DeKalb County Schools announce plan for return to in-person learning

The DeKalb County Schools System will begin allowing giving some students the choice to return to classrooms starting in January.

Officials say the school system will begin a re-opening process on Jan. 4, 2021, with faculty staff returning to school buildings.

Students in pre-Kindergarten, first, second, sixth, and ninth grades will get to option to begin in-person learning on Jan. 19 - the first day of the semester. The remaining students will begin returning on Jan. 25 still following the hybrid model of in-person and remote learning.

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School officials say the choice to return to classrooms is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as feedback from principals, staff, and parents.

While in classrooms, students, staff, and faculty will be required to remain as socially distant as much as possible and wear masks consistently.

Any parents who feel uncomfortable sending their children to school will still have the option of continuing to have them learn virtually. Employees who qualify for accommodation under the Americans with Disability Act will have the option to telework, but in order to do so, they must complete an application and provide medical certification.

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Officials say they will continue to monitor the latest COVID-19 numbers in the county to determine when and if to adjust the school system's plans. 

As of Monday, DeKalb County has reported 29,034 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since March according to data from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

For more information about the re-opening plan, click here.

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