Superintendent: Schools doing what they need for in-person classes
Aug. 5—THOMASVILLE — As about a dozen people gathered in front of the Thomasville City Schools to protest the change in student facemask policy, and a similar number listened in the school board meeting room, new Superintendent Raymond Bryant Jr. outlined why facemasks are now mandatory.
"Our main goal, in addition to educating our students, is the health, safety and well-being of our stakeholders, students, teachers, staff," he said. "That's my main priority as superintendent."
Dr. Bryant said he is trying to do what he can to continue the face-to-face instruction currently taking place in the schools.
"That was part of the rationale," he said of the change in mask policy. "The best educational experience students have is when they have face-to-face teaching. Some kids thrive in a virtual environment. Most do not."
Dr. Bryant said evidence shows how important face-to-face learning is for student achievement.
Since the city schools began the academic year Monday, the school district has been informed of positive COVID-19 cases among students, teachers, central office staff and support staff, Bryant said.
The superintendent also said he will follow the data from the state Department of Public Health and guidelines from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Of the four levels of transmission the CDC defines, Thomas County is said to be at a high level, Bryant added. The CDC states that a community has a high level of transmission at 100 cases per 100,000 people. Thomas County, Bryant pointed out, has had 495 cases among a population of just over 44,000.
"As a school community and a community, we are going in the wrong direction as it relates to the number of cases we have in our district," he said.
Bryant said he visited each school on the first day and saw that students, teachers and staff were adhering to the policy, which went into effect July 30. The system also is working with its cleaning contractor to make sure schools are clean and sanitized.
The school system also has a "robust" contract tracing program in place, according to Bryant.
"That is a very meticulous process," he said.
School board members held a called meeting Wednesday, but the change in mask rules was not on the agenda. The meeting was called to adopt a millage rate and start the process for levying property taxes.
Kejar Butler, chair of the school board, invited attendees to call the board office and reserve a spot on the board's regular monthly meeting agenda. The school board meets each fourth Tuesday of the month.
"We do want to hear from you," she said.
Editor Pat Donahue can be reached at (229) 226-2400 ext. 1806.
