Franklin County Schools welcome students back with COVID-19 procedures in place

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86% of Franklin County Students (3,200) opted to return to in-person classes for the 2020-2021 school year

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ALLEN: STUDENTS ARE FINALLY BACK IN THE CLASSROOMS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY, BUT, OF COURSE, THE SCHOOL YEAR IS LOOKING A LITTLE DIFFERENT. >> WELCOME BACK. ALLEN: IT’S A BIG WELCOME BACK FOR STUDENTS HERE AT CARNESVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. A RETURN TO NORMAL WITH A LOT OF ABNORMALITY. DIVIDERS SEPARATE CHILDREN AT THEIR DESKS. THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SHARE SCHOOL SUPPLIES, AND TEACHERS FOR YOUNGER GRADES HAVE A SHIELDS. >> WE HAVE ENHANCED CLEANING, PURCHASED THREE MASKS FOR EVERY CHILD. WE HAVE DONE A NUMBER OF THINGS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE SAFE HEARD MOST OF ALL, WE WANT TO GET THE CHILDREN BACK IN THE CLASSROOM. ALLEN: ON TOP OF THAT, CHILDREN WILL EAT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CLASSROOMS, LUNCH AND WRECK THIS. SCHOOLS WILL ADHERE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES WHERE POSSIB GOOD PERSONAL HYGEINE WILL BE ENCOURAGED — >> THAT IS A NICE MASK. ALLEN: AND THE WEARING OF MASKS ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. IN THE HALLWAYS THIS MORNING, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT AIRED, IT LOOKS LIKE 70% TO 80% OF THE STUDENTS WERE WEARING ONE. >> IT’S JUST PART OF HOW WE WILL TEACH, THIS IS HOW WE DO THINGS AT CARNESVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR PROCEDURES AND ROUTINES — AND ROUTINES. ALLEN: STAFF IN FRANKLIN COUNTY HOPING THESE PROTOCALS AND SO MANY OTHERS LEAD TO A SUCCESSFUL AND SAFE SCHOOL YEAR FOR ALL 3500 IN PERSON STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT >> THEY ARE SO HAPPY TO BE HERE. OUR TEACHERS ARE HAPPY TO HAVE THEM BACK, AND WE’RE EXCITED TO GET STARTED. ALLEN: ALLEN DEVLIN, WYFF NEWS 4 . CARO TAX-FREE WEEKEND IS HERE. TYPICALLY A TIME TO STOCK UP ON SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND SNAG SOME DEALS. RENEE WUNDERLICH IS LIVE IN GREENVILLE COUNTY WITH HOW THIS YEAR’S HOLIDAY LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. RENEE: THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE EVERYONE IS NOTICING ARE ALL OF THE FACE MASKS. WE ARE SEEING A FAIR AMOUNT OF SHOPPERS IN PLACES, LIKE BEHIND ME, AND OTHER AREAS, BUT THINGS LOOK DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE ARE IN A PANDEMIC. A LOT OF STORE WORKERS EARLIER TODAY WERE WIPING DOWN DIFFERENT AREAS. THERE WERE A LOT OF PARTITIONS UP, BUT TODAY, TOMORROW AND SUNDAY, SHOPPERS WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY THAT 6% SOUTH CAROLINA SALES TAX, SO THAT COULD BE A REASON IF YOU NEED TO BUY SCHOOL SUPPLIES OR OTHER SUPPLIES YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN. NOW COULD BE THE BEST TIME FOR YOU. OTHER OPTIONS ARE CLOTHING, SHOES, COMPUTERS, SOFTWARE, AND UNUSUAL ITEMS LIKE DIAPERS AND WEDDING DRESSES. WE SHOULD POINT OUT THAT THIS YEAR NORTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA ARE NOT TAKING PART IN THE SALES TAX HOLIDAY, JUST SOUTH CAROLINA. LIVE IN GREENVILLE, RENEE WUNDERLICH, WYFF NEWS 4. NIGEL: THANK YOU. A GREENVILLE BLOOD DRIVE IS HOSTING A BLOOD DRIVE TOMORROW. IT RUNS FROM 10:00 TO 3:00. YOU CAN WALK UP, BUT THE BLOOD CONNECTION ASKS YOU MAKE A RESERVATION ON ITS WEBSITE. >> I KNOW THEY MISS THEIR BASEBALL, THEY MISS THIS STADIUM. IT IS A GOOD CHANCE TO COME AND SEE IT, ALTHOUGH BASEBALL IS NOT HAPPENING. ENJOY IT WHILE THEY ARE HERE, SEE THE GREENVILLE DRIVE STAFF, AND GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY . BECAUSE WE ARE THE UPSTATE’S EXCLUSIVE PROVIDER, THAT MEANS BLOOD DONATIONS ARE STAYING LOCAL. NIGEL: IN ADDITION TO YOUR DONATING AND SAVING LIVES, THERE ARE SOME OTHER PERKS. THEY WILL TEST YOUR BLOOD FOR COVID-19 ANTIBODIES AND GIVE YOU A $10 GIFT CARD. >> IT IS MONEY THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS. NIGEL: STILL TO COME, THE DEADLI IS GETTING CLOSER. THE CITY RAISING IMPORTANCE. CEDRIC: WE COULD HAVE A COUPLE OF SCATTERED STORMS. TEMPERATURES IN THE 80’S AND 70’S TONIGHT. I HAVE THAT ALL-IMPORTANT WEEKEND, COMING UP. NIGEL: TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO RESPOND TO THE 2020 CENSUS THE CITY OF GREENVILLE HELD ITS FINAL CENSUS BRIGADE THIS MORNING. A TROLLEY, PUBLIC WORKS TRUCK, FIRE TRUCK, AND POLICE CAR PARADED THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CENSUS AND GIVING INFORMATION TO THOSE NEEDING TO FILL IT OUT. >> AND ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS IT’S SO IMPORTANT IS THAT IT ALLOWS US TO SEE MONEY FOR RESOURCES THAT YOU AND I BOTH USE. SO IT’S MONEY THAT WE’RE GOING TO SEE FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS. IT MAY HELP THE ROADS THAT WE TRAVEL DAILY. IT MAY HELP IF WE EVER FALL ILL, THE HOSPITALS AND CLINICS THAT WE’LL ATTEND. IF OUR CHILDREN ATTEND SCHOOL, THE MONEY GOES THERE. NIGEL: CENSUS TAKERS WILL BEGIN DOOR-TO-DOOR WORK FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T FILLED IT OUT NEXT TUESDAY. CAROL: THE CAROLINA PANTHERS HELPED UNVEIL A NEW SYNTHETIC FIELD AND RENOVATED TRACK AT A SPARTANBURG MIDDLE SCHOOL. SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY THIS PROJECT AT CARVER MIDDLE WAS INITIATED BY A GRANT FROM THE $200,000 CAROLINA PANTHERS. OFFICIALS NOTE THE COST OF THE PROJECT IS $1.2 MILLION. SPARTANBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT 7 SAYS IT FUNDED THE REST. STUDENTS TODAY RAN THROUGH THE PANTHERS TUNNEL. THE CAROLINA PANTHERS SAY THEY’RE EXCITED ABOUT THE IMPACT THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE ON CHILDREN IN SPARTANBURG. >> IT IS GOING TO SERVE CHILDREN ON THE CITY’S NORTH SIDE, SOUTH SIDE, THE BROADER COMMUNITY. IT REALLY PROVIDES A GREAT VENUE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER. CAROL: OFFICIALS HOPE THE FIELD AND TRACK SERVES AS A PLACE FOR KIDS TO COMPETE FOR YEARS TO COME. THE RACE FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, STRAIGHT AHEAD. MEET THE CANDIDATES AND A KEY REGION FOR 2020.

