900 Putnam Students Return In Person

Over 900 Putnam County Students have returned to in-person learning.

The deadline for parents to make a decision on how their child learned passed Tuesday. Curriculum Supervisor Sharron Anderson said the school system will now start managing class room numbers and moving teachers to accommodate the influx of students.

“This will definitely provide more stability for our teachers and our administrative team,” Anderson said. “Most importantly, it will provide stability for our students.”

Once fall break passes, Anderson said the school system does not expect anymore drastic changes in numbers. 1,381 students will learn virtually for the remainder of the year.

“One of the reasons that we wanted this information initially by the 18th and by the 22nd,” Anderson said. “Was to give our schools and administrative team in those schools time to look at class load numbers.”

Anderson said some of the elementary schools are moving their remote learners to a dedicated teacher. Shifts in high schools will also occur.

“One of the huge things we have learned is that it is extremely difficult for teachers and students and parents if teachers are trying to work face to face with traditional students and simultaneously trying to keep remote learners engaged,” Anderson said.

Anderson said the largest amount of applications came in the last three or four days before the deadline. The Putnam County School Board extended the deadline Friday while also giving the county health department the ability to contact trace and quarantine students.

Anderson said the changes did not affect the number of virtual learners.