Rabun County Schools move to virtual learning, meal program in place
News, Rabun Co Schools December 16, 2020
RABUN COUNTY, Ga – Citing the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, Rabun County Schools announced the decision to move to virtual learning for three days before the Christmas Break. The school district currently plans to return to in-person learning on January 5, 2021.
A meal program is in place for the next three days for children and on Friday, the pre-ordered meals for the next week will be available.
Rabun County reported 197 new cases over two weeks as of December 15. The Department of Public Health (DPH) labeled Rabun as an emerging county of interest with a greater than 25 percent increase in COVID-19 cases. It’s also a high transmission county along with most of North Georgia.
Superintendent April Childers released the following statement:
“The Rabun County community has experienced an unprecedented increase in COVID-19 positive cases over the past week, and the school district has felt the effects of this increase with both staff and students in quarantine.
The number of students/employees quarantined from direct contact, symptoms, or positive tests has greatly affected the daily operations of our schools and transportation. Having enough teachers, paraprofessionals, school nutrition workers, bus drivers, and custodians to cover all operations to provide effective face-to-face instruction has become a significant challenge. The number of substitutes for teachers, bus drivers, custodians, and school nutrition workers is very limited in our community. As a result, our school district is finding it very difficult to operate successfully without enough personnel to cover essential positions to maintain an environment that is safe and conducive for learning.
After careful consideration, the decision has been made for students to report to school on Tuesday, December 15th for a normal school day, then our district will begin distance learning on Wednesday, December 16th. All instruction will be virtual/distance-based beginning Wednesday, December 16th through Friday, December 18th. School will return to normal face-to-face operations on Tuesday, January 5, 2021.
Please know that I do understand the impact school closing for face-to-face instruction has on our community. We have been successful in providing face-to-face instruction since the start of school, and we plan to return on January 5, 2021, and continue the year with face-to-face instruction. This decision was carefully considered and made in consultation with principals, district leaders, and the Department of Public Health.
All teachers and staff will report to work daily to provide instruction virtually and provide assistance to students and parents. Our individual schools and teachers will be providing additional information for their students and parents concerning school work on Tuesday, December 15, 2020.
Meals for students can be picked up at the primary school bus loading zone:
• Wednesday, 12:30-1:30 pm- each student will receive 1 hot lunch and 1 breakfast.
• Thursday, 12:30-1:30 pm- each student will receive 1 hot lunch, 1 lunch, and 2 breakfast
• Friday- meal pickup for those that pre-ordered for the next week. You will receive an email from Mrs. Schupp about pickup times. Extracurricular activities will continue with the mitigation strategies in place. Coaches and
sponsors will contact you with any changes.Thank you for your continued support and understanding.
Go Cats!
Dr. April Childers
Superintendent”
Rabun County Schools closed on October 29
News October 28, 2020
RABUN COUNTY, Ga – Ahead of Hurricane Zeta, Rabun County Schools has decided to completely shut down for Thursday, October 29.
In a statement from the school, they said:
"LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: Tropical storm force winds remain
possible
- Peak Wind Forecast: 20-30 mph with gusts to 40 mph
- THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST
UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: Potential for wind 39
to 57 mph
- The wind threat has remained nearly steady from the
previous assessment.
- PLAN: Plan for hazardous wind of equivalent tropical storm
force.
- PREPARE: Remaining efforts to protect property should be
completed as soon as possible. Prepare for limited wind
damage.
- ACT: Move to safe shelter before the wind becomes hazardous.
- POTENTIAL IMPACTS: Limited
- Damage to porches, awnings, carports, sheds, and unanchored
mobile homes. Unsecured lightweight objects blown about.
- Many large tree limbs broken off. A few trees snapped or
uprooted, but with greater numbers in places where trees
are shallow rooted. Some fences and roadway signs blown
over.
- A few roads impassable from debris, particularly within
urban or heavily wooded places. Hazardous driving
conditions on bridges and other elevated roadways.
- Scattered power and communications outages."
Rabun Schools closed for a week due to COVID-19
Community, Rabun Co Schools March 13, 2020
RABUN COUNTY, Ga – Rabun County Schools will be closed starting Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 20 due to COVID-19 precautions. The district will reassess on Thursday, March 19 for the following week.
As of Friday, March 13, Rabun County Schools has zero cases of COVID-19.
Students are expected to complete online learning packets starting Monday, and communication from teachers will be posted on Google Classroom or school’s website. Teachers are asked to make themselves “extremely available” to students, parents, and guardians during this time.
