Temporary Virtual Week August 16-20

On Friday, SDPC made the decision to go Virtual Temporary for the week of 8/16-8/20. This decision was made after seeing an increase in the number of positive COVID cases among students and faculty. During this school year in the first eight days of school we had 8 positive student cases and last year we went from August to mid-November before totaling 8 positive student cases. The delta variant is presenting a different set of challenges that will require all of us to contribute to our safety efforts. In order to keep our students and faculty safe, we will be conducting school virtually this week. We are planning to resume face-to-face classes starting Monday, August 23 with enhanced safety protocols. School spread of Covid has been proportional to community spread and we need all community members and family members to do their part in reducing spread. Please contact our school nurse at 397-3900 or a member of our administrator team to communicate any positive cases or needed quarantines due to close or household contacts. Thank you for helping keep Gettys healthy!

Monday and Tuesday will be used to prepare for virtual classes starting Wednesday. Teachers will post their individual class assignments on Tuesday afternoon for the virtual class days of Wednesday through Friday. Students that complete their posted work in Schoology on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be marked present the entire week. We will not have live Webex classes on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. Like our inclement weather days, students will have online work posted in their classes Schoology folder that they complete individually and at their own time this week. The Schoology folder for each class will be titled: "Temporary Virtual." Wednesday will involve “B”day classes, Thursday is “A” day classes, and Friday is “B” day classes. Office hours for all teachers for student support will be 3:05-3:30 daily so feel free to send a Schoology message for any needed support during those times.

Meals can be picked up daily this week in GMS bus loop area from 10 am to 1 pm. This will include breakfast and lunch. Buses will also be in our neighborhood with food deliveries. All meals are free for our students. If you are picking up at GMS, upon arrival at the bus loop area during the designated time of 10 am to 1 pm please call 397-3900 extension 3908 to notify our cafeteria staff that you are here for pickup.

The school will only be open to pick-up a student device from 11:00-12:00 on Monday or Tuesday. If you are picking up a device, you are asked to park in the Pendleton Street parking lot and check-in at glass doors by the auditorium area from 11:00-12:00.

All after-school activities and events are cancelled for August 16-20. We hope to resume these activities next week.

If you need to pick-up a band or strings instrument you can pick it up from 10:00-12:00 on Monday or Tuesday by the side gym doors to access classroom and park in the main office parking lot.

• Consider vaccines if available and willing as we respect your individual choice
• Consider protections like masks that are very highly encouraged and were effective last year
• If you have any sinus/colds/sickness stay HOME. We are finding many of these cases end up as positive cases.
• Social distance of 3 feet or more where possible and consider limiting large indoor gatherings
• Wash hands frequently
• Encourage outside vs inside play or events
• Practice good healthy habits of keeping your immune system up.

Email: mikecory@pickens.k12.sc.us
Website: https://gms.pickens.k12.sc.us/
Location: 510 South Pendleton Street, Easley, SC, USA
Phone: 864.397.3900
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gettysmiddleschool/
Twitter: @Gettys_Middle