In order to try to limit any spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Newton County School System said in a Facebook post Friday morning that all county schools will be closed starting Monday, March 16. The post also said that all extracurricular activities are cancelled until further notice.

From the post: During an afternoon news conference, Governor Kemp recommended schools close to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. While there are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Newton County, in the greater interest of public health, all schools will be closed beginning Monday, March 16. All after-school and extracurricular activities are also cancelled until further notice. This includes both the Alcovy High School and Eastside High School proms. More information about the rescheduling of both proms will be provided to parents at a later date.

The district will continue to closely monitor and assess the situation to determine when schools should reopen. As additional information and guidance is provided, updates will be shared through School Messenger calls, on our district website, and our social media accounts.

During this time, schools and buses will continue to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected using COVID-19 approved cleaners.

Teachers and principals will be sending out information regarding continued learning opportunities for your students in the near future and we will continue to post information about COVID-19 on our school system website.

We appreciate the continued support of our community during this unprecedented time and we encourage you to please take the necessary precautions to keep yourself, your families, and the broader community safe. Thank you.