Sixty of those seats were filled, with half in attendance signing up to speak; the speakers argued both for and against the plan, with the majority of the discussion focused on whether masks should be mandated. Local schools will reopen Aug. 3 with in-classroom instruction if the Cherokee County Board of Education approves the plans of Superintendent Brian Hightower. “State guidance suggests that this is a system-by-system decision and that what is ‘right’ for one community may not be ‘right’ for another," Menard said, whose youngest daughter is a Cherokee County high school student. Cherokee Schools Approve Reopening Plan, Start Date. Cherokee Schools will provide every student with two reusable cloth masks upon request. Regular cleaning schedules will be established. Dismissal times for students are set at 2 pm each day to allow time for thorough cleaning of facilities, additional bus routes, and teacher preparation time. Now, Cherokee County School District, also in Georgia, is shut down, asking 800-plus students to quarantine. The approved Cherokee Schools reopening plan calls for the school year to begin on Aug. 3, with all campuses open for traditional in-person learning … GAFFNEY, SC (FOX Carolina) - Cherokee County Schools said Monday that are reopening registration for virtual learning after the recent mandate requiring face masks to be worn in all schools. Guidance regarding student use of face coverings/masks will be modified if necessary. If you have any questions, please contact your student's school for more information. This plan is intentionally called the CCSD Reopening of School Plan, as it was designed to address how we will reopen school. The school board’s next meeting is its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on July 16, when it will consider approval of the superintendent’s recommended annual budget. “The teachers I’ve heard from are ready.”. Wednesday. At this time, the district is encouraging and recommending students wear face coverings in situations where social distancing cannot be achieved. Cherokee County Schools is committed to providing safe spaces for student learning. Like the discouraged group in Walton County, teachers in Cherokee County are most upset by the lack of support from the school board. The Superintendent’s plan calls for the school year to begin on Aug. 3, 2020 with all campuses open for … “Together, we have done our best to offer parents a choice for their children that we believe we can carry out with fidelity.”, “We know this plan isn’t perfect, and we know it won’t please everyone – that is an impossible task,” he said. Show full articles without "Continue Reading" button for {0} hours. On July 14th, Governor Cooper released reopening guidance for public schools, allowing school systems to reopen under Plan B and using Phase II guidance for health and safety. Regulations require “all employees to wear face coverings in situations where social distancing cannot be achieved,” while students are “strongly encourage[d] and recommend[ed]” to wear masks. This includes applications for CCSD STEM and Fine Arts Academies. Etowah, Woodstock, and Creekview High Schools will reopen on Thursday The Cherokee County School Board at its regular meeting tonight heard an update on the start of the school year, and talked about a possible “hybrid” model for the reopening of three temporarily closed high schools. “Our children and students do not need to add our worries to their own.”. Face coverings will be required for all employees to wear in situations where social distancing cannot be achieved. “They decided to discuss the reopening plan that they had previously stated would not be on the agenda,” Miranda Wicker said. The full reopening plan, which outlines operations and the state’s guidance to schools districts, is online, along with a reopening of school FAQs, which will be continuously updated by district staff as new information becomes available; and the digital learning commitment form online. Due to the governor’s state of emergency, in order to allow citizen attendance, seats were distanced which reduced capacity; to increase transparency, Hightower directed his technology staff to set up the streaming option. The Board voted to support the reopening of schools in a traditional, in-person format where students will attend school … Tahlequah Public Schools returned to in-school and virtual learning Tuesday, Most Cherokee County schools went to distance or virtual learning shortly before the … On Wednesday the Cherokee County School District revealed Hightower’s recommendations, which call for schools to reopen Aug. 3 with in-person instruction. Challenges ahead of us in life always are unknown, but we can’t let 'whataboutism' keep us from developing a plan and carrying out our mission of educating kids.”