In response to Governor Brian Kemp’s order for school districts regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and to protect the health and safety of students, staff and the community, the Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) has extended its closure of all schools and offices through Friday, April 3. The district will be closed during spring break scheduled for April 6-10 as planned.

All GSCS student activities and events, as well as staff-related travel are cancelled effective through April 3.

 

Although the GSCS Continuous Learning Plan is scheduled to start tomorrow, based on the extension of the closure, all GSCS students in grades 3-12 will move to all-digital learning March 30-April 3. Printed learning materials for students in kindergarten through 2nd grade only, will be available for parents and guardians to pick up from their child’s school on Monday, March 30 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. For families who do not have access to the internet, GSCS encourages families to take advantage of all internet providers offering free access for up to 60 days. GSCS will provide links to these providers the district’s Coronavirus Information and Resources web page at www.spalding.k12.ga.us.

 

Yesterday, the Georgia Department of Education announced the suspension of state testing which includes the Georgia Milestones EOGs and EOCs, the Georgia Alternate Assessment/GAA 2.0, and all other required testing. All GSCS high school dual enrollment students should continue to follow procedures set forth by their college or university and their guidelines for any coursework.

 

Tomorrow morning, GSCS will distribute 3-day meal packages of breakfast and lunch for pick up for GSCS students and children in the community 18 years or younger and for children with special needs 21 years old and under. Again, any child can pick up a meal package at any of the four school sites below between 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. at the bus ramp:

 

The district is planning a second meal distribution with a 5-day meal package of breakfast and lunch to students and children in the community on Monday, March 23 during the same school sites and times previously mentioned. Parents and guardians of students with special diet considerations should contact Keiza Hunt, Menu and Wellness Coordinator ahead of time at 770-229-3710 ext.10356 or via email at Keiza.Hunt@gscs.org, so that meals may be planned and prepared for their child at the school site they select.

 

March 16, 2020

 

 

On Wednesday, March 18, 2020 the Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) will provide 3-day meal packages for pick up for GSCS students and children within the community 18 years or younger, between the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. GSCS students will be offered meals to cover six (6) meal periods: three (3) lunches and three (3) breakfast meals. These meals are being offered at no cost through the USDA Seamless Summer Option (SSO) Program.

 

Meals will also be provided to children with special needs that are 21 years old and under. Parents and guardians of students with special diet considerations should contact Keiza Hunt, Menu and Wellness Coordinator, at 770-229-3710 ext.10356 or via email at Keiza.Hunt@gscs.org so that meals may be planned and prepared for their child at the school site they select.

 

GSCS students and children in the community will need to be present to receive the meals. Any child can pick up a meal package this Wednesday between 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. in the bus ramp at one of the following schools sites:

 

 

“We appreciate the Georgia Department of Education granting us the flexibility from the Seamless Summer program to provide meals to our students while taking advantage of our continuous learning plan at home,” said GSCS Superintendent James D. Smith. “We will spend Monday cleaning and disinfecting our schools and cafeteria prep area, preparing and packaging meals Tuesday, in order to be ready to greet and serve our GSCS families Wednesday morning.”

 

Meals will be prepared on-site by the GSCS Nutrition Department and delivered in bags outside each of the four designated schools. GSCS students will need to be present (except for medically fragile students) to receive the meals. For parents and guardians picking up meals by car, GSCS staff will bring them out to their vehicles. Parents and guardians who walk their child to school will receive the meals on a grab-and-go basis. In accordance with the CDC’s guidance on social distancing, no students will be allowed to consume meals on-site.

 

• Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily.

March 13, 2020

GSCS Announces School Closure March 16-20, 2020

March 5, 2020

Dear GSCS Families & Staff,

The 2019-2020 flu season has been complicated by recent reports of a novel coronavirus originating in Wuhan, China. This has been identified as the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Together, we have followed local, national and international news coverage about COVID-19 and preventative measures we can take to avoid the spread of the virus. We are monitoring the situation and we are in constant communication with District 4 Public Health Department and state health officials, who will provide updated information about the diagnosis and management of cases of novel coronavirus, as applicable and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

According to the CDC, COVID-19 spreads like other respiratory illnesses such as the flu and the common cold, primarily through coughing or sneezing by those who already have symptoms. The best way to prevent infection with any respiratory virus is to use the same preventive strategies used during a normal cold and flu season: get a flu shot every year, wash hands regularly with warm water and soap, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay home when experiencing symptoms of illness.

Although there have been reported cases of novel coronavirus in Georgia, to date, there have been no reported coronavirus cases in Spalding County. Our lead school nurse communicates regularly with District 4 Public Health to receive the latest updates regarding the flu and coronavirus. We are reviewing all student field trip requests/plans for students and staff, as well as any staff professional development travel outside of the state of Georgia. Locally, we are working with WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital, Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), our local Emergency Management Agency to be prepared in the event there is an outbreak. This has become a rapidly evolving situation and guidance from the CDC and updates from state health officials will continue as information is received. Many questions are being raised, so we are offering the following information and resources to keep GSCS families informed.