COVID-19 Q&A

Q: Will the district assist in providing internet access?
Site | Location |
Bethel Church | Alexander |
Brown Grove Baptist Church | Blythe |
Hopeful Baptist Church | Blythe |
Girard City Hall | Girard |
Givens Grove Baptist Church | Girard |
Jubilee Christian Worship Center | Girard |
First Baptist Church of Gough | Gough |
Boggs Academy | Keysville |
Charles Walker Building | Keysville |
Noah's Ark Church | Keysville |
Bark Camp Baptist Church | Midville |
Midville Community Center | Midville |
Bottsford Spring Church | Waynesboro |
McBean Baptist Church | Waynesboro |
Thompson Bridge Baptist Church | Waynesboro |
Vineyard Church of Burke County | Waynesboro |
Please click here to view the Wifi Shuttle schedule and location stops. Locations and times are subject to change based on needs. Four more buses will be added to the rotation on Monday, January 11.
To find free Public WiFi locations near you, please click here. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs will add locations as they discover more Free Public WiFi options. Please check the website periodically for updates.

Q: Will my child be required to wear a face covering?
Q: Can my student bring water to school?
Q: What are the bus safety protocols?
- Adjust routes to reduce the numbers of students on each bus
- Allow students to sit together with their siblings
- Sanitize buses before, between and after routes are run
- Load the bus back to front and dismiss front to back for morning routes. Afternoon routes will load the bus in order of stops, back to front, when possible.
- Require bus drivers to wear face coverings and highly recommend students to do the same
- Encourage parents to provide transportation to further reduce the number of students on the bus
- COVID-19 Best Practices
Q: What are the responsibilities of parents/guardians?
- Familiarize yourself with your child’s teachers, courses, and expectations
- Develop a quiet space and a schedule that is conducive to distance/remote learning
- Monitor the completion of assignments on a daily basis, and encourage your child to ask for assistance when needed
- Ensure the child is completing his/her own work so teachers know how to provide additional support
- Parents of elementary-aged children are more hands-on and involved in guiding students and assisting with projects or schoolwork
- Parents of middle and high school-aged students should expect the students to be more independent learners
- Communicate regularly with the teacher to ensure success in this new learning environment. Each teacher will provide his/her virtual office hours and medium of communication. Phone calls and virtual conferences may be arranged upon request.
- The school will provide students with necessary books and materials, although it is preferable and highly recommended that students have access to an electronic device and internet. (The school will provide electronic devices if needed, and is working to expand access to the internet for households not connected.)
Q: How will students learn from home?
Q: How will attendance be tracked for online learning?
- Track student duration in online course and time spent in the online classroom/platform
- Track student log-in into online platform
- Track student attendance during live virtual instruction
- Track student submission of assignments and student/teacher interactions
Q: What are the expectations for Virtual Dress Code/Etiquette?
Tip: Even though classes are online, step out of those pajamas or other loungewear and into your normal, everyday wear for classes. Just as you would on any other school day, the act of getting ready for the day will help you feel more alert and present.
Q: What will PE, Art, Music, and Band look like?
- Close locker rooms to prevent congregating
- Do not require dressing out for PE
- Limit the activities to those that require minimal contact
- Limit the amount of shared equipment
- When two teachers are present, split into two groups to allow for better social distancing
- Cleaning and disinfecting between classes
- Limit the amount of shared equipment
- Cleaning and disinfecting between classes
- Space students or request the use of masks, particularly in music, chorus, or band
- Limit the number of students in the classroom at one time to allow for appropriate social distancing
Q: How will car riders' temperatures be checked?
Q: Will students who utilize Full Distance/Remote Learning still be able to participate in student clubs and sports?
Q: What are the rules for how long children may be left unattended?
- Children eight years or younger should not be left alone
- Children between the ages of nine years and twelve years, based on level of
maturity, may be left alone for brief (less than two hours) periods of time - Children thirteen years and older, who are at an adequate level of maturity, may
be left alone for up to twelve hours - It may not be advisable to leave an older child who has a special condition or
disability alone
Q: Will visitors be allowed into the building?
Q: What happens when a child, staff member, or visitor becomes sick at school?
- Work with school administrators, school nurses, and other healthcare providers to identify an isolation room or area to separate anyone who exhibits COVID-like symptoms
- Assist in arranging to have the individual transported home or to a healthcare facility
- Close off areas used by a sick person; clean and disinfect according to guidelines
- Notify the district office contact immediately of a possible case
- Based on contract tracing, notify staff and affected families immediately of a possible case while maintaining confidentiality consistent with all applicable federal and state laws
- Direct affected staff and students not to return until they have been cleared by their physician to return to school or have met the Department of Public Health (DPH) criteria
Q: What precautionary measures will be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
- Provide students and staff with targeted, age-appropriate education in proper hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette (i.e. coughs, sneezes). Posters/signage will be placed around the school
- Utilize staff self-assessment tools to ensure awareness of possible symptoms of COVID-19. Staff who suspect they may have symptoms should stay home and seek testing.
