COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Teachers, students, and families are assessing the new guidelines the CDC released today for reopening classrooms.
Educators in Cobb County report that families will be offered both in person and remote classroom options for next year, but more details are still being worked out.
"As the Superintendent mentioned during today's Board meeting, staff has been working on plans for next school year since this school year began. At this time, the only detail that is available is that all families will be offered face-to-face and remote classroom options. Plans for next year are being built based on feedback from students, teachers, and families and public health guidance for Cobb County. We will have more detail for the public, which will be available digitally, as soon as it is available,” a district spokesperson told 11Alive.
Back in January, more than 120 Cobb County teachers called in sick, according to one school board member. The superintendent's office would not confirm that number.
This comes as more than 60 percent of students returned for in-person learning even as some teachers continue to demand the district go virtual.
In response to concerns over the spread of COVID-19 amongst students and staff, the Cobb County School District said there are already protocols in place to protect all staff, including specific protections in place for bus riders and drivers.
Those protections include requiring masks for school bus drivers when social distancing is not possible; requiring masks for students while riding the bus when social distancing not possible; providing hand sanitizer stations at the door of each bus; requiring ventilation and fresh air circulation, weather permitting and disinfection of buses after routes have been completed.