Yes. Phase III begins Sep 21 for one full day of in-person instruction per week and Phase IV begins Oct 5 for two full days of in-person instruction per week.

Attendance in F2F sessions will be grouped by the last name of the first alphabetical student listing in the Infinite Campus household.

(Group 1) – A through E
(Group 2) – F through K
(Group 3) – L through P
(Group 4) – Q through Z

Yes. You can take the survey again by September 18 to change your response or you can call the school and they will arrange appropriate next steps.

Families will register their choice via a secure electronic process.  Each student in our system has a secure student ID number.  Using that secure ID number, parents/guardians will be invited to select their option for that indvidual child between September 14 through 18.

All students must have a selection.  If a parent/guardian does not make a selection for student(s), the default selection will be Face To Face.

Yes. Face coverings are expected for all FCS students returning to school, including bus riders, and they offer the most protection when worn correctly and consistently.

These CDC-provided tips can help parents select a face covering as well as help their child understand the correct way to wear a mask. 

Cloth masks should be snug-fitting, cover the nose and mask, and have at least two layers of washable, breathable fabric. The CDC says not to wear masks intended for healthcare workers, like N95 respirators, so the supply can be kept available for the medical field and other first responders. Also, the CDC does not recommend gaiters or face shields. Evaluation of these face covers is ongoing but effectiveness is unknown at this time. Masks with valves or vents also are not recommended.

Students who do not have a mask will be provided one by the school.

Yes, the survey must be completed for each child.  By using the unique student ID for Infinite Campus, you will indicate the selection for each child.

Yes, the decision to return to Face-to-Face or remain in Remote Learning is determined by the parent/guardian for each child independently.

A family is encouraged to make a semester commitment (through December 18th). 

No, remote teacher selection is determined by the principal based upon best-fit for the Remote Learning Model.

A child's classes will not change. However, there is a chance your child's teacher(s) may change. After October 14th, schools will need to offer classes in Remote Learning and classes in Face To Face. As schools learn the number of students in each group, principals will need to reshuffle their teachers to allow some teachers to teach Remote Learning, some teachers to teach Face To Face and others to teach a mixed schedule. This reshuffling will depend on 1) the number of students choosing each model, 2) the qualifications of teachers at each school and 3) the size of the course enrollment.

We understand that some families want to keep their child with their current teacher(s) and others want to change teachers. Just like at the start of any school year, we will do our best to match students with the teachers in each school who are qualified and excited to teach both the subject and in the learning environment the family has selected.

Your child's 9-week period grades will not be changed because of the reshuffling of classes. 

Students in grades 2-12 will receive a Fulton County Schools issued device.

The district will continue to provide Learning Bundles for students PreK-1 until the return to traditional school.

All students will remain enrolled in their current classes.  Gifted, accelerated, and remedial classes will be available in Remote Learning.

After October 14, Remote Learning elementary school attendance will be taken in a student’s Remote Learning homeroom. Middle and high school attendance will be taken in each course. 

The district will continue to provide a Remote Learning option for families through the first semester ending December 18. 

We will make a determination about second semester at a later time.

Yes, all students must make a selection.  If a parent/guardian does not make the selection, the default will be Face To Face.

Yes, all students must make a selection.  If a parent does not make the selection, the default will be Face-to-Face.

If your student has been issued a FCS device and/or hot spot, parents may use that to make their selection. The selection process may also be completed using a cell phone.  Additionally, parents can contact the school to make other arrangements in order to complete the selection process.

There are three different ways schools can organize classes meet the communities' desire to have both RL and F2F.

1. Teachers are separated into two groups: one group teaches RL classes and one group teaches F2F classes.
2. Teachers segment their classes: some of a teacher's classes are RL and some are F2F.
3. Teachers teach RL and F2F at the same time in every class (simultaneous instruction).

After the selection process is complete, schools will have the information they need to reshuffle teachers to fit these models. Some schools might use all three models. This is a complex scheduling task, which is why we are asking parents to try to stay with the RL or F2F decision through first semester.

Our teachers were already well trained in Face To Face instruction. The District has brought in experts in the field to train our teachers in the best practices of Remote Learning and in the simultaneous delivery of Face To Face and Remote Learning. Teachers are participating in weekly trainings and we have identified teachers at each school who are certified, experienced experts in the field.

Yes.

Yes, Special Education services will be available to the extent possible.  A Remote Learning Contingency Plan will be developed in collaboration with the family.

Regarding the phased plan for the return of students with disabilities, parents are encouraged to contact student's teacher to discuss student transition into the various phases.  The schedule for special program classes is slightly different than general education classes so please review the below plan.

