Health and Safety

The Office of Safety and Security works in collaboration with staff, parents/guardians, communities, and community partners to ensure that safety and security measures meet the unique needs of the Atlanta Public Schools’ learning environment. The Office of Safety and Security includes a police department managed by a chief of police, an emergency management unit led by an emergency management coordinator, and a security operations department managed by a security operations director. The police department is composed of school resource officers (SRO) who philosophically align with the district’s social-emotional learning approach, and the national TRIAD model in which law enforcement officers are viewed as an extension of school support. The SROs are assigned to middle and high schools to support students, staff, and parents/guardians. For additional information contact the Office of Safety and Security, 130 Trinity Avenue Police Precinct, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, Phone 404-802-2000.

The school counselor provides a safe, nurturing environment to foster a trusting relationship with students. Parental/guardian permission is not required for students to see the counselor or to participate in classroom instructional activities. In this confidential relationship, students can explore their feelings and experiences in hopes of finding a meaningful, positive solution to their personal issues. In many cases, the school counselor works on problem solving, decision-making, and goal setting with the student.

In addition to the above tasks, middle and high school counselors also help with student advisement and planning for career pathways. Parents/guardians, students, teachers, or any staff member can initiate a referral to meet with the school counselor. School counselors do not take the place of private therapists and cannot provide long-term therapy for students. For additional information, contact your school counselor or the Coordinators of School Counseling, Jennifer Wilson K-8 (404-802-2671) or Vonterrisa McKinney 9-12 (404-802-2642), or the Department of School Counseling at 404-902-1922, 601 Dr. Thomas Cole Jr Way, SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30314.

The Health Services Department provides coordinated district health initiatives and school-based nursing services to ensure delivery of quality, individualized support for students. Services provided by school nurses require a referral and parental/guardian consent for individualized screenings (e.g. vision, hearing, dental). Referrals of individuals with health problems or suspected health problems are accepted from parents/guardians, school personnel, students, and health care providers in the community and may be submitted to the school-based health services professional or central health office personnel. For additional information, contact Student Health and Wellness, Health Services Director, Dr. Valencia Hildreth, 601 Dr. Thomas Cole Jr Way, SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30314, Phone 404-802-2674, Fax 404-802-1608.

Atlanta Public Schools is committed to the health and safety of its students. Medication and/or medical procedures required by students should be administered by a parent/legal guardian at home. Under exceptional circumstances, prescribed medication and/or medical, health-related procedures may be administered by the school principal, their designee, the school nurse, or self-administered by the student per written physician’s orders and written parent/guardian authorization. The parent/guardian must complete and sign the Administration of Medication/Medical Procedure form to acknowledge that the school assumes no responsibility for medications or procedures that are self-administered. Medication classified as controlled must be administered at home and is excluded from the self-administered medication process. Medications that are classified as controlled may only be administered at school with a current physician order indicating medical need and must be administered at school by a school nurse or approved designee.

School nurses or other employees may administer epinephrine to students upon the occurrence of an actual or perceived anaphylactic adverse (allergic) reaction by the student, whether or not such student has a prescription for epinephrine. School nurses or other employees may administer levalbuterol sulfate to students upon the occurrence of an actual or perceived respiratory distress, whether or not such student has a prescription for levalbuterol sulfate. Naloxone may be administered as an emergency intervention for a suspected opioid overdose. Any school employee who in good faith administers or chooses not to administer these medications to a student in such circumstances shall be immune from civil liability, pursuant to Georgia statute. See Board Policy JGC: Medication Administration.

School social workers serve as the link between the home, school, and the community. They work to ensure that students remain in school and graduate, reach their fullest academic potential and grow socially and emotionally. As part of the educational team, social workers support students’ thriving in schools by removing barriers that interfere with their academic performance. They are professionally trained to provide services to students who face serious challenges to school success; including, but not limited to, mental health and behavior difficulties, school adjustment issues, poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, bullying, divorce of parents/guardians, and loss of a loved one. School social workers are available to provide support when needed. For additional information, contact your school social worker or Social Work Services, 404-802-1927, Fax: 404-802-1205.

Atlanta Public Schools prioritizes the mental well-being of our students and offer a range of programs and services to support their emotional health:

• Talk it Out: A free confidential texting service available 24/7. Students may call 1-844-935-0933. Talk It Out offers support for stress, anxiety or just when you need someone to talk to. Licensed therapists are available anytime, and the service is safe and non-judgmental.
• Signs of Suicide: A proactive program designed to identify early warning signs and risk factors while connecting students to qualified school staff who can provide support to prevent suicide.
• Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainings: Training sessions for staff, students and families to equip them with the tools to offer mental health support.

Each school is partnered with mental health professionals who provide in-house school, community-based therapeutic support. For students identified as needing mental health services a variety of community mental health wraparound providers are available to offer tailored support.

