April 20, 2020
Dear Baldwin County School District Families,
Thank you for your support during these unprecedented times as we have taken steps to limit the spread of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus). As you know, Governor Brian Kemp signed an executive order on April 1st, closing Georgia Public Schools through the end of the 2019-2020 school year. While we are disappointed that students and staff will not be able to return to school, we understand the importance of closing schools in order to keep everyone safe.
Based on the responses from the parent and staff surveys as well as the guidance from the Georgia Department of Education, the Baldwin County Board of Education at its board meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2020, approved the suspension of several policies to provide me with the flexibility to adjust our instructional day/week, modify the grading and retention/promotion requirements, and revise the academic calendar.
Remote learning instruction began Tuesday, March 17, 2020, and our teachers and support staff have done an outstanding job. We appreciate your commitment and support of your students and our employees during the school closures. We are extremely proud of the work that has been accomplished and the way we are working together to get through this crisis. Following are several updates regarding the end of the school year:
Remote Learning
The Baldwin County School District will continue with the Remote Learning Plan for the remainder of the school year. We are focused on creating the best educational experience for our students under the guidelines of the mandated shelter-in-place executive order. Student assignments that are submitted will be graded. Students who are able to continue remote learning are expected to continue participating and completing assignments based on their teacher(s) and school schedule. Please visit the Baldwin County Digital Resource website to access all the resources available for students.
Beginning this week, we will continue with academic instruction Monday through Thursday, and Friday will be considered a flexible learning day. It is important to note that this does not mean that there will be more assignments to complete during the week. “FLEX Friday,” which will allow students to catch up on previous assignments, participate in social-emotional learning activities, and enjoy family time. Teachers will be available to answer questions, grade assignments, and engage in professional learning and social-emotional activities with their families. We believe that this schedule will help reduce the stress for students, teachers, and parents caused by the sudden change of having to work and learn from home.
All Teachers will be available on weekdays to respond to parent and student emails or messages through Class Dojo, Remind, Google Classroom and/or Schoology. School Counselors and support staff will also be available for students and parents during this time.
Grading and Report Cards
The Baldwin County School District’s goal has been to find a balance between honoring students’ time and effort while acknowledging that not all students have the same degree of access to learning. Student grades will not be negatively impacted due to the COVID-19 school closures. All student work submitted from March 16th through May 22nd will be applied to a student’s overall grade if it adds value to the student’s grade. Report cards will be available on June 1st. Please read the Frequently Asked Questions document posted on our website for more information. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher(s) or school administrator.
Last Day of School
Our school calendar will be modified for students in good academic standing, the last day of remote learning for the school year will be as follows:
● High School Seniors: Friday, May 8, 2020
● Grades PreK-11: Friday, May 15, 2020
● Students in grades K-12 needing additional academic support will continue through May 22, 2020. When it is safe to do so, times will be scheduled for students to come to school and retrieve their personal belongings as well as return designated school items.
School Nutrition
Starting on Monday, April 20th, the Baldwin County School Nutrition Department will provide meals for seven days on Mondays and Wednesdays during our school closure. The “drive-thru” sites are Midway Hills Academy, Baldwin High School, Boys and Girls Club, Wray Homes, and the Mary Vinson Library will continue as well as delivering meals to 39 bus stops. A detailed schedule has been posted on our district website at https://www.baldwincountyschoolsga.org/ and social media sites. Any person 18 years or younger may receive meals. They do not have to be enrolled in our school district. The BCSD School Nutrition Department will continue to follow all CDC guidelines and adhere to social distancing.
Frequently Asked Questions Document
The Baldwin County school district will continue to provide updates via the website and social media sites. Please visit our website at https://www.baldwincountyschoolsga.org to access our Frequently Asked Questions Document and the latest information regarding COVID-19.
We are committed to keeping our families and employees up to date on all the information that is shared with us by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Georgia Department of Public Health, North Central Health District, and the Georgia Department of Education. Please continue to follow the CDC guidelines and remember, we will get through this crisis together. Stay safe and healthy.
Sincerely,
Dr. Noris Price
Superintendent of Schools
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