Chattooga County Schools experience 'great' and 'smooth' first day back

Chattooga County Schools experience 'great' and 'smooth' first day back

For news 12 now at 11.

As if the first day of school isn't stressful enough, this year schools are dealing with a new year in the coronavirus pandemic.

The chattooga county school district leads the way in being one of the first school systems to reopen.

And for those students, they went back to school today just as planned with no delay.

That's tonight's top local story.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, it sounds like the first day back to school in chattooga county wasn't all that bad.

Chattooga county schools superintendent jared hosmer: "it was a great first day of school.

Everything seemed to go smoothly."

They were the first district in our area to start the new school year while in the pandemic.

The schools worked with health officials and used the georgia's path to recovery plan as guidance in reopening.

It's a new year and a new way of operating with several modifications.

Chattooga county schools superintendent jared hosmer: "we have increased our sanitation.

We have hand sanitizer stations throughout the buildings " "fog machines for sanitation daily in our buildings."

"we have implemented a no visitor policy unless it is an essential visitor."

"we have new arrival and dismissal plans that keep the children from congregating."

While strongly encouraged, masks are not required for anyone at the schools.

And, in a press conference over the phone, the superintendent says they're not currently considering making facial coverings a requirement.

Chattooga county schools superintendent jared hosmer: "everyone did not have on a mask, but we did have what i would consider for the first day pretty good participation with the mask."

The schools reopened with hybrid learning and around 12 percent of students signed up for virtual learning.

But, parents were notified that virtual learning would be delayed.

Chattooga county schools superintendent jared hosmer: "we had every intention in starting with our virtual learners today, but it's going to be one day next week that we're going to start with them.

We've got some training we've got to do ourselves before we roll that out to our parents."

At the schools, the superintendent says social distancing will need to be improved, but other than that he