Starting Monday all travel including field trips will be canceled through Spring Break. Additionally, all athletic events are canceled through March 27, then the school will reassess with GHSA. Practices are also canceled until schools reopen.
Rabun County Schools Nutrition will provide meals at no cost to children from 2 to 18, and they do not have to be Rabun County School District students. Meals will be available for the entire week on Monday only. Those in need can pick meals at the Primary Bus Loading Zone from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Mountain City Flea Market from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Vista Ridge Apartments on Marsen Knob Dr. from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Dunlap Apartments from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.; Stavemill Apartments from 10:40 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.; and Clayton-Duckett Apartments from 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. Children must be present to pick up meals. The district asks anyone interested to complete the survey on Remind and the website to prepare for this service.
Chromebooks will also be issued to students who do not have a computer. The goal is one Chromebook per household. Parents and guardians are asked to notify the school through the survey as well. They will be instructed where to pick up Chromebooks as early as Monday.
The technology department is on-hand to assist all students with any questions.
Rabun County Schools address extracurricular activities during Coronavirus
Press Release, Rabun Co Schools March 12, 2020
RABUN COUNTY, Ga – Rabun County Schools plans to continue with planned field trips and extracurricular activities but will check with the health department prior to traveling with students.
From the original press release:
Rabun County Schools has been actively monitoring the rapidly evolving Coronavirus. At this time, there are no changes to already approved student travel or extracurricular activities; however, we will consult public
health professionals in Rabun County and in the destination area prior to travel. This is subject to change at any time. A parent may choose for his/her child to opt-out of travel for any reason.
The health and safety of our students, families, and staff is our primary concern in this fluid situation. Decisions are
made to help mitigate and slow the spread of COVID-19 and to help protect the Rabun community.
To date, no known cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Rabun County.
If you have additional questions, please reach out directly to your school principal.
New Visitor Procedures at Rabun County Schools
Press Release, Rabun Co Schools March 11, 2020
Starting Monday, March 16, 2020, Rabun County Schools will ask all visitors to present identification (driver’s license) to be scanned into our Raptor digital visitor management system. This is a District-wide program, so all schools will continue to follow the procedures outlined.
Raptor Technologies has been selected for use by RCSS. This system will require visitors to scan a valid driver’s license prior to obtaining a badge to enter the school or pick up a student. Upon entry into the office, visitors will present their ID to the front desk at which time the employee will scan the license into the kiosk. Using the information from a driver’s license or state identification card, the Raptor system will check the scanned information
against a national database of registered sex offenders, as well as school-entered information on individuals who are not allowed on building property. Once approved, visitors will obtain a visitor badge from the office staff so all guests to the building are easily identified. Any visitor who is not wearing a badge will be escorted back to the front office until proper procedures have been followed. If you are picking up a child you will not receive a
visitor badge after the scan, you will be instructed to complete the normal check out system for students.
*** If you do not have a driver’s license, please bring another form of valid photo ID or call ahead of time to speak with the staff in the main office.
Our front office staff will keep either the driver’s license or other identification of each visitor entering the school. All visitors must check out before exiting the building and retrieve their driver’s license or other identification.
If you have further questions about Raptor Technologies or the procedures, please contact the school of which your child attends or contact the Board of Education.
Rabun County Schools issue statement on Coronavirus
Press Release, Rabun Co Schools March 11, 2020
The safety and well-being of all students and staff members is Rabun County Schools’ highest priority. Even though the immediate health risk of the Coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) may be low, we want parents, students and staff to be assured that Rabun County Schools’ are planning for a range of scenarios and are working with the Rabun County Health Department to be prepared should the Coronavirus begin to have an impact in our community. At this time, there are no confirmed cases in Rabun County. That said, the best way to prevent infection by any respiratory virus is:
- Keep your distance. Avoid close contact with sick individuals, maintaining personal space to avoid getting germs from others
- Don’t share personal items (toothbrushes, towels, utensils, etc.).
- Wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow, or with a tissue
- When a child has a fever, keep them at home until they are fever-free for24 hours without fever-reducing medication
- Flu shots are still available from the Rabun County Health Department
Current information on the COVID-19 is available on the CDC and Georgia Department of Public Health websites at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
If you or anyone you have been in close contact with have traveled to China, Italy, South Korea, Iran or Japan in the last two weeks, please contact the Rabun County Health Department regarding related risks.