Dear Parents:
On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised of the following updates and additional information.
We continue to be in daily communications with Georgia Department of Health (DPH) about COVID-19, and DPH is not recommending closure of CCSD schools at this time. If there is a confirmed case in a CCSD student or employee and/or in their household, health officials will let us know, and we will let employees and parents know immediately.
There still is only one “presumptive positive” case in Cherokee County, according to DPH, and that is the Canton Waffle House employee who has been released from the hospital and now is in quarantine at Hard Labor State Park; he has no household connection to CCSD students or staff. There still are no confirmed cases in Cherokee County, according to DPH.
In addition to initial guidance we shared with you Monday (http://bit.ly/ccsdhealthinfo), the following decisions have been made:
ABSENCES
Effective Monday, March 16, 2020, all CCSD student attendance incentives, including awards, designations and other non-academic benefits for all schools, are suspended for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. Attendance incentives earned prior to Friday, March 13, 2020 will be recognized. Students who provide written documentation from their healthcare provider advising them to stay home from school due to COVID-19 will be medically excused without academic penalty in accordance with School Board Policy JBD. Families of these students should contact their school’s front office for additional guidance; additionally, if your child has an IEP and you have concerns about absences, contact your school's Special Education facilitator or case holder. Employees not reporting to work due to COVID-19 will provide written documentation from their healthcare provider, and use of sick leave and access to the sick leave bank, if a participant, will be permitted in accordance with School Board Policy GBRI.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Effectively immediately (March 12, 2020), all school and CCSD special events scheduled for the remainder of March 2020 are cancelled/postponed; competition-based Georgia High Schools Association (GHSA)-sanctioned athletics and extra-curricular activities will be reviewed by the Superintendent on a case-by-case basis over the coming days relative to cancellation/postponement. The March 19, 2020 School Board Meeting is planned to be held as scheduled, but there will be no student or staff recognitions. All school and CCSD special events scheduled during April and May, including, but not limited to, high school graduations, have NOT been cancelled/postponed at this time.
FIELD TRIPS
Effective Monday, March 16, 2020, all CCSD field trips (including all out-of-state CCSD athletic travel) for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year are cancelled/postponed. Our Office of Curriculum & Instruction is working with Principals to pursue rescheduling or vouchers/refunds for students and families. Additionally, specific high school internship programs at external worksites are being suspended temporarily; impacted students will be notified.
STAFF TRAVEL
Effective Monday, March 16, 2020, participation in all non-essential, work-related travel and out-of-county professional development conferences for all CCSD employees is cancelled/postponed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. The status of in-county trainings and meetings will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
We are committed to transparency and will continue to update our webpage at http://bit.ly/ccsdhealthinfo with COVID-19 information and communicate directly with you, as we have been doing throughout this situation.
Barbara P. Jacoby
Chief Communications Officer
Cherokee County School District