- Parents/caregivers should perform daily screening of their child(ren) and keep sick kids home
- Temperature checks should be performed upon entry into the building
- Require the use of face coverings by students and staff in designated areas (i.e. hallways, common areas, buses, etc.).
- Clean/disinfect frequently touched surfaces (i.e. doorknobs, water fountain knobs, light switches, toilet and faucet handles, electronic devices, students’ chairs and desks/tabletops) at least daily and limit sharing of instructional supplies, materials, and devices
- Provide access to and encourage parents to send supplies (i.e. hand sanitizer, tissues)
- Promote social distancing to the extent feasible
- Eliminate field trips and large group congregations (i.e. school wide assemblies)
- Send symptomatic students to the nurse for temperature checks; separate and send them home if temperatures reach or exceed 100 degrees. Advise parents that students need to be fever free for at least 72 hours without using fever reducing medication or as instructed per CDC/ DPH guidelines for COVID-19.
- Restrict meal consumption to the classroom or similar spaces. Utilize a rotation schedule for the cafeteria to the extent possible for students to social distance
- Utilize cohorts, reduce transitions, and monitor traffic flow patterns when feasible to limit the mixing of students to reduce the potential number of exposures
Q: How do I request a change of schedule format for my student?
Q: How will students with Individualized Education Plans/Special Needs be accommodated through Distance/Remote Learning?
Q: How will 504 plans be accommodated through Distance/Remote Learning?
Q: Will all students receive devices?
Q: How will my student be able to receive their medication while on campus?
Also, during this COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC recommends the following for those with acute asthma symptoms: asthma treatments using inhalers with spacers are preferred over nebulizer treatments (treatments that use a "breathing machine") whenever possible. Nebulizer treatments at school should be reserved for children who cannot use or do not have access to an inhaler. Please call your child's doctor and ask about a rescue inhaler for school.
Q: If my student is 100% virtual, how will they receive meals?
Waynesboro Primary School pickup is at the entrance on Olympic Drive.
Blakeney Elementary School pickup is at the entrance on Olympic Drive.
SGA Elementary School pickup is on the right side of the school where the buses load.
Burke County Middle School pickup is on the left side of the school at the gymnasium entrance.
Burke County High School pickup is at the bus dock on the backside of the school.
Upon arrival at the school, you will be asked to provide your child(ren)'s name and current school enrollment. This is in an effort to reduce duplicate distribution of boxes.
Burke County will provide meal boxes to any children ages 0-18 who are NOT participating in the hybrid (A/B) schedule. The boxes are for 100% VIRTUAL STUDENTS that are not coming to school. If students are coming to school for the hybrid schedule, they should have already received their take-home meals the previous day at school and are not eligible to pick up a box.
Any children 0-18 who are not in school may also pick up a box. This means children from birth to age 18 are qualified. HOWEVER, if your child goes to any of the daycares listed below, they cannot pick up a box. This is because they already get meals at their daycare.
This is the list of daycares that participate in the Child and Adult Food Care Program and any children attending these daycares would not be eligible to pick up a virtual meal box.
- A Child's World Daycare and Learning
- Burke County Head Start
- Davis Lil' Angels
- Kozy Kids Child Care
- Lena's Lullaby Childcare, Inc.
- Marie's Creative Kids Kindergarten, Inc.
The boxes will contain 5 days’ worth of meals. They will include 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 5 suppers. There will be refrigerated items in the boxes so it is important to unpack them as soon as possible.
In consideration of the time and temperature control required by the weekly food boxes, we will no longer be able to deliver the boxes. Instead, the boxes must be picked up at one of the five Burke County Schools. We understand that this may be an inconvenience due to lack of transportation. Therefore, we will allow a family member or friend to pick up your student’s box on your behalf each Friday. September 18th box will be the last box delivered to homes.
Please contact your School Nutrition Manager or the School Nutrition Office if you have questions. (706) 554-5393.
Q: What meals will be provided for students who come to school for face-to-face instruction?
Burke County Public Schools (“BCPS”) has put in place preventative measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19; however, none of these measures create ministerial duties for its employees. BCPS employees are expected to exercise sound discretion in following CDC and GaDPH guidance.
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