After several frustrating days for Atlanta families, Atlanta Public Schools announced late Tuesday afternoon that some summer programs will resume Wednesday, but a select number of programs will still be closed.
As the water main break repairs and boil water advisories continue in the city of Atlanta, businesses are not the only ones being affected — so, too, are parents and children.
Whether taking a family vacation, or having kids in camps or programs throughout the summer, families typically have a schedule for summer break.
Since Sunday night, those tightly arranged plans had to be quickly changed due to the city’s widespread water problems that began Friday.
APS canceled the past two days of summer school and other programs, leaving some parents having to make alternate plans. Some parents filled the district’s Facebook page with questions about why summer programs in some areas were canceled, even though the boil water advisory was lifted in those areas.
In Tuesday’s announcement, the district said a handful of schools with summer programs will not be open due to the existing boil water advisories.
“Thank you again for your ongoing support and understanding of the necessary measures taken to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff. We will provide updates as they become available,” the district said.
Jessica Shepherd is one of the frustrated parents: She has to juggle four kids, with different schedules.
Two of Shepherd’s kids, a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old, are enrolled at the Xanadu summer camp, an APS summer program taking place at Midtown High School. Her 14-year-old is enrolled in a math camp at Sutton Middle School. The youngest, 7, is in camp with the Atlanta Parks and Recreation Department at Washington Park.
Each camp is within city limits, but was impacted differently.
Although the Xanadu camp was canceled for the past two days, the math camp at Sutton was made virtual, and the camp at Washington Park continued with no problems.
Shepherd thought it was weird her son’s math camp was moved to virtual instruction, even though the school did not fall within the water shutdown boundaries.
“I think APS just made like a unilateral ‘none of our buildings are going to open kind of thing,’ and that’s a little frustrating,” Shepherd said.
Maria Goenaga, who also has two kids in the Xanadu summer camp, said she was displeased with what she calls a lack of communication from the school district.
Goenaga said she first learned Monday’s camp was canceled on Sunday evening at 7:45 p.m., when APS sent out an automated phone call and text message. At 10 p.m., the camp sent an email that it would be closed. APS announced on its website at about 6 p.m. Monday that its was canceling its summer programs Tuesday.
As a single mom, Goenaga had also signed her kids up for camp with the Boys & Girls Club, which runs the entire summer, she said. Since she has to work throughout the summer, having extra camp options is key.
“I’m lucky that I had that available, but I know there are many parents that don’t,” Goenaga said. “And a 7:45 p.m. phone call, it’s really inappropriate.”
Shepherd was also lucky because her husband, who works as a private tutor, could stay home with the kids while she went to work.
The changes were an inconvenience, she said, but she added she is most disappointed with the lack of planning.
“I’m just frustrated that there isn’t some sort of contingency plan for kids who are scheduled to be some place to be able to be at that place,” Shepherd said. “We plan our summers around these events.”
The two also shared that parents also have to pay for the Xanadu program. Goenaga wondered if parents would be refunded for the canceled days.
What’s still closed
There will be no student programs or activities in the following locations on Wednesday:
- Midtown High School
- Howard Middle School
- Mary Lin Elementary School
- Hope-Hill Elementary School
- Springdale Park Elementary School
- Whitefoord Inc.
- Coan Middle School
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