. Connect with friends faster than ever with the new Facebook app. A reopening plan on the Cherokee County School Board website reveals a similar strategy, with both in-person schooling and a digital learning program in place. On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that Cherokee County School Board Chair Kyla Cromer has called for a School Board meeting to be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 9, 2020 to consider approval of the Superintendent’s recommended CCSD Reopening of School Plan.. On July 30th, the Cherokee County Board of Education approved Plan B for school reopening. “I’ve heard overwhelming support for the decision,” Cromer said, adding that the plan is “fluid” and may change if the state of public health shifts and any mandates are issued. The approved Cherokee Schools reopening plan calls for the school year to begin on Aug. 3, with all campuses open for traditional in-person learning for all grades. The district will provide all employees with up to two reusable cloth masks and/or a clear face shield upon request. However, these early days of … Cherokee County schools reopened on August 3, but now one high school is closed and hundreds of students have to quarantine for two weeks. Schools districts across north Georgia are beginning to release plans for returning to school this fall. Parents also have the option to instead enroll their child in the district’s digital learning program. The 10-page document is a “blueprint” for safely reopening the state’s schools. Students sit one child per seat on buses unless sitting with siblings. Cherokee County School District is sharing ongoing updates on coronavirus cases in its schools on its website. Face coverings are required for every teacher, staff and student K-12. During the meeting, Hightower shared a brief presentation on the plan, as he explained how community input, the state’s guidance to school districts and the current state of public health in Cherokee County, influenced his decision-making process. On July 14th, Governor Cooper released reopening guidance for public schools, allowing school systems to reopen under Plan B and using Phase II guidance for health and safety. ... Cherokee County, GA: ... (virtual school begins August 12) Henry County… The schools closed down a few weeks ago after a coronavirus outbreak. Students will continue to start the school day at the same time, but schools will release students at 3:00 instead of 2:00. In a first for the school board, the meeting was held not only in person, but also streamed live online; interest in the live stream overwhelmed the district’s system within the first 30 minutes, leading staff to then begin streaming the meeting live on Facebook. That deadline in Cherokee County is Friday, July 17. While the continuation of our plans for Digital Learning are dependent upon public health conditions in the area, we believe it is likely that that platform for instruction will continue longer than just the nine weeks/first semester plan currently planned. Enrollment and Orientation. CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — The Cherokee County School Board at its called meeting Thursday night unanimously approved the superintendent’s recommended reopening school plan, which calls for both the return to schools for traditional learning and the launch of an improved digital learning choice. Week 1. As one of the first school districts across the country to reopen, the Cherokee County superintendent is well aware it’s a guinea pig and that America’s watching. The closure of Cherokee County public schools in response to the COVID-19 outbreak has been extended by nearly two more weeks, to Monday, April 13. Cherokee County recommends, but does not require, that children wear masks in school whenever social distancing is not possible, according to the school district's reopening plan. Face-to-Face. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, White House, health officials concerned after maskless Super Bowl celebrations; Florida reaches 200 variant cases: Latest COVID-19 updates. For Cherokee County families, this means that all students who have selected to attend face to face will be attending Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. But the county’s infection rate is still more than 300 cases per 100,000 people, which is higher than health experts recommend for reopening schools. A person holds a sign that says "My child is safer at Costco" during a demonstration outside the July 16, 2020, Cherokee County School Board meeting. The Board also gave the Superintendent the authority to: Moving the entire Cherokee County School District to Plan C would require further action by the Board of Education. CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - All Cherokee County Schools will temporarily suspend in-person learning effective January 11, school officials announced. This school year will be unlike any other any of us have ever experienced. Teachers in Cherokee County schools say they want to return to classes — safely — but were again silenced when they were not permitted to speak during a school board meeting Thursday night. Reopening under Plan B . School Board member Clark Menard, before casting his vote of support, shared that his decision was influenced by the state of public health in our community and how our community has been social distancing. However, this time around they'll be on a temporary hybrid model. What is happening in Gwinnett is not the same as what is happening in Cherokee.”, School Board member Mike Chapman, whose wife is a Cherokee County teacher, echoed Menard’s statement, adding that he believes in the community’s ability to succeed. As of Friday, over a dozen students and … We may start up school and then have to quarantine a class or a school or multiple schools. CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — After closing just weeks after school began due to coronavirus outbreaks, three of Cherokee County's high schools will reopen next … Students and staff receive daily symptom screenings prior to entering school buildings. Hightower also emphasized how the plan will continue to change as needed, noting his decision today to purchase water bottle filling stations to replace water fountains in all Cherokee County schools, based on a suggestion by