Franklin County Schools welcome students back with COVID-19 procedures in place

86% of Franklin County Students (3,200) opted to return to in-person classes for the 2020-2021 school year

After months of preparation due to COVID-19, the Franklin County Schools District welcomed back its students to begin the 2020-2021 school year. The district, consisting of 3,700 students total (3,200 of which opted for in-person learning this school year), is made up of three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. “We’ve got enhanced cleaning, we’ve purchased three masks for every child and we have enhanced sanitation,” said Franklin County Schools Superintendent Christopher Forrer. “We’ve done a number of things to make sure they’re safe, but most of all we want to get the children back in the classroom.”According to the Franklin County Schools COVID-19 reopening plan:Students will be reminded to practice proper hygiene throughout the school year.Social distancing will occur where possible.Hand sanitizer stations have been made available throughout all district schools.Classes will eat breakfast and lunch within their respective classrooms.All teachers and students are equipped with three reusable face masks.Lower-grade level teachers will be equipped with face shields.Face masks are not required, but are strongly recommended. This morning when WYFF News 4 visited Carnesville Elementary School in Franklin County, it appeared as though upwards of 80% of the elementary school students in the hallways were wearing a face mask. According to Carnesville Elementary School Principal Karen Correia, classrooms are utilizing desk dividers to reduce the spread of COVID-19, students are not permitted to share school supplies and each classroom will act as a “pod” and remain separated from other classrooms for enhanced social distancing and contact tracing if necessary. “It’s just part of how we will teach,” said Correia. “This is how we do things at Carnesville Elementary School and that will be part of our procedures and routines.”Carnesville Elementary originally shut down in March following President Trump’s National Emergency Declaration in regard to the COVID-19 outbreak. Like many schools across the Upstate and in Georgia, Carnesville has been working for the past five months to provide a safe and efficient learning space for students to return to.

CARNESVILLE, Ga. —

After months of preparation due to COVID-19, the Franklin County Schools District welcomed back its students to begin the 2020-2021 school year.

The district, consisting of 3,700 students total (3,200 of which opted for in-person learning this school year), is made up of three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school.

“We’ve got enhanced cleaning, we’ve purchased three masks for every child and we have enhanced sanitation,” said Franklin County Schools Superintendent Christopher Forrer. “We’ve done a number of things to make sure they’re safe, but most of all we want to get the children back in the classroom.”

According to the Franklin County Schools COVID-19 reopening plan:

Students will be reminded to practice proper hygiene throughout the school year.
Social distancing will occur where possible.
Hand sanitizer stations have been made available throughout all district schools.
Classes will eat breakfast and lunch within their respective classrooms.
All teachers and students are equipped with three reusable face masks.
Lower-grade level teachers will be equipped with face shields.

Face masks are not required, but are strongly recommended.

This morning when WYFF News 4 visited Carnesville Elementary School in Franklin County, it appeared as though upwards of 80% of the elementary school students in the hallways were wearing a face mask.

According to Carnesville Elementary School Principal Karen Correia, classrooms are utilizing desk dividers to reduce the spread of COVID-19, students are not permitted to share school supplies and each classroom will act as a “pod” and remain separated from other classrooms for enhanced social distancing and contact tracing if necessary.

“It’s just part of how we will teach,” said Correia. “This is how we do things at Carnesville Elementary School and that will be part of our procedures and routines.”

Carnesville Elementary originally shut down in March following President Trump’s National Emergency Declaration in regard to the COVID-19 outbreak. Like many schools across the Upstate and in Georgia, Carnesville has been working for the past five months to provide a safe and efficient learning space for students to return to.