ÐÔÊӽ紫ý

The Walker County School System will receive approximately $19 million in funds while the Chickamauga City School District is receiving $1,080,891, according to school officials.

“Our summer cleaning protocols will be utilized to ensure the safest environment for students and employees upon their return to school/work,â€� Walker County Schools Superintendent Damon Raines said. “We will continue with COVID protocols that mirror guidance from CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and DPH (Georgia ÐÔÊӽ紫ý of Public Health) as school resumes.â€�

Five-day, in-person classes will resume Wednesday, Aug. 11, for both school systems.

Once schools reopen, the systems will continue to follow guidance from the CDC and DPH.

“The typical maintenance and operations activities are being performed in addition to a thorough deep-cleaning and sanitization before school starts,� Chickamauga City Schools Superintendent Melody Day said. “There are also facility projects occurring at each school.�

Walker and Chickamauga schools will not have a mask requirement but will supply masks for students who want them, the superintendents said. Students will not be required to be vaccinated for COVID-19 at this point, and masks are optional for Chickamauga students participating in sports and other school activities.

“Athletics are governed by the Georgia High School Association, and we will comply with their guidance, as well,� Raines said.

For Walker system students with documented medical issues, virtual or digital options will be handled on a case-by-case basis, Raines said.

“There will not be a full-time, virtual option provided by the (Chickamauga) system� for students with documented medical issues, Day said.

Walker stats

The Walker school system saw 800 cases of the virus during the 2020-21 academic year, with 516 students (including any virtual students) and 284 teachers affected, Raines said. The total number who quarantined was 5,298.

According to reported data, the Walker system noted seven active cases Aug. 21, 2020, and 15 active cases and 86 quarantine cases May 28, 2021, the Walker school chief said.

Students missed an average of 8.27 days due to quarantine last year, he said.

In the fall semester, 26% of students learned virtually. By the spring semester that number had fallen to fewer than 10%, he said.

While the number of cases of the virus is declining, the school system will monitor the situation.

“We will continue to follow the guidance from CDC and DPH and will post cases/quarantines if that information is tracked in the fall,â€� he said. “We will maintain our current COVID page (on the school systemÐÔÊӽ紫ý website) as well.â€�

Walker County Schools’ COVID information is available at .

Chickamauga stats

The Chickamauga school system saw 104 cases of the virus during the 2020-21 academic year, of which there were 75 student, 19 teacher and 10 staff cases, Day reported. The total number quarantined throughout the school year was 299.

“At the beginning of the 20-21 school year 12% of the students chose to attend school virtually,� she said. “At the end of the school year, only 2% were attending via virtual instruction.�

Chickamauga officials are also monitoring the situation; consequently, the school systemÐÔÊӽ紫ý Back to School Plan is subject to change if current information from the CDC, DPH or Georgia ÐÔÊӽ紫ý of Education changes, Day explained.

Chickamauga City Schools’ Back to School Plan is posted at