Starting next week, Atlanta Public Schools will ask parents to use an online tool to submit daily health information about their child and COVID-19 symptoms before entering school buildings.
Monday marks the start of the final nine-week quarter of the school year, when more students are expected to return to in-person learning.
The district said it’s done daily screenings, including temperature checks, since late January, when APS first started giving students the option to return to campuses.
Now, APS is moving the screening process online.
District officials signed a one-year, $181,000 contract with Stratum Health Solutions to provide the service, according to APS purchasing records. Those records state the goal is to “ease the burden of the school in screening students and ensuring that the school environment remains safe for all.”
The district wants parents to complete an online form each morning via HealthCheck, available as a smart phone app or through a website.
Superintendent Lisa Herring told parents about the new screening method in a letter earlier this month.
“Daily health screenings and temperature assessments have been the norm since in-person instruction resumed this semester. The HealthCheck screener simplifies the process and allows parents to respond to the four required daily health screening questions quickly and easily before their student reports to school,” she wrote.
The app asks a series of questions, including whether a child is experiencing symptoms, according to district documents.
Once complete, the app will provide a green or a red response. A green status means a child can report to school. A red status means students should not come to school and alerts the school leader.
Since late August, APS reported 567 cases of COVID-19 among staff and students, including 18 staff cases and 17 student cases for the week ending March 12.
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