2015 Georgia Climate Survey

APS Communicable Disease Update

October 17, 2014

Dear Parents, Guardians and Students:

As you have seen on local, national and international news this week, health authorities around the world are working to control an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in several countries in West Africa. 

While there is no outbreak reported in Georgia, Atlanta Public Schools (APS) understands that many parents may have questions about the precautions being taken by the district as it relates to this virus. The APS Health Services Office is collaborating with the local counties boards of Health, Georgia Department of Public Health, the Georgia Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education to ensure that we are taking the appropriate actions regarding this issue.  They all work in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

APS has an established protocol for identifying and reporting communicable diseases in our schools.  We will continue to follow this protocol, as well as the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Ebola Guidance for Schools.

The Department of Public Health has advised all school districts in Georgia to be aware of students and their families who have traveled to Ebola-affected areas within the previous 21 days.

We encourage all of our parents, staff, teachers and families to continue good general health prevention and hygiene practices and to monitor the well-being of themselves and their children.  If you, your child or any member of your family experiences any of the known signs and symptoms of Ebola or any communicable disease, immediately contact your personal physician or closest health facility.  Parents with a concern about exposure or any questions should also contact our nursing services managers for Atlanta Public Schools.

Jamil Woolridge, RN, (jwoolridge@atlanta.k12.ga.us), (404) 802-2678
Harriet Chaney, RN, (hjchaney@atlanta.k12.ga.us), (404) 802-2674

We continue to monitor this issue daily and are prepared to adjust our procedures should public health officials provide new information. 

Sincerely,

Tammie Workman
Assistant Superintendent of Student Services
Atlanta Public Schools

 

The planning process will include targeted and prioritized action steps needed to implement each cluster plan.  The cluster plan will guide the academic direction for students within each cluster.  The cluster plans will inform the FY16 Budget and, to the extent possible, the School System Operating Models and Flexibility Options.

We are asking community members, parents and APS employees to take the survey below and share your opinion about the approaches that should be included in the cluster plan for our school communities.  The survey closes Friday, October 17. 2014.

CPP Login Page:  https://ic.apsk12.org/portal

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students who are 18 years of age or older ("eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's education records.  These rights include the right to provide written consent before the school discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without con­sent.

One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests.  A school official is a person employed by the school as an ad­ministrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel) or a person serving on the school board.  A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of the school who performs an institutional service of function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, audi­tor, medical consultant, or therapist; a parent or student volunteering to serve on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee; or a parent, student, or other volunteer assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.  A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educa­tion record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

Also, upon request, the school discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll, or is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes of the student’s enrollment or transfer. 

For more information about Student Records and disclosures, including directory information, please refer to the Student Handbook, and Board Policy JR and Administrative Regulation JR-1(R). 

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