First Day Of School Pushed Back For Forsyth Schools

FORSYTH COUNTY, GA — At a Forsyth County Board of Education meeting Tuesday, the first day of school was pushed back to now begin on Aug. 13. The last day will also be pushed back one day to May 27.

The board adopted the 2020-21 school calendar that includes no reduction of student days and extending the first day of school from Aug. 6 to Aug. 13 for planning purposes for both in-person learning at school and online learning from home. Teachers will still report to work on July 29 and will use this extended planning time for in-depth professional learning to be ready for full-time virtual learning for all students if needed by classroom, school, vertical team or across the district at any time this school year.

As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, the Georgia Department of Public Health reported 1,414 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Forsyth County, which includes 16 deaths and 148 hospitalizations. According to the 2019 U.S. Census, Forsyth County’s population is estimated to be at 244,252. This means 0.58 percent of Forsyth County’s residents have had a confirmed case of COVID-19.

Based on this information and on survey feedback input from staff, parents/guardians and students, Forsyth County Schools developed guidelines for opening schools and offered families a choice between in-person learning at school and online learning from home for 2020-21. Out of an estimated 22,000 elementary students, 7,500 or 34 percent have chosen to learn online from home for the first 9-weeks of 2020-21. The deadline to sign-up for middle and high school online learning is July 31.

Forsyth County Schools Superintendent Jeff Bearden was invited to serve as a featured panelist at the National Dialogue on Safely Reopening America’s Schools at the White House on July 7.

He joined other K-12 educators, college/university representatives, students, and parents/guardians as they met with government and health officials, including Second Lady Karen Pence, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and Ambassador Deborah Birx, to discuss plans relative to safely reopening schools.

“I was honored to represent the Forsyth County community and the state of Georgia at this important national discussion,” Bearden said. “I had the opportunity to share our positive experiences with virtual learning this spring as well as the input provided by our parents/guardians, students, and staff that was used to create our guidelines for opening schools. I am confident that with our district’s Restart Forsyth plan, our talented and dedicated teachers and staff will be ready to lead our students, whether they select in-person learning at their schools or virtual learning from their homes, to ensure that all have the very best educational experience for 2020-21.”

A portion of the meeting is available on the White House YouTube channel, with Bearden’s panel starting at 56:43 minutes.

Following the meeting and panel discussion, Bearden and other guests met for a round-table discussion with President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Second Lady Karen Pence. Video of this discussion begins at 46 minutes.