DCSS making changes amid extended closure

(ALBANY, GA) – With schools now ordered closed to the end of the school year because fo the Coronavirus, the Dougherty County School System is making sure no student is going hungry, especially on the weekends.

DCSS District Communications manager, J.D. Sumner tells us, “As of Friday, we’ll start doing a weekend meal service where basically on Friday, our buses will be loaded with additional meals and so in addition to the two meals per day they get already, they’ll get two additional meals as well.”

In addition to the expanded feeding options for the students, they’re also helping all students get online.

Through a partnership with local internet provider, Mediacom, students who weren’t able to receive one of 1,000 hot-spots can stay online.

“One of our challenges, and barriers to instruction when you do distance learning, if everything goes online and people don’t have access to internet, then it’s hard for them to get the same access to instruction. That creates an inequitable situation,” says Sumner.

Superintendent, Kenneth Dyer put out a PSA, asking students and families to continue pandemic practices, because the help they’ve offered to the students can stop this from getting out of hand.

Dyer said, “This virus is already striking home, because we’ve had several students, teachers, and other dcss family members whose loved ones have died. It’s heartbreaking to think that could’ve been prevented.”

Since Mid-March, the Dougherty County School System has served more than 100,000 meals.