In this unprecedented time caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) is focusing on several initiatives — including making sure Georgia students are fed and safe and ensuring they are learning while public schools are closed.
According to GaDOE officials, staff are currently working with state and local partners to provide school meals for students in need, to donate digital devices for use by students and to provide support for learning in the form of digital resources, teacher training, and instructional television programming.
“In a time of difficulty, we are working to ensure all Georgia students are safe, fed, and able to continue learning,” said Richard Woods, State School Superintendent. “That is our priority, full stop. I encourage educators and parents to take advantage of the resources GaDOE and other partners are providing, and I deeply appreciate the work they are doing day in and day out to support Georgia’s children.”
Woods said food insecurity for students who rely on school meals is a major concern during school closures. And as part of the “Keeping Students Fed” initiative, GaDOE sought and received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for meal service flexibility. To date 184 applications have been approved.
These districts are serving meals for students using bus routes or at approved sites within the community. GaDOE recommends families check their local school district website for social media accounts for more information.
“We have received many inquiries from Georgians interested in volunteering to support these efforts,” said Dr. Linette Dodson, GaDOE School Nutrition Director. “We deeply appreciate this support of Georgia’s children and encourage interested individuals to reach out to the School Nutrition Director in their local school district, who will have the most accurate information about local needs and safety protocols.”
Families can also check out Foodfinder – a safe, secure mobile and web app that allows families to locate free food assistance programs quickly. FoodFinder was created and is still run by a 2015 graduate of Gwinnett County Public Schools, and its team is currently working to add all school-closure meal sites to the app.
As part of the “Keep Students Learning” GaDOE is working with local districts to make sure teachers have the resources they need to stay connected with students through distance and virtual learning. As part of this, the Department of Education has teamed with the Georgia Foundation for Public Education and Verizon to donate digital devices to children around the state who don’t currently have access. These devices will be preloaded with educational software and books and can be used to support school districts’ existing distance learning plans.
GaDOE and Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) have partnered to launch the Georgia Home Classroom initiative, which includes instructional TV broadcasts aligned to Georgia’s state standards, along with a library of digital learning resources.
