ATLANTA — Atlanta Public Schools is the newest in a growing list of school systems that will start back by going virtual next week amid a coronavirus surge throughout the state.

Students will begin virtual classes Tuesday, Jan. 4 through Friday, Jan. 7. The current plan is to resume in-person
instruction on Monday, Jan. 10.

All staff are required to report to their work location Monday, Jan. 3 for mandatory COVID-19 surveillance testing, unless they are ill. The data collected from staff testing will be used for future planning.

The school district has released the following additional information about the new virtual plans:

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Why are we going virtual?
Given the substantial increase in the community transmission rate of COVID-19 for Fulton and DeKalb Counties, and the need to further assess the positivity rate of employees; Atlanta Public Schools will begin second semester virtually. This will allow students and staff to test, complete needed isolation and quarantine periods in alignment
with updated Department of Public Health and CDC guidance and participate in vaccination opportunities. We will continue to monitor data and consult with public health officials as we prepare to resume in-person learning after this time.

Students who need to pick up their virtual learning devices may do so at their school on Monday, Jan. 3 and Tuesday, Jan. 4. Details will be provided by schools.

All athletics and extracurricular activities will be suspended during this virtual week.

Students and families may pick up 5-day meal kits on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the following locations:

Carver High School | 55 McDonough Boulevard, SE
Douglass High School | 225 Hamilton E. Holmes Drive, NW
Garden Hills Elementary School | 285 Sheridan Drive, NE

Hope Hill Elementary School | 112 Boulevard, NE
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School | 545 Hill Street, SE
Sutton Middle School (Main Campus) | 2875 Northside Drive, NW

Sylvan Hills Middle School | 1461 Sylvan Road, SW
Young Middle School | 3116 Benjamin E. Mays Drive, SW

HOW TO GET VACCINATED: COVID-19 has killed more than 30,000 Georgia residents. Don’t let yourself or your loved ones die from a preventable virus. COVID vaccines are free and widely available statewide without insurance or identification. To find a vaccination location or to schedule an appointment, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine.