7.14 Atlanta Public Schools Proposes to Start 2020-2021 School Year Full Digital, August 24

 

ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Office of Communications and Public Engagement
130 Trinity Avenue SW | Atlanta, Georgia 30303

 

Ian Smith, Executive Director
404-802-2855, office
404-603-6934, cell
ian.smith@atlanta.k12.ga.us

 

Seth Coleman, Media Relations Manager
404-802-2891, office
404-406-5570, cell
seth.coleman@atlanta.k12.ga.us  

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 14, 2020 

 

Atlanta Public Schools Proposes to Start 2020-2021 School Year Full Digital,  August 24

At Monday’s meeting, Atlanta Board of Education approved moving the start date on first reading, second and final reading scheduled for August 3

 

ATLANTA —  Atlanta Public Schools (APS) has proposed opening the 2020-2021 school year utilizing a full virtual learning model, August 24.

 

The Atlanta Board of Education (ABOE) approved moving the start date on first reading, during a special called meeting Monday evening. The second and final reading is scheduled for the regularly scheduled Board meeting on August 3.

 

The District’s plan, “Day One 2020 Return + Learn,” would move Day One for the 2020-2021 school year to Monday, August 24 with schools offering virtual learning programs for all students, and reduce the District’s instructional days to 170 for the school year.

 

APS staff will start on Monday, August 3, for two weeks of mostly virtual pre-planning with some in-person, small-group activities. These two weeks called Day One “Runway” will focus on family connections, team building, teacher planning and professional development, and safety planning.

 

As part of this plan, beginning the week of August 17, APS will conduct additional student assessments and get-to-know-you activities and set learning expectations for a strong start to an unconventional school year. The district is also focused on student wellness and preparation and will collect the most current contact information for every student.

 

This model will be maintained for at least the first nine weeks of school, or until the spread of COVID-19 has been reduced to minimal or moderate. The city of Atlanta has moved back to Stage 1 of its recovery process in light of the current COVID-19 trajectory. Fulton County has pulled back to Stage 1 of recovery as well.

 

District administrators will continue to monitor and evaluate the spread of COVID-19 in Atlanta and the metro area, to determine when and if a return to in-person instruction is safe.

 

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About Atlanta Public Schools

Atlanta Public Schools is one of the largest school districts in the state of Georgia, serving approximately 52,000 students across 87 schools. The District is organized into nine K-12 clusters with 58 traditional schools, 18 charter schools, six partner schools, two citywide single-gender academies and three alternative programs. To learn more about Atlanta Public Schools, follow us on social media – Twitter (@apsupdate), Facebook (Atlanta Public Schools), and Instagram (apsupdate) – or visit us online at www.atlantapublicschools.us.