Aiken County Public Schools is requesting stakeholder and community input on its 2021-22 Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan as part of the school district’s fulfillment of requirements related to the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act.
A draft copy of the school district’s Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan is currently available to the public and all stakeholders on the home page of its website.
“Public input and stakeholder feedback on large-scale school district projects plays an important role in ensuring that all voices in our community are respected and heard,” stated ACPSD Director of Communications Mike Rosier.
District stakeholders and the Aiken County community will have the opportunity to provide feedback and input on the District’s plan. These avenues will include, but not be limited to, a public hearing during the Tuesday, June 8, 2021, regular meeting of the Aiken County Board of Education, and plan input emailed directly to communications@acpsd.net.
On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act was signed into law. As part of ARP, the U.S. Department of Education is providing an additional $121.9 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER III Fund). This legislation is awarding grants to state educational agencies, including the S.C. Department of Education, to provide local educational agencies, including Aiken County Public Schools, with emergency relief funds to address the impact of COVID-19 on elementary and secondary schools across the nation.
The school district’s plan includes information on the following topics:
Description of Maintaining Health and Safety, Universal and Correct Wearing of Masks, Modifying Facilities to Allow for Physical Distancing, Handwashing and Respiratory Etiquette, Cleaning and Maintaining Healthy Facilities, Including Improving Ventilation, Contact Tracing in Combination with Isolation and Quarantine, Diagnostic and Screening Testing, Efforts to Provide Vaccinations to Educators and Other Staff and Students, Coordination with State and Local Health Officials, Appropriate Accommodations for Children with Disabilities with Respect to Health and Safety Policies and Practices, District Response on Continuity of Services, District Response on Ensuring Periodic Updates to its Plan, and District Response on Public Input in Development of its Plan.
The school district’s Communications Department will gather public input and stakeholder feedback through Monday, June 15, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. after which the input and feedback will be collected and posted online and provided for review by the Aiken County Board of Education during a Special Called Meeting to be held Tuesday, June 15, 2021, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The school board will review the school district’s Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan at that time with a recommendation by District administration for approval.
Once the plan has been approved by the school board, either during the June 15, 2021, Special Called Meeting or at a later date, the Communications Department will make it publicly available on the school district’s website by June 24, 2021.
A copy of the plan will also be provided to the SC Department of Education.
LINK TO DISTRICT PRESS RELEASE: 2021 PR DISTRICT FEEDBACK REQUEST ESSER III PART A