Georgia high school that drew national attention over masks will reopen part time
ATLANTA _ Students at the Paulding County high school that drew attention nationwide after leaked photographs showed crowded hallways and few masks will return to campus part time under a new plan to control the spread of the coronavirus.
North Paulding High School, among the earliest schools to open its doors in the nation, was closed last week as a half dozen students and three staffers tested positive for COVID-19.
The disease has spread since then, with at least 35 confirmed cases now reported in the school of 2,000 students, the Paulding County School District said Wednesday.
The school district had already planned to close schools the last two days of last week to assess safety protocols and for sanitizing, but announced over the weekend that the high school would remain closed at the start of this week, first for two days, then three and now for the rest of the week.
Next week, students will return on alternating days based on where their last name falls in the alphabet, says a document signed by Superintendent Brian Otott and Principal Gabe Carmona. With half the students on campus each day, hallway congestion will be reduced and it "will help mitigate other challenges we have identified" since school started last Monday, it says.
Students will be attending classes online when not on campus.
_ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
