School districts across metro Atlanta have seen few indications that COVID-19 is affecting student attendance, but they are preparing for how to handle the business of educating children amid what is now being classified as a pandemic.
The decision by Fulton County Schools to close buildings on Tuesday and Wednesday following a teacher testing positive for the coronavirus was the first major move by a metro Atlanta school district to curtail the virus. Officials there said they are following guidance from health experts as major sporting events and festivals are temporarily called off and many businesses begin tinkering with work-from-home models.
In the meantime, many area districts are suspending attendance incentives and penalties, including those that could exempt students from final examinations and leave them eligible for perfect attendance awards.
“Realistically, it is possible that we will see additional cases within Fulton County,” Fulton County Schools Superintendent Mike Looney said. “We also recognize the district cannot sustain long-term school closures. While remote learning is an alternative, it can never replace the quality of instruction that a teacher provides in a Fulton County classroom.”
» COMPLETE COVERAGE: Coronavirus in Georgia
Monday and Tuesday, Clayton County Public Schools saw district-wide attendance slip two percentage points, down to about 91 percent from the average 93 percent. That’s about 1,000 students in a district of 55,000.
Meadowcreek High School, in Gwinnett County Public Schools district, saw more than 10 percent of its students absent, which triggers an investigation by local health authorities.
“Our school district’s response continues to focus on minimizing the risk to students, employees, and families while keeping disruptions to instruction to a minimum,” Gwinnett County Schools spokeswoman Sloan Roach said, adding that the district suspended student and staff attendance incentives for the remainder of the school year.
In metro Atlanta, only Clayton County said it would not budge on its attendance incentives, emphasizing the desire for students to achieve perfect attendance goals.
“We continue to encourage school attendance, with a special emphasis on 100% attendance for all students,” a district spokesman said.
The DeKalb County School District did not respond to questions about whether it would suspend attendance incentives for either students or staff. Forsyth County Schools does not offer district-wide attendance incentives.
In the meantime, districts are continuing to work on distance learning strategies that might need to be implemented.
The Westminster Schools, an elite private school in Buckhead, canceled classes Thursday and expected to take students through digital classroom lessons Friday — a step toward working out kinks should a long-term remote learning plan need to be put in place.
Thursday, teachers there were spending the day uploading lessons and scrolling through them to get ready for the experience.
In DeKalb County, officials said teachers are prepared to take learning online should it be necessary.
Students have been equipped with devices and wireless hotspots to ensure they can get online for lessons. Interim Superintendent Ramona Tyson has implemented a coronavirus taskforce consisting of several leaders from across the district to monitor guidance from health organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and to weigh in on plans that could be put in place if the situation becomes more dire.
Cherokee County Schools announced it has cancelled all field trips and staff travel for the rest of the school year. The DeKalb County School District made the announcement Monday. Fulton County Schools officials have cancelled all trips to areas with COVID-19 travel advisories in place. Gwinnett County Schools is allowing students and staffers to opt out of district-related travel already scheduled, with no current plans to cancel anything.
All districts also continue to emphasize with students and staff the importance of washing hands and to stay home if they feel sick.
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