On Thursday, September 17th, as part of an ongoing follow up to Universal Remote Learning, an update on grading practices was shared. This update included a staff recommendation to establish a more uniform grading practices across the district. This guidance is an update to the Universal Remote Learning grading guidance, effective September 21 (Phase 3). This grading guidance will end at the end of the 2020 semester.

The following changes will be in effect moving forward for every school while in URL:

• Quizzes are to be considered as summative assessments
• Students will have one (1) attempt to redo/retake an assessment
• Students who achieve a 79 or less (less than an 80) are eligible for a redo/retake.
• Students can earn up to an 89 on a replacement grade on a redo/retake
• Student redo/retakes must be completed 10 school days prior to the end of the semester.

These changes take into account students coming into the building and more face to face and simultaneous instruction occurring.

YES! Students attending school face-to-face will receive free meals during their school’s scheduled mealtimes. Nutritious and delicious student favorites will be provided at breakfast and lunch. At breakfast this includes one entrée, one fruit, one juice, and/or milk. At lunch this includes, one entrée, two vegetables, one fruit, and/or milk. School menus are carefully planned by registered dietitians and certified school nutrition experts in alignment with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. School Meals are healthy meals, offering all five food groups! School meals offer age-appropriate calories and portion sizes, less than 10% calories from saturated fat, zero grams of saturated fat, and strict sodium targets.

These meals do NOT need to be pre-ordered. Meals will be accounted for using a no-contact cashiering method, Student Meal Cards & Student Meal Barcodes.

To support safety, students attending school in-person will either eat in their classrooms or by socially distanced seating in the cafeteria. The FCS School Nutrition Program’s food safety and sanitation procedures are in place to ensure safe meals are served at all times in all schools within the county. Our department prides itself in the efforts of always putting the customer first. To ensure this, our procedures often far exceed what is required by the Georgia Food Code for food establishments. ​​ School Nutrition will continue to follow rigorous cleaning and sanitizing practices established by the Department of Health using food-safe chemicals. Simplified menus that accommodate the meal service model will be provided to ensure federal nutrition guidelines and meal pattern are met. Menu items must also be transportable and classroom friendly. Food safety and efficiency will be considered for packaging. Currently there is no evidence of food, food containers, or food packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19.

YES! Curbside Pick-Up locations will be open on Wednesdays for participates receive free Grab & Go Meal Kits. Curbside Pick-Up provides an opportunity for families to drive-thru and pick-up free grab & go meal kits for all children 18 & under. To maximize social distancing, drivers are not to leave their vehicles; however, walk-ups are allowed.

Curbside Pick-Up will be available at 93 Fulton County Schools on Wednesdays.

• Elementary School locations are open on Wednesdays from 8:30-9:30.
• Middle School and High School locations are open on Wednesdays from 9:30-10:30.

Pick-up a free grab & go meal kit from any Fulton County School Curbside Pick-Up location near you. Children do not have to be present to receive a free grab & go meal kit. A student’s ID number is not needed to receive a free grab & go meal kit. For a full listing of Curbside Pick-Up Locations please visit HERE.

Yes! Families need to pre-order grab & go meal kits each week. Grab & go meal kits need to be pre-ordered online by Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. Non-FCS students must also complete the pre-order form to help with order forecasting. Grab & go meal kits will continue to be free for all children 18 & under. Families will provide the number of requested grab & go meal kits and choose from a list of pick-up locations, Curbside from a Fulton County School OR at a designated Bus Stop. CLICK HERE for the online pre-order form.

Breakfast and lunch meals at school, do NOT need to be pre-ordered.

Grab & go meal kits contain 10 meals - five breakfasts and five lunches - to feed students until the next meal kit distribution. Meal kits will include a variety of ready-made and reheat-ready choices. Meal safety, reheating instructions, and a menu will be provided in meal kits. Grab & go meal kits will continue to be FREE for all children 18 & under. Menus and more information are being posted to www.fcsnutrition.com.

Thanks to the temporary expansion of Child Nutrition Waivers, USDA has approved flexibilities to support meal distribution due to COVID-19. Fulton County Schools will continue to provide free meals to all children 18 & under, or under the age of 21 for youth with special needs. All children, regardless of school enrollment or meal eligibility status, can receive free meals.

Limited extra sale items will be available. Students will be charged for any extra sale items they order such as additional entrees, additional sides, bottled water, or ice cream. For contactless transactions, families are encouraged to load funds to their student’s meal account through MyPaymentsPlus. Student Meal Barcodes will be used to purchase extra sale items. Visit https://nutrition.fultonschools.org/BarCode and follow the on-screen instructions to receive your Student Meal Barcode.

