A small group of Gwinnett County Public Schools students will return to the classroom this week for the first time since March.
The district’s phased return plan, which about half of its roughly 180,000 students have opted into, begins Wednesday with kindergartners as well grades 1, 6 and 9. Special education in self-contained classrooms will also return, regardless of grade level.
All grades will be phased in by Sept. 9 for students whose parents opted for in-classroom learning. The district began the school year virtually for all students on Aug. 12. Like other schools, it had moved to online instruction in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Parents of special education students were particularly vocal about their kids’ need for in-person instruction at a Gwinnett County Board of Education meeting last week. Some families have hired at-home aides to assist special needs students learning virtually. Others have seen their children struggle without the structure and support they find in a classroom.
“Every day lost is equivalent to double for special education students,” said Michael Rudnick, a parent who chose to move to Gwinnett for its special education program. “We cannot get this time back, and we need our teachers. Our son has never been as successful his entire life as he has been in Gwinnett schools.”
A school district spokesman said they have put in new safety measures. Anyone on school property will be required to wear a mask. Hand sanitizer will be made readily available. Desks and tables will be arranged to allow for social distancing as much as possible.
In addition, lunch and recess will be staggered to reduce the amount of children congregating, according to a document on the district website. Custodial staff will more frequently clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces, and school ventilation systems will be “monitored” to ensure they are working properly.
Some teachers have expressed concern that despite these steps, it’s still not safe for them or their students to return. Most classes will be smaller, but it will not be possible for students to remain socially distant at all times on buses and in classrooms, they said.
“I do not feel safe teaching in GCPS under our plan,” Amy Forehand, a first grade teacher, said at last week’s Board of Education meeting. “I am scared for my health. I am scared for my family’s health. I am scared for my colleagues’ health. I am scared for my students’ health,”
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