The Chattooga County School District will begin a hybrid schedule today that will have students doing virtual learning on Mondays and Fridays and attending class on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays until February 22, 2022.  Chattooga County Board of Education member Brad Hayes shared the following synopsis of the board of education meeting when the decisions was made to go to the hybrid schedule last Thursday.

The school board members received a COVID update at last night’s meeting from Asst.
Superintendent Jeff Martin. Superintendent Jared Hosmer recently called for a “Virtual
Learning” Day following the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. However, the COVID numbers
have continued to rise since returning on Wednesday, January 19. Many teachers have been
asked to combine classes, cover classes, give up a co-teacher, or even miss planning so that
classes might be covered for our students. The board thanked the staff and teachers for
going “above and beyond” during these stressful times. The board also thanked the bus drivers,
cafeteria workers, custodians, and substitute teachers for their doubling duties and extra work.
Our teachers cannot continue to sustain this routine unless we give them a break. The break
will come in the form of “Virtual Day Learning” each Monday and Friday.
The school board members had an open discussion during the Superintendent’s “For Your Information”
session at the regular school board meeting. Chairman Eddie Elsberry had opened the discussion
with the possibility of going to a “Wednesday off” hybrid schedule or a three-day over the weekend
hybrid schedule. Elsberry’s first consideration was to attend school face-to-face on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
a deep cleaning of buildings, and return to face-to-face for Thursday and Friday. Elsberry’s second consideration
was a “Virtual Day” on either Monday or Friday with the weekend for a three-day hybrid schedule.
The board members seemed to agree with Chairman Elsberry’s considerations. Vice-Chairman Brad Hayes
suggested a Monday and Friday hybrid schedule. Students would have “Virtual Learning” days on Monday
and Friday. The staff and teachers would still report to the building, as long as they had not tested positive
with COVID. Teachers will use Mondays and Fridays to collaborate, plan, and teach virtually. How a “Virtual
Day” looks will be up to the administration and individual schools. Many uses “Virtual Days” to teach
students with Google Classroom assignments, Google Meet video lessons, or completing and grading the
student’s paper/pencil assignments. Vice Chairman Hayes stated, “when teachers test positive with COVID,
they have no choice but miss days at work. However, with ‘Virtual Days’, teachers can still attend,
check-in, grade, and record video lessons from home.”  The plan is that four consecutive days away from
the school buildings will give students and teachers the needed quarantined time to feel better.
B.J. Montgomery and Spencer Hogg both supported going to some type of hybrid schedule. Michelle Helie,
Jeff Martin, and Superintendent Hosmer supported the board’s decision and discussions related to COVID.
All board members stated they had been in contact with community members, parents, teachers, and other
stakeholders. Eddie Elsberry made the motion to adopt the following hybrid schedule: Starting Monday,
January 24, all Chattooga County School students will attend “Virtual Learning” on Mondays and Fridays.
All staff and teachers (including bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and custodians) would still report to schools
all five days. Students will attend virtually on January 24, January 28, January 31, February 4, February 7,
February 11, and February 14. The school board will meet again on Thursday, February 17, 2022. An
assessment will be taken at the February board meeting to determine the successes of the hybrid schedule,
improvements that might need to be made, and determine the future schedule. Brad Hayes seconded

Mr. Elsberry’s motion and the board voted unanimously to approve the hybrid schedule.