FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County schools start Thursday and unlike many districts, which switched to online only, families in the county have an option for face-to-face learning.
Channel 2′s Steve Gehlbach went to Brookwood Elementary School in Cumming where about half of the school is split between virtual and face-to-face learning.
For the entire county, just over a third of students will be taking on-line classes, some high schoolers doing both. That means two thirds of Forsyth’s 51,000 students will be back in school today.
Gehlbach talked to families this week who picked digital learning as they collected supplies and meet their teachers at the school.
Parents of 1st grader D.J. said they decided to keep him at home as a precaution.
“To a certain extent, I think it will be difficult for everybody, especially for parents who have to work at home,” said Derek Morton.
[SPECIAL SECTION: Coronavirus and Schools -- extensive coverage as the metro goes Back 2 School]
But most students in the district will be back in classrooms face-to-face.
“We’re still here to create amazing environments for kids so they can learn and grow, and we can still do it safely, although it’s just going to look a little different,” said Brookwood Elementary School Principal Tracey Smith.
The changes include spreading out desks as much as possible, new hand sanitizer stations at entrances and enough sinks in classrooms and bathrooms that students have to wash their hands before entering class.
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Smith said hallways and playgrounds will be divided off and the cafeteria will be closed.
The goal is to limit contacts so they can trace them if someone tests positive.
“We cannot social distance in a school, just not built for it, but what we can do is frequent hand washing, can talk to kids about encouraging them to wear the masks,” Smith said.
Face masks won’t be required in Forsyth schools because not everyone, like students with special needs, can wear a mask, according to the district spokesperson.
But students will be encouraged to: mask up, wash up, step back, and cover up.
“So those are some of the things we’re trying to push with our community, not only while they’re in school they need to practice proactive measures to prevent COVID, but need to do it outside of school,” Forsyth County Schools Spokesperson Jennifer Caracciolo.
Caracciolo said teachers are encouraged to voice any concerns about the classes and go directly to the administrators in their schools.
“And we’re willing to work with those individuals for different options such as teaching virtually, but we do have some classes that are normal class sizes, just based on the course structure,” Caracciolo said.
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