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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

Chilton Christian Academy will start the 2020-2021 school year on Aug. 24.

Principal Charles Gottshall said the school year usually starts the second week of August.

Many school systems have announced later start dates or a change in format for the fall semester amid COVID-19 concerns. However, private schools, such as CCA, make these decisions independently.

Getting students back in the classroom was important to the school.

“We want our students back in the classroom. The parents — that’s what they want,” Gottshall said.

He stressed that in-person instruction was the best way for students to learn.

CCA students with existing medical issues or close family members with medical issues that put them in the high-risk range for COVID complications will work at-home through an online option with video lessons by teachers.

Students’ safety was the main consideration when planning the start of school.

“We formulated what we call a back-to-school plan, which we posted on our school website,” Gottshall said.

Students temperature will be taken each day before entering the building. Gottshall said the school was also encouraging parents to take temperatures at home and help students practice good hygiene and keep backpacks and other belongings that go back and forth to school clean.

“A student that has symptoms of COVID when they come to school or has a temperature of 100.5 will be quarantined and has to be picked up and go home,” Gottshall said.

Parents will not be able to go into the building.

Special purifiers will be used to clean the classrooms at night when no one is there. Alcohol based cleaners will be used, and hand sanitizer will be available for students. Average class size for the school is 15 students per class.

About three days of at-home learning have been added to the school’s calendar and fall break will be a day shorter than usual.

Although CCA is not affiliated with Chilton County Schools, many of the breaks are the same. Gottshall said this makes it convenient for CCS teachers whose children go to CCA.