Statement from the Oconee superintendent of education

In response to recommendations and guidelines issued by the Accelerate Ed Task Force, the following statement of Dr. Michael Thorsland, superintendent of Oconee public schools, was released this afternoon:  “We are processing the recommendations provided to districts in the AccelerateED report. We are in the midst
of forming a committee of parents, teachers and administrators to actively participate in continued planning for
the 2020-2021 school year. We will certainly comply with the recommendation of providing families, staff, and
our community with a schedule and operation plan at least 20 days before the opening of school. At this time,
we anticipate opening school, whether in person or virtual, on August 10, 2020. As we’ve seen in the past
months, any plans or recommendations may have to change with the status of the virus in our community. Our
staff is working diligently to address all aspects of school re-opening including safety protocols, cleaning
protocols, social distancing in the classroom, as well as all that goes into planning for rigorous instruction across
all grade levels. We strongly encourage all SDOC families to visit our website and complete both the Distance
Learning and School Re-opening surveys. This data will aid us in addressing the needs of our students, families
and community. This continues to be a trying and uncertain time for our community, state and nation. We would
ask our staff, parents, students and community to approach the opening of schools with flexibility, grace and
patience.”