together to meet this goal.  The school system is doing its part by delaying until after Labor Day.  We now need our citizens to do their part by practicing social distancing, wearing a face covering when social distancing is not possible, and avoiding unnecessary gatherings that can spread the virus.   We must begin working together now to slow down the spread of the virus here in Habersham County.

System Reopening Plan

The most up to date version of the Habersham County School System reopening plan can be found on our system homepage (habershamschools.com).  This plan is a living document and is subject to change at any time during the school year. When the school system receives new guidance from the Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Department of Public Health or the Governor’s Office, changes may be made to the plan.

Our school administrators, teachers, and staff are working diligently to implement our system plan at the school level.  Our entire team here in the Habersham County School System is working hard to make it possible for students to return to real classrooms safely.  Our teachers and administrators are working together to ensure that as much social distancing as possible can take place in our schools and classrooms.  Each school is working through how to handle social distancing in multiple situations.  Our schools are impressing us daily with the ideas they are generating and the ways in which they are figuring out how to socially distance in classrooms and in other areas of the buildings.  The bottom line is that we are going to be able to do more social distancing in schools than some of us may have anticipated.  Furthermore, we are very pleased with the number of staff members who are choosing to wear a face covering in the school buildings when they are unable to socially distance themselves.  Our approach to not mandate face coverings is paying off with our staff.  Some have commented that they are thankful the school system did not mandate the wearing of face coverings but that they are making their own decision to wear one because it is what is best for them and others.  I expect we will receive a similar response from our parents and students when our schools open.

Our custodians are receiving specialized training in how to mitigate COVID-19.  Classrooms will be sanitized more frequently than they have ever been.  Teachers are clearing out their classrooms to allow for maximum social distancing.  Middle School and elementary students will stay in pods during the school day to minimize the opportunity to spread illness.  Our schools are developing excellent plans for recess, cafeterias, transitions, and arrival/dismissal.  Larger meeting spaces will be utilized as much as possible in each building.   As a result of increased recess, outdoor PE, and more outdoor learning, students will spend more time outside this year than they ever have. 

As we continue working to reopen our schools for students, it is important that our parents are patient and that we continue to have relationships built on trust and respect.  We are all in this together and I have confidence that we will get through this together.  American ingenuity and the American spirit always find a way, and we have plenty of that ingenuity and spirit right here in Habersham County, Georgia.

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