Education - Reporter Newspapers

Gov. Kemp to issue statewide shelter-in-place order, close schools through current year

by John Ruch | Apr 1, 2020 | Brookhaven Reporter, Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Dunwoody Reporter, Education, Public Safety, Sandy Springs Reporter, Top Stories | 0

Gov. Brian Kemp will issue a statewide shelter-in-place order and order public schools to remain closed through the end of the school year in response to the coronavirus pandemic, he announced April 1 in a televised press conference. The shelter-in-place order will run April 3 through 13, Kemp said. He said details are in the works and will be announced April 2. Kemp had been under political pressure to issue such an order, including from some local cities. Controversy arose when his chief of staff recently blasted such orders as an “overreach.” Kemp previously ordered schools to remain closed...

APS to provide week’s worth of groceries to families for spring break, change food distribution hours

by Hannah Greco | Apr 1, 2020 | Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Education | 0

Atlanta Public Schools will provide families with a week’s worth of groceries for the duration of spring break, April 6 through April 10, at five campuses. The district’s former several-days-a-week distribution is now being reduced to one day with 10 meals handed out at once. APS will be offering the grocery pickup on April 4 from 9 a.m. to noon at: Bunche Middle School, 1925 Niskey Lake Road Cleveland Avenue Elementary School, 2672 Old Hapeville Road Douglass High School, 225 Hamilton E Holmes Drive Phoenix Academy, 256 Clifton Street Sylvan Hills Middle School, 1461 Sylvan Road Beginning April 13,...

DeKalb Board of Education District 1 candidates discuss priorities in virtual forum

by Hannah Greco | Mar 30, 2020 | Brookhaven Reporter, Dunwoody Reporter, Education, Top Stories | 0

With the DeKalb County Board of Education District 1 seat election around the corner, one candidate is focused on accountability and another is focused on interpersonal relationships with other board members in the district. The Dunwoody Homeowners Association on March 29 held a virtual forum for the District 1 election, which is scheduled for May 19. The District 1 seat includes voters from Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Chamblee and Doraville. Adrienne Duncan, president of the association, moderated the forum with the two candidates, Andrew Ziffer and Anna Hill. The full forum can be viewed on the association’s website, here. “I have...

Los Niños Primero names exemplary youth volunteers

by Hannah Greco | Mar 28, 2020 | Education, Sandy Springs Reporter | 0

Sandy Springs nonprofit Los Niños Primero has named Ari Slomka and Emily Demps as two exemplary youth volunteers for 2019. Ari Slomka is a senior at The Weber School in the Daniel Zalik Academy of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Design. This year, Slomka partnered with the teachers and administration of Los Niños Primero’s Early Literacy Program. Slomka has worked alongside both teachers and students to design, prototype, customize and manufacture hands-on activities and educational kits to introduce students at Los Niños Primero to the elements of STEM. Emily Demps is a junior at North Atlanta High School. Demps has...

Local DeKalb Schools parents, students adjust to tech and stress of virtual learning

by Hannah Greco | Mar 28, 2020 | Brookhaven Reporter, Coronavirus, Dunwoody Reporter, Education, Top Stories | 0

As school district shutdowns for the coronavirus pandemic drag into a third week, parents and children are facing drastic changes in routine. Several parents of students in Dunwoody and Brookhaven schools in the DeKalb County School District recently shared their experiences of coping with the new situation. Some say their children are doing well with virtual learning because of set schedules, while others are not sure the online method is working as well as the classroom environment. Some are concerned for their children’s mental well-being. On March 26, Gov. Brian Kemp issued an executive order to have all public...

Fulton County Schools spring registration to be conducted online

by Hannah Greco | Mar 26, 2020 | Education, Sandy Springs Reporter | 0

Fulton County Schools spring registration for prekindergarten, kindergarten and new first graders will be conducted virtually throughout the district on May 6 and 7. Only parents of new kindergarten and first-grade students need to register on these dates, according to a press release. Kindergarten and new student registration is ongoing online. It is not necessary for parents of currently enrolled Pre-K students to use the online process for kindergarten registration, the release said. For more information, visit...

