WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Washington County, Tennessee Schools announced on Monday that all schools in the district will operate virtually at the start of the school year.
According to a release from Washington County Schools, all students grades K-12 will be contacted by their schools on August 3 or as soon as possible.
The release says parents can contact their child’s schools immediately to discuss home technology needs.
Computers can be provided on a loan basis to anyone that needs one.
Washington County Director of Schools Dr. William Flanary said the COVID-19 data made it clear.
“It just was not safe for 8,400 children in 15 buildings on August the 3rd.”
Washington County Schools teachers will be at school every school day to interact with students virtually.
The release says students should be aware they are still going to be held accountable for their work and attendance will be verified every day.
Flanary said the system is required to complete 180 days of school.
“So we’re going to be holding children accountable for their learning. We’re literally going to take roll every day. We have some pretty good strategies for doing that,” he said.
Google Platforms and Canvas will be used for virtual learning. Every student will also recieve a school email address.
Flanary said kindergarteners will still have to learn for four hours a day. For grades 1-12, it’s seven hours. Much of this time will have to be supervised by parents.
“We’re relying on parents to set aside time each day, the equivalent of the time that child would spend in school. All these different courses, the challenge is real. The challenge is great,” Flanary told News Channel 11.
The decision to move online was made by the district due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in the region.
Washington County Schools plans to stay on a virtual schedule for 30 calendar days but will adjust accordingly as the situation develops.
