Community News
School district announces plan for feeding, educating students during coronavirus shutdown.
By Dave Whitaker
Mar 17, 2020, 16:22

Following Sunday night’s called Board of Education meeting in which schools were closed through April 13 because of the COVID-19 virus, the Bleckley County School District announced plans Tuesday afternoon for continuing to feed and educate students during the shutdown.

A release states teachers have contacted students to see if they have Internet access as well as an Internet-capable device and checked to see if they desire meal delivery or can pick up meals. Lessons have also been prepared in either paper format or will be delivered via Google Classroom.

Starting tomorrow, students can pick up meals at Bleckley County Middle School via the Country Club Road entrance from noon to 1 pm. Any child through age 18 can obtain a meal, even home schooled students. However, children can only receive the meal. In other words, any parent wishing to pick up a meal must have a child in the car with them.

Delivery will also be available starting tomorrow for in-county parents who requested it during the time of afternoon bus routes. It will be open to all students regardless of whether they ride the bus. Because of the number of meals delivered will exceed the number of bus riders, deliveries could be delayed until late afternoon.

Along with meals, schoolwork will also be delivered. Deliveries will be done via school bus with nutritional personnel on board to ensure proper food handling techniques as well as other district employees who will deliver food door-to-door. Superintendent Dr. Steve Smith praised the number of staff volunteering to help saying “We have been overwhelmed at the number of teachers, coaches, administrators, and support staff who have volunteered to deliver meals and schoolwork. We are truly blessed to have such a supportive staff who want to help our students.”

The proposed delivery schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, March 18 Wednesday lunch meal and Thursday breakfast.
Thursday, March 19 Thursday lunch meal and Friday breakfast.
Friday, March 20 Friday lunch meal and Monday breakfast.
Monday, March 23 Monday & Tuesday lunch meal and Tuesday & Wednesday breakfast.
Wednesday, March 25 Wednesday & Thursday lunch meal and Thursday and Friday breakfast.
Friday, March 27 Friday lunch meal and Monday breakfast.
Monday, March 30 Monday & Tuesday lunch meal and Tuesday & Wednesday breakfast.
Wednesday, April 1 Wednesday & Thursday lunch meal and Thursday and Friday breakfast.
Friday, April 3 Friday lunch meal.
April 6 – 10 Spring Break – No Meals.

The release states that during the shutdown, all sporting events and practices have been suspended and prom would be rescheduled. It goes onto say students would return on April 13 (following spring break) unless Governor Brian Kemp extends the shutdown. Kemp ordered all schools closed through at least March 31 last night.


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