DeKalb video shows students what to expect when classrooms reopen

Students and parents walk outside of Indian Creek Elementary School in Clarkston in this older photo from Nov. 21, 2019. (Photo/Rebecca Wright for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Students and parents walk outside of Indian Creek Elementary School in Clarkston in this older photo from Nov. 21, 2019. (Photo/Rebecca Wright for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

The Indian Creek Elementary School in Clarkston recently posted a YouTube video to show students what in-person learning will look like when they return to school.

DeKalb County Schools have been virtual-only since March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Next week, some school principals and staff return to buildings for work. The employees are preparing classrooms for students who opt for in-person learning.

The district has yet to announce when face-to-face classes will resume.

In the nearly 11-minute video, an employee shows students how to pack a mask, hand sanitizer, laptop and a reusable water bottle in their backpacks.

The employee is shown putting on a mask once arriving at school. Signs are posted on campus to remind students to keep masks on and to maintain 6 feet of space from others.

Traffic cones are spread outside school entrance for students to stand apart from each other when in line.

Students will be handed a bagged breakfast indoors, but the video does not show where students can eat their meals. Classrooms are shown with several desks spread apart.

Water fountains are closed. Students will have hand sanitizing stations.

District officials said they will reconsider reopening schools when DeKalb County’s two-week COVID-19 positivity rate drops below 10%.

The Georgia health department reported on Jan. 26 that DeKalb’s two-week positivity rate is 11.8%.

DeKalb County Schools has not released data about its coronavirus cases among students and staff. All other metro Atlanta school districts are publicly releasing some data.