Returning to Learn

Posted

By HEATHER RUPPE

Colleton County students will return to in-person learning in all local public schools on August 16th.

Please see these tips below for everything you need to know regarding in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year.

According to district officials, all returning students this year will follow COVID-19 safety policies and the district’s dress codes, as local education leaders try to return to “normal” classroom policies amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Any parent with questions about the school district’s “Return to Learn” plan should call 843-782-4510.

Back to School Nights

The Colleton County School District’s “Back to School Nights” will be held on the following days:

Colleton County High School: Tuesday, August 10 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Black Street Early Childhood Center: Thursday, August 12 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Elementary Schools: Thursday, August 12 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Colleton County Middle School: Thursday, August 12 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

COVID-19 & Masks

S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster has passed a statewide Mask Mandate Provision that prohibits any school district in South Carolina from requiring that masks be worn by students and staff.

Therefore, masks are not required by students or staff.

In Colleton County, all district employees and eligible students are “encouraged” to receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

There are also desk shields and barriers in each school and schools and buses are cleaned daily and disinfected once per week.

Additionally, there are air purifiers in each classroom throughout the district. Water fountains in schools will continue to be non-operational, as a way to prevent the spread of the virus.

There are also still social distancing measures in place to help keep students and staff apart.

“Protecting our staff and students while we make this transition to fully in-person instruction remains CCSD’s top priority,” said Sean Gruber, in a written statement published on the school district’s Web site. Students and staff members can voluntarily wear a mask on district properties and school buses.

School Instructional Days

 The instructional days for CCSD schools are:

Black Street Early Childhood Center, 7:30 a.m. to 1:55 p.m.

Elementary Schools, 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Middle School, 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

High School, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Student Laptops/Electronic Devices

According to the Colleton County School District, all students will be issued new district electronic devices upon their return to school.

In order to receive a new district device, the student must return all district electronics that they were previously issued.

Bus Routes

Information on bus routes will be released on the Colleton County School District’s Web site – www.colleton.k12.sc.us - on August 11. All bus routes are being created based on the number of students registered in the school district as of August 6.

According to information provided by the school district, bus routes will be updated on August 23, and new students will be added to their bus routes within 72 hours of this update.

Parents should contact their zoned schools to ensure that their student is registered as a bus rider.