school board member Patsy Jordan, a retired Cherokee County teacher. Following the meeting, Hightower said, as he asked the Cherokee County community to be flexible and extend grace and patience when schools closed in March with a day’s notice and teaching and learning shifted entirely online, he again is asking everyone to keep that mindset. CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — The Cherokee County School Board at its called meeting Thursday night unanimously approved the superintendent’s recommended reopening school … Parents in Walton County had to choose by July 12 whether they wanted digital learning for their students. CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — Three Cherokee County high schools are reopening again for face to face learning. Purchase a Subscription. The window for school choice reassignments for 2021-22 within the Cherokee County School District is February 1-March 1. Grade K-12. Cherokee County Schools. Thursday. The governor may mandate masks, or he may shut us down. Starting Monday, February 1, the school day will end at 3:00 pm. “Our plan truly is ‘our’ plan, as we asked representatives of the different parts of our CCSD family for feedback, and we listened to their input,” Hightower said. Jan 25, 2021 0 Cherokee County public school students, faculty and staff returned to in-person instruction and work in the county’s 40-plus school buildings on Monday following a two-week pause created by COVID-19 related staffing shortages. Supporters of the Cherokee County School District's decision to reopen schools cheer on faculty arriving to the district's headquarters in Canton, Georgia. "As someone who feels the body of government closest to the people is the most accessible and the most likely to represent the community, I strongly agree with this. Cohort A Attends School. As part of the Plan B reopening: The following precautions will be implemented in Cherokee County schools: During its meeting, the school board also unanimously voted to ratify the superintendent’s graduation ceremonies plan announced on Saturday. Cherokee and Paulding County, two of the first school districts in the country to reopen, resumed full five-day-a-week instruction on Monday. Students are divided into Three Cohorts (A, B, and Fully Remote Learners) Monday. Sarah Rose/GPB News After the state and local boards of education failed to act on behalf of teachers, several decided to walk away from education rather than risk COVID-19 infection. CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. (CBS46) -- Three metro Atlanta schools that shut down after a Coronavirus outbreak are reopening this week. Friday. “It’s going to take everyone working together to make this happen.”, School Board Vice Chair Kelly Poole spoke during the meeting about the importance of how “parents and educators set the tone for the year.”, “Kids watch our reactions, and they will respond accordingly,” said Poole, whose youngest child will graduate from Cherokee Schools this month. Week 2 and beyond In Cherokee County, dozens of seniors gathered at two of the district's six high schools to take traditional first-day-of-school senior photos, with students squeezing together in black outfits. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. Tuesday. We are excited and pleased to have our students back as much as possible and look forward to bringing all the students back safely when the Governor unlocks the next phase. 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: While Superintendent Brian Hightower is authorized to reopen schools as a function of daily operations, School Board Chair Kyla Cromer called the meeting in order for the school board to publicly take an official vote on the plan. Download The … add additional in-person instructional sessions and days and individual schools. Cherokee County School District officials announced Friday that they will temporarily close in-person learning at all CCSD schools beginning on Monday due to rising cases of COVID-19 in the county. On July 30th, the Cherokee County Board of Education approved Plan B for school reopening. The superintendent appointed two committees – one made up of teachers and staff, and one made up of parents, partners and staff – to provide feedback. Nonessential visitors and activities involving outside organizations will be limited. temporarily move individual schools to Plan C (total virtual learning) based upon changed circumstances in her discretion or at the recommendation of local or state health officials. Aug. 3-Dec. 18 for middle and high school students, 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 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. The District continues to work collaboratively with the Cherokee County Health Department in regards to any and all health concerns and issues and will follow their guidance in handling such issues. At this time, Wednesday remains a remote learning and school cleaning / disinfecting day. “We know there are parents, students, teachers and staff who are worried, and I understand that – we are living through a pandemic. Remote Learners Attend School (Call in or by appointment) Cohort B Attends School Face-to-Face. Some school board members pointed out that the number of new COVID-19 cases in Cherokee County seems to be leveling off. While the initial seating capacity was estimated at only 80 with these measures, staff found space to add 10 more seats for the public, for a total of 90. River Ridge High School in Woodstock, Ga. 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