The Athens City School Board met last night to discuss the status of both in person and online schooling. School’s reopened for the fall of 2020 with extra safety precautions including temperature checks and hand sanitization stations. Virtual learning is available for those who elect or need to self isolate.
Monday, September 21st at 5 pm, the State of Tennessee will live stream the number of Covid-19 cases reported within each school district.
In March, the school system began serving free breakfast and lunch meals six days a week to students and their families. Athens City School’s packaged, distributed, and delivered 271,870 meals from March – July 2020.
During mealtime pickups, at least 12,000 books were distributed to students. Each child received a “book” bag filled with 3 non-fiction and 3 fiction books to read.
Due to closure of public and school libraries, Jennifer Walker, Ingleside Media Specialist and Librarian, led the Summer Book Distribution Program. “Covid-19 school closures and social distancing requirements meant our kids had less access to books,” Walker said. “So we decided to give away books with our school meal distributions. Access = Equity.”
Walker received help and donations from Debbie Harrison at Let’s Read 20 of Athens, Reading is Fundamental, and First Book. The school board would like to thank the many teachers, Liberians, and volunteers who donated their time and books this summer!
Walker plans to continue patterning with community helpers and agencies to find ways to give books to kids during school breaks, summer feeding programs, and in-school distributions.
Kennedy McJunkin 