Return to In-Person Learning on Monday, January 10

THANK YOU to our staff, our parents, and particularly to our students for making our week of virtual school as successful as possible!

We have outlined a plan for returning to in-person learning on Monday, January 10. We will be tightening up our mitigation strategies until we can get through this most recent wave of the Omicron variant. See below for more details.

1. Surveillance Testing – We are HIGHLY encouraging all staff and students to test prior to returning to in person learning. As you are most likely aware, students can test at a variety of locations, including North Atlanta High School, from 12-6pm TODAY (Friday). More info on testing locations can be found HERE. Given the long lines at other public testing sites, I recommend you take advantage of this exclusive opportunity for APS families.

2. Test to Stay Protocol – We are HIGHLY encouraging all students to continue with surveillance testing when we return, or to consider consenting for the first time HERE. Next week, students will be tested on Wednesday, January 12. Beginning January 18, we will test both staff AND students two times each week. APS is adopting a “test to stay” protocol, which means that when a positive case is identified in the school or workplace, persons who have been in close contact with that individual will be notified and evaluated for symptoms. If the close contact has consented to surveillance testing, they will have the opportunity to remain in school if they continue to test negative throughout the 10 days after their exposure and remain without symptoms. Individuals who test positive or develop symptoms will be sent home to isolate. More information will be forthcoming on this new modified protocol, including how this will affect students that are fully vaccinated.

3. HealthCheck Screener – Please continue to complete the daily HealthCheck screener each morning prior to coming to school. These questions help us assess if a student has been exposed to COVID-19, has experienced any potential symptoms or illnesses, and if they have been advised to quarantine. Learn more about the HealthCheck Screener HERE.

4. Get Vaccinated – Please get vaccinated! The more students that are vaccinated, the better chance we have of staying in school or modifying quarantine as needed. APS will offer COVID-19 vaccines to students and staff at four sites on Saturday, January 8. Eligible APS students who are age 5 and older, APS families, and APS staff may participate from 10am – 2pm at Sutton Middle School’s 7th/8th grade campus on Northside Drive. Registration can be found HERE.

5. Updated Quarantine Guidelines – Morris Brandon and APS will continue to follow DPH isolation and quarantine protocols. Please note: Quarantine and isolation guidance have been updated in alignment with CDC recommendations dated 12/27/2021. A really helpful graphic outlining these new quarantine and isolation guidelines can be found HERE.

6. Student Self-Reporting – Any student who tests positive should complete the student self report form found HERE. A school nurse will follow up with next steps for isolation.

7. Updated mask guidance – Please continue to send your child in a 3 layer mask (avoiding cloth) whenever possible. Masks that are recommended are N95, KN95/KF94. If you are interested in purchasing your own, they can be found HERE. Thanks to a generous donor, we will also be procuring an N95 mask for each student within the coming days.

8. Air Purifiers – APS has purchased 5000 air purifiers as an additional mitigation factor. Air purifiers will be installed in every classroom to sanitize the air by filtering out pollutants, toxins, and viruses.

9. Indoor Gatherings – Until we get through this most recent wave of the Omicron variant, please avoid all large indoor gatherings to help us better navigate close contacts and to help keep all of our students and staff safe and in school.
10. Device Return – Please remember to have your child bring their school-issued device back when they return to school.

It’s going to take a community effort to help us reinforce our mitigation strategies, ensure students are participating in surveillance testing, and to encourage those who have not done so yet to get vaccinated. I want to remind everyone of our schoolwide Essential Agreements that have been in place since the beginning of COVID and can be found again HERE. Students who are in quarantine will not be able to participate in direct instruction until they return. Assignments will be posted in Google Classroom, with teacher check-ins taking place in the afternoon.

Additionally, for the next two weeks, students will return to eating in the classrooms with the use of desk shields and will return to recess zones with their classes. We HIGHLY encourage masks at recess as well.

If you need anything, please feel free to reach out to me or one of our nurses (Ford/PC brandy.ford@apsk12.org / Oxman/MC lori.oxman@apsk12.org) with your questions or concerns.

Thank you,
Principal Jay Bland
jbland@apsk12.org