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Houston County students can change how they learn next semester

Before Thursday's deadline, students can switch from in person learning to virtual, or vice versa, for the spring semester

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — Some Houston County students are weighing their options this week.

Do they want to be in the classroom or learn from home? They have until Thursday to make a decision.

"The students, after us going out this past spring, to see them back at school with their friends and learning, it really melts your heart," says Houston County Assistant Superintendent, Richard Rogers.

He says right now, they have 22,074 students in the classroom and 7,676 learning online.

During this open enrollment period that started on the 12th, they've already had 1,093 students choose to come back and 115 who will start to learn from home.

"From what I can tell, they really want to be at school, so we hope they come back. We're not concerned about.... the mitigation strategies are working," says Rogers.

If your student decides to start virtual learning or head back to the classroom, that change will take effect starting January 5th and go all the way until May 26th.

That means whatever change you make now, that is where your student will be until the end of the school year.

Since August, the school system has had 180 students test positive for the virus.

RELATED: Central Georgia pediatricians discuss signs of COVID-19 in kids

More kids in the classroom means less space, but Rogers says they are going to do their best to keep everyone spread out.

He says, so far, he is pleased with the way their COVID-19 protocols and quarantine strategies have worked so far.

"If we can't get the six feet that is the gold standard, we'll get them as close to it as possible and we'll just wear masks."

Based on a survey done by the school system at the start of this semester, Rogers says he knows having both options was important to students and parents, so virtual learning isn't going anywhere.

If your student is happy with their current learning option, you don't need to do anything.

If you do want to switch by the November 19th deadline, you will need to make the changes in your Infinite Campus Parent Portal which can be found by visiting the Houston County Board of Education website.

Open enrollment is for K-12 students.

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