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Nolin on the "Wake-Up Call" on WTLS

School rolls on during pandemic

By Michael Butler

Tallassee City Schools superintendent Brock Nolin tapped his knuckles on a wooden table top. The news has been good so far during the COVID school year.

"It's been suprisingly well. The biggest cases we've had of quarantine have been related to our extracurriculars," Nolin said. "There are some systems that are shut down. Whatever we're doing, we're managing it well. Our system gets cleaned and fogged every night. You've got to think the protocols set in place have helped.

"Most districts that have shut down have done so because of the faculty and lack of subs. You get to a point where you don't have enough bodies to keep your kids supervised and safe which is the most important thing. Then you really have no choice. If we get there we'll make those calls, but right now we're rocking along."

Cases have been limited in Tallassee's system.

"It very well could change at a moment's notice," Nolin added. "We've been working with our faculty members to put out their videos whether the faculty member is quarantined or if the student is quarantined. We're trying to improve the virtual learning aspect of it."

Roughly 80 percent of the student body are in classrooms on the three campuses. The remainder are learning virtually.

"It's slowly crept toward more students being in the classroom. We're open and glad to have them in class. That's the best place they can be, not only for learning from a teacher but the social, emotional aspect of it. Kids learn as much from each other and being around their peers as anything."