The Bibb County School District will close March 18-20 due to concerns about COVID-19, then decide what to do next.

School leaders said district schools would be open on Monday and Tuesday to give the district time to ensure students have necessary technology and access to meals. Wednesday through Friday the district will close, and by Friday decide what to do the next week, March 23-27. The district is out March 30-April 3 for spring break.

Bibb County Schools Superintendent Dr. Curtis Jones said the district will use those days to prepare as well as give parents the chance to make contingency plans for childcare.

“Students and staff will come to school on Monday and Tuesday. That will give us an opportunity to make sure we can feed those students once we are out of school,” Jones said. “We recognize that when we make a decision like this, there needs to be time for planning for it to work.”

Since there has not been a case of COVID-19 in Middle Georgia, the district had more freedom to be open for a few days, but Jones said that could change.

“The board did give me the flexibility that if something happens quicker than next week on Wednesday that we can close school on Monday or Tuesday,” Jones said. “We want the community to have a chance to respond. We recognize that when we are out of school that a lot of parents are going to have stay home and take care of their children.”

Jones also said that school leaders could close schools on an individual basis on Monday or Tuesday if needed. Individual campuses could them be disinfected.

The board will meet Thursday where Jones hopes to be able to make a suggestion on what to do for the next week. A decision could come as early as Thursday night and as late as Friday morning.

Jones said that the days that they miss may not have to be made up because of a 14-day period that Governor Brian Kemp announced.

Spring break will also allow the district a bit more flexibility when it comes to using those days, but Jones said that if Bibb County Schools goes over the 14 allotted days, the district can request additional waivers to avoid makeup days. Those days will begin next Wednesday with the first day of school closures.

“The problem is the best place for students to learn is in school,” Jones said. “We recognize that when they are not there, they are not able to learn as well with this e-learning that we will put in place. It is a compromise.”

Jones said he wants to make parents, students and Macon residents trust what the district is doing. The district’s number one goal is student, faculty and staff safety. Bibb County Schools canceled all proms and is exploring alternative options for graduation, if necessary.

“I hope the community trusts us enough that if we think there is a danger, we are not going to put anybody at risk,” Jones said. “ While we are planning and getting ready, I need time to make sure we have done all the final coordination with the county as well as the public to make sure we are ready for it.”

This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 6:30 PM.