CAIRO — Two Grady County schools have received grants that will ease the process of learning remotely in the future as part of a system-wide plan to prepare for a possible second wave of the coronavirus later this year.

The Georgia Department of Education announced last week that Washington Middle School was awarded a $146,200 digital learning grant to purchase laptops for students. Eastside Elementary School was awarded $125,000 for the same purpose.

Both schools will be using the grant money to purchase computers for students to take home in the case of future emergencies, such as a resurgence of the coronavirus in the fall that would have the potential to upend the 2020-21 academic year.

Washington will be purchasing 292 laptops while Eastside will be purchasing 250.

Additional computers for the five remaining county schools will be purchased using funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

When not at home for emergency learning purposes, the laptops will remain at each school for regular use.

Superintendent Kermit Gilliard said the school system’s goal is to have enough computers ready to go by the beginning of the next school year so that every student can continue learning remotely if classes are disrupted once again.

“Our plan for the fall is to be set up so that if something happens — a hurricane, a tornado, COVID-19 — we can provide lessons,” Gilliard said.

Teachers also are being equipped with new equipment that will allow them to record lessons that can then be placed on a flash drive to be distributed to students. That will allow students to instantly access lessons any time, even if they don’t have immediate internet access.

Gilliard said teachers will meet at a later date to form a more definite plan in case the coronavirus makes a second wave later in the year.