Update, March 26: School from home is now extended through April 24 following an executive order from the governor.

Hall County and Gainesville schools are extending school from home until April 3.

Spring break is scheduled April 6-10 for both systems.

Although the physical schools will remain closed, Hall and Gainesville officials are confident students are continuing to learn.



According to Hall’s district analytics, students logged in a total of 282,707 times over the five-day school period last week. The district has around 27,000 enrolled students. This log-in total doesn’t account for students who use a mobile app to access the system.

Tamara Etterling, Hall director of student services, said during the school board meeting on Monday, March 23, that school counselors are keeping tabs on which students are not completing their assignments.

As for Gainesville, Superintendent Jeremy Williams said teachers and other school employees are contacting students and families who have yet to respond.

Etterling said the scenarios counselors are seeing for uncooperative Hall students, include those without internet access and students who share a device with their siblings.

In other cases, Etterling said students are waiting until the weekend to do their work because their parents can only offer help during that time.

“Some teachers will notify counselors that students haven’t logged in for the week,” she said. “They (counselors) say, give it a couple of days because some kids work all day and night, then don’t do anything the next day.”

Hall and Gainesville encourage homes without internet access to check their provider’s available offerings. For example, AT&T and T-Mobile are giving unlimited data to existing customers, and Comcast is providing free Wi-Fi for two months to low-income families.

Hall student resource officers are delivering Chromebooks to students who don’t have a device at home. Those who need technical support with their Hall system-owned Chromebooks can call 770-534-6313.

For more information about affordable internet in Gainesville and Hall, visit gcssk12.net.