This article has been updated
Habersham County has joined the list of area school districts that will start their second semester online due to COVID. Students were scheduled to return to class Tuesday, but there aren’t enough bus drivers and staff.
As of Monday, 12 Habersham County school bus drivers and 35 staff members were out and the superintendent says they expect things will get worse.
“Due to the current surge of the virus in our community, we expect the availability of bus drivers and other staff to be impacted further in the coming days,” says Superintendent Matthew Cooper. “I regret that based on the diminishing availability of staff, we have no choice but to delay the return of our students from the Christmas holidays.”
Habersham extended its Christmas break by two days and will move all students online starting January 7. Students will remain in virtual school through at least January 22. Cooper says the plan is to return to in-person instruction on January 25.
White County school administrators also announced Monday their students are moving online. Stephens County is extending its Winter Break through Friday to give administrators time to assess whether they need to move students online.
These districts join at least five other Northeast Georgia public school systems in Banks, Hall, Hart, and Rabun in temporarily suspending in-class instruction. Superintendents cited “alarming” and “unprecedented” increases in the number of COVID-19 cases when announcing their decisions.
Jackson County Schools are reverting to an ‘alternating day schedule‘ to reduce potential exposure.
Union County Schools are allowing students to return to class with increased temporary mitigating measures such as mandatory face masks for students and staff.
Thousands impacted
The changes affect tens of thousands of Northeast Georgia students and their families. Parents and students have expressed mixed reactions on social media. Some are criticizing decisions to keep schools closed, while others express relief.
At least two area superintendents cited the strain on local hospitals as having played a part in their district’s decision-making.
“COVID-19 numbers in Hall County continue to increase at alarming rates,” says Hall County School Superintendent Will Schofield. “Additionally, the information we receive from our local hospital system is sobering. Record numbers of patients are in beds, the supply of staff and resources are inadequate, and the hospital may be forced to contemplate how they would ration care if the spike continues.”
Rabun County School Superintendent Dr. April Childers also cited Northeast Georgia Health System’s patient caseload as a major factor in her school system’s decision to delay returning to the classroom.
“The Rabun County community continues to experience an unprecedented increase in COVID-19 positive cases and the NGHS is overwhelmed with patients needing care,” says Childers in a notice posted to the school system’s website.
The Banks County School System announced it had “a large number” of personnel who tested positive for COVID and others who are quarantined due to direct exposure. White County Superintendent Dr. Laurie Burkett said in a letter to parents that their school system has “seen an increase in the number of faculty and staff that have tested positive or are quarantined.”
Banks and Hall County students will remain in virtual classes through at least January 8. Gainesville City School students and those in Hart, Rabun, and White counties will remain online through January 15.
Hart County school administrators are asking parents to use the time to monitor theirs and their children’s health and to minimize possible exposure. “To the greatest extent possible, stay home and refrain from socializing with those that do not reside in your household,” the charter school system posted on social media.
Reassess, minimize, plan
Schofield and Cooper both reaffirmed their beliefs that school’s the best place for students to be.
“As superintendent, I have stood firm over the last several months in my belief that school is the best and safest place for most students. That belief has not changed,” Coopers says. “I want to emphasize that online learning will be temporary. I want our students back in school as soon as we have staff available to do so.”
Schofield says delaying in-class instruction will let Hall County Schools collect current COVID data and support the local hospitals and community by minimizing potential exposure. It will also give the school district time to develop a plan to “maximize safety and positive learning experiences” for the second semester.
“Internal cases have continued to occur in the Hall County School District and have been reported on our internal system,” says Schofield. “The district is confident what has been reported is significantly less than the reality we will encounter in the coming days.”
The school systems will provide meals for students. Athletic and extracurricular events will continue in some districts, including Habersham, Rabun, and White.
School officials say they’ll continue to monitor the situation and will notify parents when students can return to the classroom.
This article has been updated
