Decisions to delay, transition to eLearning, or dismiss early are district-wide. GCS is one school system covering 800 square miles and has many operational systems that work together for the good of the whole. It is difficult, if not impossible, to occasionally “untwine” these systems for a day or two considering the number of variables – more than 77,000 students, 11,000 employees, and 100-plus sites.
GCS might transition to eLearning, even if all areas of the county are not equally impacted by weather, because:
- Parents with children attending different schools could have one child required to attend one day while another child is required to participate in eLearning.
- About 16% of students in GCS attend school through choice – change in assignment or magnet academies – and travel across the county to attend school. If their choice school is open, students may have to travel across unsafe areas.
- Teachers and other school staff do not necessarily live near where they work and may have to travel in treacherous conditions to reach their work site if some schools are open and others operate on eLearning.
- Bus transportation for students receiving special education services or attending child development centers is district-wide. Many of these students do not live near the school they attend.
- Centers that provide services to multiple schools, such as the Fine Arts Center, Alternative Programs and Career Centers would be forced to teach in-person and via eLearning on the same day.