Coweta County schools announce re-opening plans for March

With cases of COVID-19 declining, school systems in Georgia are beginning to roll out their plans to host in-person learning. 

Coweta County School System is the latest to release its plan to admit more students in the classroom. Coweta County high schools will resume normal week-to-week operations starting March 1 for all students opting for in-person learning.

The Coweta County School System sent a message to parents on Tuesday that "cohort hybrid" instructional schedules at high schools will end this week. That model included alternating weeks of in-person and virtual learning for students. The school system has followed this operation since January.

A system spokesperson said all students who have opted for face-to-face instruction may return for daily in-person instruction on March 1.

All Coweta high schools (grades 9 through 12) will continue to allow expanded parent choice for virtual learning during the two-week period of March 1 through March 12, to keep numbers low while the school system monitors local COVID-19 transmission rates. High school students who have opted for in-person instruction for the second semester, but who still wish to continue virtually, can do so March 1 through 12. No sign-up is necessary for this option. 

March 15 is the anticipated day students will return to normal operations at high schools. The system announced all students who have opted for face-to-face instruction will return for in-person instruction for the remainder of the semester, while students that opted for virtual instruction will remain virtual for the remainder of the semester. 

Parents who previously opted for in-person instruction, but who have concerns about returning to in-person instruction beginning March 15, can make alternative arrangements by contacting their school's principal.

For elementary and middle school students (grades K through 8) who opted for face-to-face instruction, thier schools will return to normal operations starting March 1. Parents who have opted for virtual instruction will be expected to remain virtual for the remainder of the spring semester, a spokesperson said. 

Parents who have previously opted for in-person instruction, but who have concerns about returning to in-person instruction beginning March 1, can make alternative arrangements by contacting their school's principal.

All preventative measures (masks and face coverings, expanded cleaning and disinfecting of schools, social distancing where possible, health checks and contact tracing) remain in place and could be active through the end of the current school year. 

"The Coweta County School System is obligated to educate students to the highest level of our ability, and to work to ensure the highest level of safety for our staff, students and their families during the current health emergency," Coweta public information officer Dean Jackson wrote in a statement. "The school system has appreciated the support of parents, students and staff during this period of high transmission of COVID-19 within our community, as we have taken steps to ensure continued face-to-face education within our schools."

While COVID-19 transmission levels are decreasing, the system will continually evaluate school operations on the basis of health guidance, COVID conditions within the community and on a school-by-school basis. 

If local conditions change or school cases rise unexpectedly, the school system may opt for additional measures on a system-wide or school-by-school basis. 

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