Thomaston-Upson Schools

New Information  - Mask Mandate for start of the 2020-21 school year: 
At the Tuesday, August 11, Board of Education meeting, the Board voted to mandate masks for students and staff when social distancing is not possible. This change is effective immediately and was made due to the increased spread of COVID-19 within Upson County.

Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico has announced a revised plan for opening Thomaston-Upson Schools for the 2020-21 school year. This plan was finalized and presented to the Board of Education after the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) notified the school system that COVID-19 community spread, as defined by DPH, has moved from “moderate” to “substantial” for District 4. District 4 includes Upson County and 11 surrounding counties.

According to the Thomaston-Upson revised plan:

• Students will return to school on August 17.
• Teachers will return to work as scheduled on July 28.  
• All other T-U staff will return to work according to the original schedule.
• Pre-planning days will be utilized for professional development that will include training and preparation for remote, distance, and face-to-face learning.
• Parents were given the option of their students participating in traditional (face-to-face) learning or remote learning. *Please note that the deadline for signing the agreement was July 29, 2020. There will be no extensions to this deadline due to the schools needing sufficient time for the preparation of remote learning. Once signed, the remote learning agreement is binding through the first 9-weeks for grades K-8 and through the first semester for grades 9-12.
• School meals will be available to ALL students, traditional (face-to-face) and remote learning students.
• Face-to-face instruction will continue at all T-U schools unless closure is mandated or recommended by state, district, and/or community authorities.
• All enhanced safety and sanitization efforts will remain in place for face-to-face instruction.
  • Anyone entering a school building or boarding a school bus will have a temperature check. 
  • Masks for staff and students are mandated during times when social distancing is not possible, such as class transitions, drop-off and pick-up, etc. (All students and staff will receive 2 reusable, washable face masks.)
  • Hand sanitizer stations will be located in the classrooms and hallways.
  • Classrooms, restrooms, buses, and high-touch areas will be frequently cleaned and sanitized daily.
  • Visitors into the schools will be limited. Primary and elementary parents may walk students to the front door of the school but not to the classroom. School personnel will ensure that students arrive safely at their classrooms.
  • Water fountains are currently inoperable and are in the process of being replaced by touches water filling station for filling student water bottles. (All students will receive a reusable, washable water bottle on the first day of school.) 

In 1990, the community voted to consolidate the Thomaston City and Upson County School Systems creating one system that would serve all students within Thomaston and Upson County. The Thomaston-Upson School System opened its doors at the beginning of the 1992-1993 school year. With a little more than 4,100 students in grades PK-12, the Thomaston-Upson School System is small enough to maintain a friendly and safe environment while offering students an array of resources and opportunities often found in only the larger school systems. The Thomaston-Upson School System enjoys a strong connection with the community and views this as crucial to the long-term success of our schools. We encourage students to form bonds with local individuals and groups through community service and community involvement. Our employees are active in local civic organizations and volunteer their time for community events. The unity of school and community enriches our students’ and employees’ lives, improves our schools’ environments, and ultimately creates a community where young people can thrive. Together, our schools and community are working to fulfill the mission of Thomaston-Upson Schools, which is Excellence in education. . .every individual, every day.