Students Return Thursday, January 6

COVID Update for Parents/Guardians ENG / SPAN

December 31, 2021

Dear CCSD Community,

We hope everyone had a safe and restful winter break. 

The Clarke County School District continues to work with the Georgia Department of Public Health and local health partners to monitor COVID-19 activity within our community. As scheduled, we plan to welcome staff and students back to school next week. We will notify our community if conditions require a change to our instructional model.

This document provides updates on the following:

  • Monitoring COVID Cases
  • CCSD Mitigation Measures
  • Precautionary Quarantines & Contact Tracing
  • Vaccination Clinic Information

For your reference, our COVID-19 safety protocols and reporting data are posted on our website under the COVID Info menu. We are pleased to report that approximately 80% of our staff is vaccinated. We continue to encourage all eligible community members to get the vaccine and booster as soon as possible. 

How Parents/Guardians Can Help

  1. Please keep your student home if they exhibit signs and symptoms of illness.
  2. If your student tests positive for COVID or has symptoms of COVID, notify their school as soon as possible. 
  3. Send your student to school with a well-fitting mask.
  4. Please continue to wash hands, avoid crowds, and contact your healthcare provider if you have any questions.

Thank you for working with us to embrace change, adapt to challenges, and be resilient. As I look ahead to the remainder of the 2021-2022 school year, I am inspired by all we can do when we work together. We look forward to seeing our students on Thursday, January 6!

Sincerely,

Xernona Thomas
Superintendent

Monitoring COVID Cases in Our Community

The Clarke County School District continues to work with the Georgia Department of Public Health and local health partners to monitor COVID-19 activity within our community. We will notify our community if conditions require a change to our instructional model. The district will continue to report COVID cases on our data dashboard.

CCSD Mitigation Measures

The district will continue to maintain our COVID mitigation strategies:

  • Masks are required indoors and on buses for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status;
  • All students and staff should wear their masks correctly and consistently and remain three (3) feet away from others as much as possible;
  • Visitors will not be permitted in the school building for the first several weeks of the school semester;
  • Students and staff should frequently wash their hands and utilize sanitation supplies to keep their respective areas clean;
  • All school facilities will regularly be deeply cleaned and sanitized, including desks and shared classroom supplies;
  • All HVAC systems will continuously be checked and monitored to ensure proper usage and the highest air quality and circulation level.

 

Quarantines, Isolations, and Contact Tracing

  • Due to the recent spike in cases (fueled by the newest variant) and the updated CDC guidelines, the CCSD contact tracing teams will now focus on supporting individuals who test positive for COVID or experience symptoms. 
  • CCSD will not issue precautionary quarantines at this time; however, parents will be notified if their student has been identified as a close contact in the school setting. 
  • Students who were potentially exposed but are not displaying symptoms will be allowed to continue attending school. 
  • Students who exhibit symptoms of illness or test positive for COVID will be required to stay home and isolate. The length of their isolation will be determined by a CCSD contact tracer based on the updated CDC guidance.
  • If you have questions regarding contact tracing, email contacttracingteam@clarke.k12.ga.us. 

 

Vaccination Clinics

CCSD continues to partner with the Department of Public Health to provide vaccine and booster clinics for all our staff and students (ages five and up). Following are upcoming school clinics:

  • January 6: 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. at Barnett Shoals Elementary
  • January 6: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary
  • January 7: 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. at Alps Road Elementary
  • January 7: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Whit Davis Elementary

In addition, the Clarke County Health Department continues to offer vaccinations. Book an appointment with DPH online: https://gta-vras.powerappsportals.us/en-US/. 

Clarke County Health Department
706-389-6921
345 North Harris Street
Athens, GA 30601