Atlanta Public Schools is preparing to bring students back to class for in-person learning Jan. 10. They are implementing new protocols, reinforcing existing protocols, bolstering resources, and launching a campaign to increase parental consent for student surveillance testing.
New Protocols
· This week (on Thursday and Friday), APS will offer surveillance testing for students and district employees at nine cluster sites, noon to 6 p.m. This information is available here.
· This will provide APS with valuable data that may be used for contact tracing.
· APS is implementing a new test-to-stay protocol (which is also known as a modified quarantine) at all schools and APS work sites for students and staff beginning Tuesday, January 18, 2022 (with orientation and training for school and district staff beginning Monday, January 10, 2022).
o This option requires parental consent for student testing, but provides the opportunity for students to participate in modified quarantine guidelines.
o When a positive case is identified, students and staff who have been in close contact with the individual will be notified and evaluated for symptoms.
o Close contacts who have consented to testing will be able to participate in Test-to-Stay. Those individuals with a negative test result will be allowed to stay in school or work as long as they do not exhibit symptoms, and as long as they continue to test negative throughout the 10 days after their exposure.
o Individuals who test positive or develop symptoms will be sent home to isolate.
o Those who do not consent to testing must quarantine at home for the recommended 10 days.
o The test-to-stay protocol will provide additional and more immediate data for decision-making purposes, and will give families an alternative to help keep their students in school.
· When schools reopen for in-person learning on Monday, voluntary surveillance testing for students will be increased to twice per week.
· Additionally, APS will be hosting COVID-19 vaccination events for eligible APS students (ages 5 and older), APS families, and APS staff on Saturday, January 8 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Sutton 7/8, Long MS, Maynard Jackson HS, and Mays HS. Register today at http://tinyurl.com/apsvax
Reinforcement of Existing Protocols
· Continued use of fogging machines for commercial-grade cleaning/sanitizing of schools and buses.
· Continued twice daily wipe downs and overnight cleaning of high touch common areas.
· Continued urging of frequent hand washing and use of hand sanitizer.
· Continued limited use of APS facilities by outside entities or organizations.
Bolstering of Mitigation Resources
· APS will place state-of-the-art air filtration units in every classroom of all of its traditional schools (approximately 5,000). The installation of the units will begin the first week of February.
· This is in addition to the following:
o APS has already invested $68 million to upgrade heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems throughout the district.
o More than 20,000 pieces of HVAC equipment in schools and buildings have been services and monitored.
o HVAC system filters have been upgraded.
Increase Parental Consent
· APS wants to increase the number of students whose parents have consented to voluntary surveillance testing during the week. Currently, about 20 percent of parents have consented.
· Parents who have not consented to their child being tested are encouraged to do so before the return to in-person learning on Monday, and may do so Thursday or Friday at a cluster site or online here.
· Additionally, the district is planning additional virtual stakeholder engagement events for parents. Details will be announced once the events are scheduled.
· Parents and district stakeholders may ask questions or give feedback at any time via APS Let’s Talk, which can be accessed by clicking on the “Contact Us” tab on the APS homepage at atlantapublicschools.us.
Factors Considered for Pivoting to Virtual Learning
APS will base all decisions to pivot to virtual learning (for individual schools) on the following factors:
· The overall school positivity rate of COVID-19 detection is equal to or greater than 5% of the student/staff population.
· The county in which the school is located is experiencing high community spread as defined by the Georgia Department of Public Health.
· If both conditions exist,
o APS will assess the information gathered as part of our standard case investigation protocol, and
o APS will assess the impact on our instructional staffing and operations, and
o APS will consult with the local department of public health for additional guidance before a final decision is made.
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