South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster announced today that school will begin statewide on September 8, the day after Labor Day.
He emphasized that it will be up to each of the state’s 82 school districts to come up with their own reopening plan. Those plans should be submitted for Superintendent Molly Spearman’s approval by this Friday. Some districts, like Aiken County, have already submitted their plans.
McMaster also emphasized that parents must be given a choice as to whether their children will receive in-person instruction, or will learn from home.
Aiken County’s hybrid learning system will include a mixture of classroom instruction and remote learning so that only 50% of the students are in the classroom at any given time. 50% will be in the classrooms Mondays and Tuesdays, while the other 50% in classrooms Wednesdays and Thursdays. Remote learning would be used on the days students are not in the classroom. Fridays would be used for office hours as well as teacher planning and professional development.
Aiken County parents can also opt for total distance learning for their children. The deadline to register for that is Monday, July 20.