CAIRO — Administrators at Cairo High School say students will have to adjust to the realities of continuing their education at home amidst growing concerns over the spread of COVID-19.

All teachers at CHS will be providing some type of learning activities for students while the school remains closed. Tammy Donalson, assistant principal of curriculum and instruction, said those activities could include work packets, online assignments, or a combination of both.

Students will be able to view their assignments through the school’s website beginning Wednesday. Work packets can be collected in-person at the school.

“Some teachers won’t even require them to come to school if they have access to computers,” Donalson said. “They can do the online work in lieu of the packet so they won’t even have to come. By looking at the website, they’ll know exactly what their class is offering.”

Donalson said teachers who assign final exams will adjust their tests to ensure they are based on instructions students received in the classroom prior to schools being closed. The Georgia Department of Education has canceled end-of-course exams for the academic year, and state Superintendent Richard Woods said he will recommend suspending the 20-percent course grade requirement for those tests.

CHS is scheduled to administer SATs in May, but school officials have not yet received word as to whether those exams will still take place. The ACT has already issued a statement that its nationwide April 4 tests, which were not scheduled to take place at CHS, have been rescheduled for June. Advanced Placement exams are still set to be administered on their regular schedule, and Donalson said the school’s AP teachers have been incorporating online resources into their lessons, though she did not rule out the College Board rescheduling the tests altogether.

“It’s just a very fluid situation,” said Principal Chris Lokey. “We’re in uncharted territory, but we’re going to get through this.”

Teachers at CHS spent much of Monday disinfecting their classrooms and wiping down desks. Custodians sprayed a twin oxide, a non-toxic chemical, in rooms across campus.

A band trip to Universal Studios scheduled for last weekend had to be canceled, but the school is attempting to reschedule the trip for a later date. Prom has also been called off at this point, though Lokey said he hopes it too can be rescheduled. The school is even examining the viability of holding a graduation ceremony for seniors if the coronavirus is widespread by the end of the academic year. 

“We’re taking this on a day-to-day basis,” Lokey said. “We’re seeking guidance from our local system and also the Georgia Department of Education.”

Schools across the county were initially closed through March 27, but Governor Brian Kemp issued an executive order Monday that classes be closed through the end of the month. Students are scheduled to return to class April 1.