If you’d like your child to receive mental health support at school through wraparound provider please contact your school social worker or reach out to Social Work Services at: 404-802-1927 or 404-802-1928.

The primary goal of the Nutrition Department is to provide all students with healthy school meals that meet their daily nutritional needs and support optimal academic performance at school for student success.

The purpose of Child Find is to identify, locate, and evaluate children and youth, birth to age 21, who are suspected of, or have a disability or developmental delay, in order to provide free and appropriate Special Education services. Child Find at APS offers comprehensive special education services to eligible students ages three through 21. Parents/ guardians of students, who suspect their child may have a disability, should contact the teacher, principal, or the MTSS Point of Contact. All referrals are considered confidential, and services are provided at no cost. The parent/legal guardian retains the right to refuse services and is provided other procedural safeguards under federal and state law.

Public school services include screening in areas of suspected disabilities, such as vision, hearing, autism, motor skills, speech, language, and general development. Evaluations in the schools are provided for several areas of suspected disabilities, including learning disabilities, speech and language development, orthopedic impairments, vision or hearing problems, intellectual disabilities, emotional behavior disorders, autism spectrum disorders, health impairments, traumatic brain injuries, and significant developmental delay. For more information concerning eligibility criteria and referral procedures, contact the Department of Exceptional Education at 404-802-1602.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, commonly referred to as "Section 504," is a nondiscrimination statute enacted by the United States Congress. The purpose of Section 504 is to prohibit discrimination and to assure that disabled students have educational opportunities and benefits equal to those provided to non-disabled students.

Any student or parent or guardian (“grievant”) may request an impartial hearing due to the Atlanta Public Schools’ actions or inactions regarding a child’s identification, evaluation, or educational placement under Section 504. Requests for an impartial hearing must be in writing to the APS Section 504 Coordinator; however, a grievant’s failure to request a hearing in writing does not alleviate APS’ obligation to provide an impartial hearing if the grievant orally requests an impartial hearing through the Section 504 Coordinator. The APS Section 504 Coordinator will assist the grievant in completing the written Request for Hearing.

Hearing Request must include the following

• The name of the student.
• The address of the residence of the student.
• The name of the school the student attends.
• The decision that is the subject of the hearing.
• The requested reasons for review.
• The proposed remedy sought by the grievant.
• The name and contact information of the grievant.

For additional assistance, please contact the Atlanta Public School District’s Section 504 Coordinator:

Deanna Rogers, District 504 Coordinator
Atlanta Public Schools | Department of Exceptional Education
Phone: 404-802-2702 | Fax: 404-802-1602
Email: dtrogers@atlanta.k12.ga.us

In support of student success and wellbeing, APS is dedicated to providing students with effective and safe learning environments.

Pursuant to state board rule, APS expressly prohibits the use of the following by any of its employees:

• Seclusion
• Prone restraint
• Mechanical restraint
• Chemical restraint
• Physical restraint, except in those situations in which the student is an immediate danger to themselves or others and the student is not responsive to less intensive behavioral interventions including verbal directives or other de-escalation techniques.

Physical restraint is expressly prohibited in Atlanta Public Schools:

• As a form of discipline or punishment
• When the student cannot be safely restrained, and/or
• When the use of the intervention would be contraindicated due to the student’s psychiatric, medical, or physical conditions as described in the student’s educational records.
• Implement time-out or any other classroom management technique or approach, including a student’s removal from the classroom
• Take appropriate action to diffuse a student fight or altercation
• Use their discretion to take necessary actions to protect students or others from imminent harm or bodily injury

Nothing in this policy should be construed to impose ministerial duties on individual employees when acting to protect students or others from imminent harm or bodily injury.

Nothing in this policy shall be construed to interfere with an APS employee’s authority to:

Nothing in this policy should be construed to interfere with the duties of law enforcement or emergency medical personnel. Parents/guardians shall be notified when students are removed from the school setting by emergency medical or law enforcement personnel. See Policy JGF (2).

For more information, visit www.atlantapublicschools.us and review the Seclusion or Restraint of Students Board Policy JGF (2). For more information, please contact Ms. Anne Dirden, Director of Exceptional Education at acdirden@atlanta.k12.ga.us or 404-802-2611

In an effort to minimize bullying in the school environment, which includes on school property, at a school-sponsored event, on a school bus, or on an electronic device accessed on school property or at a school event, the APS Office of Student Discipline has created a process whereby a student, parent/guardian, staff member, or bystander may report instances of bullying for further review and investigation.

The bullying incident can be reported electronically by visiting the Office of Student Discipline’s website, or a paper copy can be downloaded. If you would like to be provided with a paper copy, please contact the Office of Student Discipline at 404-802-1951.

All bullying reports are confidentially maintained in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. § 12329).