Schools schedule open house

    The Stephens County School System is gearing up for the 2021-2022 school year.
    Students return to classes on Tuesday, Aug. 3 with new teacher orientation scheduled next week on Monday, July 26, and pre-planing July 27 through Aug. 2.
    Pre-kindergarten classes will begin on Monday, Aug. 2, but will not be held the following day. Kindergarten classes will begin on Aug. 3 along with the rest of the school system.
    Pre-K students will return on Wednesday, Aug. 4.
    School superintendent Daniel Oldham told the board of education at a Tuesday, July 20, board meeting that the system's plan is for all students to return to normal classroom settings.
    That differs from the previous year that allowed parents and students to select whether they would attend virtual classes or in-person classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Oldham said that doesn't mean policies might not change and that schools could revert to protocols such as social distancing if the  COVID-19 virus has an uptick of cases in the county.
    "We're going to create a threshold," Oldham said.
    That threshold, he said, would be if the county has a 10 percent positivity rate for 10 consecutive days to trigger returning to infection safety measures.
    Oldham said that it would take cases to reduce locally to 5 percent positivity for seven consecutive days to return to normal settings if the 10 percent threshold is reached.
    "We're monitoring it daily," Oldham said.
    All schools except the high school will have open house dates next week on Thursday and Friday.
    High school open house is scheduled for the day before the first day of school, Monday Aug. 2, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
    All three elementary schools – Big A, Liberty, and Toccoa – will be by appointment only.
    The open house schedule states, "Your child's teacher will contact you to set up a time to meet."
    Big A Elementary meeting dates and times are Thursday. July 29 from 3-5 p.m., and Friday, July 30 from noon-2 p.m.
    Liberty Elementary and Toccoa Elementary meeting dates and times are Thursday, July 29, from 4-6 p.m., and Friday, July 30 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    Fifth Grade Academy, Stephens County Middle School, and Stephens County High School do not require appointments.
    Fifth Grade Academy open house is Thursday, July 29 from 3-5 p.m., and Friday, July 30 from noon to 2 p.m.
    Stephens County Middle School open house is Thursday, July 29 from 4-6 p.m., and Friday, July 30 from 10 a.m. to noon.
    In other business at Tuesday's board of education meeting, Oldham said that students at all schools could eat breakfast and lunch free.
    "Every kid (in school) in Stephens County has the option to eat for free both breakfast and lunch," Oldham said.
    That's possible due to the extension of a United States Department of Agriculture waiver, Oldham said.
    The board approved two policies required by the state.
    One was for 15 days paid leave for men and women due to the birth of a child or fostering a child.
    Oldham said those 15 days would have to be taken within 12 months from the date of the birth or fostering.
    The other policy change was for homeschool students in grades 6-12 wishing to participate in competitive interscholastic activities.
    Oldham said the homeschool student would have to be enrolled in one class taught by the public school system to be eligible to compete on Stephens County athletic teams.
    The board also approved continuing an agreement with the Stephens County Sheriff's Office to provide a School Resource Officer at each school at a cost not to exceed $200,000.