Gov. Kemp orders all public schools to remain closed through April 24

by Hannah Greco | Mar 26, 2020 | Brookhaven Reporter, Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Dunwoody Reporter, Education, Sandy Springs Reporter, Top Stories | 0

Gov. Brian Kemp has signed an executive order closing all public schools through April 24. Students may return to school on April 27. “Throughout this process, we will continue to seek the advice of public health officials, school leaders, and families to ensure the health and safety of the educational community,” Kemp said in a press release. “As we approach April 24, 2020, we ask for continued patience and flexibility since circumstances may change, but we encourage families to stay strong and follow the guidance of federal, state, and local leaders in the weeks ahead.” Local districts in Atlanta,...

Atlanta Public Schools to remain closed at least through April 13, possibly longer

by John Ruch | Mar 23, 2020 | Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Education, Top Stories | 0

Atlanta Public Schools will remain closed at least through April 13 and possibly longer due to the coronavirus pandemic. Superintendent Meria Carstarphen previously announced an indefinite closure starting March 16 and lasting at least through March 30, while warning it could extended beyond spring break, which is scheduled for April 6-10. The school district maintains a webpage with coronavirus updates at...

Fulton Schools adds new Sandy Springs locations for free meal program pickups

by Hannah Greco | Mar 23, 2020 | Coronavirus, Education, Sandy Springs Reporter | 0

The Fulton County School System has added two new Sandy Springs pickup locations for its free meal program for students, beginning March 23. The program started March 16 in response to the district’s indefinite closures for the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to Lake Forest Elementary School at 5920 Sandy Springs Circle, families can now pick up meals at Ison Springs Elementary School at 8261 Ison Road and Sandy Springs Middle School at 8750 Pride Place. Other FCS sites include Asa Hilliard Elementary School; Brookview Elementary School; College Park Elementary School; Esther Jackson Elementary School; Gullatt Elementary School; Hamilton E....

First COVID-19 case in APS is employee at Buckhead’s North Atlanta High

by John Ruch | Mar 19, 2020 | Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Education, Top Stories | 0

An employee at Buckhead’s North Atlanta High School is the first confirmed case of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease in Atlanta Public Schools. There was “no exposure to students, and for staff there was no close contact with this employee,” APS said in a press release, describing an investigation by the Fulton County Board of Health. APS said the lack of exposure to students was determined by the Board of Health, which could not immediately reached for comment about how that was confirmed. No students or other employees need to be interviewed by the Board of Health at this time,...

DeKalb Schools adds new locations for free meal program pickup for students amid pandemic

by Hannah Greco | Mar 18, 2020 | Brookhaven Reporter, Coronavirus, Dunwoody Reporter, Education | 0

The DeKalb County School District has added seven new pickup locations for its free meal program for students, beginning March 19. The program started March 16 in response to the district’s indefinite closures for the coronavirus pandemic. All DCSD students can receive a free bagged lunch and a snack daily, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to noon at participating campuses throughout the district. Locally, in addition to Cross Keys High School at 1626 North Druid Hills Road in Brookhaven and Sequoyah Middle School at 3456 Aztec Road in Doraville, students can now also pick up meals at John...

Fulton County schools will likely remain closed until after spring break amid pandemic, superintendent says

by Hannah Greco | Mar 17, 2020 | Coronavirus, Education, Sandy Springs Reporter, Top Stories | 0

All Fulton County schools will likely remain closed until after spring break due to the coronavirus pandemic, Fulton County School System Superintendent Mike Looney said during a virtual March 16 meeting. Looney said the board is not making an official decision at this time but with the uncertainty of the potential spread of the coronavirus, it is “more likely than not.” “We just don’t know much this [virus] is going to continue to disrupt our school district and our community moving forward,” Looney said. Looney said the district has no plans to cancel spring break, which runs through April...