More By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism. Newton County Schools eyes tentative return to in-person instruction starting Feb. 8 COVINGTON, Ga. — After consulting with the local health department, Newton County Schools recently announced its intention to restart in-person learning beginning Feb. 8. Students have been limited to virtual instruction since Jan. 5 as the number of COVID-19 cases dramatically increased across Newton County over the district's winter break period. “We know the remote learning environment has been a hardship for many families and we empathize and understand the frustration many of you feel at this time,” district officials stated in a Jan. 27 news release. “We want the students back in the building just as much as you do, as we know that in-person learning is, for most students, the most beneficial. Unfortunately, our community’s data just do not allow for the return to in-person instruction at this time. However, current data models predict an expected decrease in the rate of transmission within the next few weeks.”