YES! Even though all students will temporarily receive free meals, households are strongly encouraged to complete a Free & Reduced Meal application. Once the extension of USDA waivers expires, students will be charged for their meals based on their meal eligibility status (free, reduced, or full pay). If there is an interruption in benefits or the household does not reapply, the household is responsible for payment of meals until the application is approved. Once the extension of USDA waivers expires, students will be charged for their meals based on their meal eligibility status (free, reduced, or full pay). A new application must be completed every school year. Visit www.fulton.schoollunchapp.com to begin the online Free & Reduced Meal application.

If you believe your student qualifies for a specially prepared meal based on a diagnosed disability that restricts their diet, the Medical Plan of Care for School Nutrition must be completed. New forms are required each school year and they will be available at FoodStop sites.

If your student is eligible for a special diet based on the completed form, the School Nutrition Program will meet with you to establish a menu plan that meets your student's needs. For more information regarding Special Diets, please contact the School Nutrition Program at schoolnutrition@fultonschools.org.

Let the cafeteria help you think outside of the lunchbox - at NO COST! Students who bring lunch from home can enjoy fresh fruits, a whole grain treat, and milk FREE of charge! Simply pack your student's favorite main entree and instruct them to select the Pack Pal at lunch. This option is available Monday - Friday at all schools in Fulton County. Breakfasts and lunches are now being served FREE to ALL students! Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to save time, money, and enhance your student's lunchbox! 

Full return Face-to-Face instruction will begin Wednesday, October 14^th. Transportation for general education students will be provided by FCS Transportation school buses or by parent drop off/pick up. Bus transportation schedules for Face-To-Face are available via WebQuery on the Transportation website.

For Special Needs parents: If your student has Special Needs transportation per your student's IEP, the bus arrival and drop off time will be provided to you by your school bus driver. If your student does not receive special transportation via the IEP, please refer to the transportation plan above.

Please visit WebQuery, a tool provided by our routing program. General education students and students with disabilities who do not require special transportation in their IEP and their parents can access bus route information with a few clicks, they are:

Once on the WebQuery page, enter the student's information and click "Go." WebQuery allows you to enter a partial street name and this helps match with known addresses in the database. For example: if you entered “2555 Lex” it would match “2555 Lexington Avenue.”

You can also use this WebQuery tool to determine the approximate time your student will be transported to (picked up) and from (dropped off) their assigned bus stops. Please take the time to read the messaging of the “landing page” for Webquery before finding your child’s bus stop.

Yes, face coverings are required for all passengers on the bus. We ask that you and your student wear a face covering and practice social distancing at your assigned bus stop. Your bus driver also will wear a face covering.

To keep your child as safe as possible, all buses will be disinfected before each morning run as well as in the afternoon once students are transported home. For full return to face-to-face Instruction, each bus will be sanitized between each elementary, middle and high school run.

A hand sanitizer unit is mounted by the entrance door of the bus for your child's use.

No. Transportation will only be provided from and to the household residence/bus stop of the students located in Infinite Campus.

Please know that we will attempt to arrive at each bus stop at the time displayed on the Bus Stop Info However, if we have few students on a run your child’s bus could arrive sooner than anticipated, so please plan to be at the bus stop 15-20 minutes before the displayed time. As we have a better understanding of how many children will be participating in full return face-to-face, the Transportation Department will fine-tune the stop schedule.

We appreciate your support and patience as we travel this journey together. If you have additional questions, please call 470-254-6060 for Zones 1, 2, and 3 schools (South Fulton) or 470-254-2970 for Zones 4, 5, 6, and 7 (North Fulton

Yes, certain after school enrichment programs will be in place. We will allow outdoor facility rentals and interior facility rentals to be determined.

For COVID-19 Guidelines for outdoor and indoor rentals click on the following link Facility Rentals / Rent a FCS Facility.

Yes. Face coverings are expected for all FCS students returning to school, including bus riders, and they offer the most protection when worn correctly and consistently. 

These CDC-provided tips can help parents select a face covering as well as help their child understand the correct way to wear a mask. 

Cloth masks should be snug-fitting, cover the nose and mask, and have at least two layers of washable, breathable fabric. The CDC says not to wear masks intended for healthcare workers, like N95 respirators, so the supply can be kept available for the medical field and other first responders. Also, the CDC does not recommend gaiters or face shields. Evaluation of these face covers is ongoing but effectiveness is unknown at this time. Masks with valves or vents also are not recommended.

Students who do not have a mask will be provided one by the school.

All students selecting the Face-to-Face option will be required to wear a mask while on school property. If they do not have one, one will be provided.

   

The District is asking all parents and staff to conduct a Wellness Check every day before the start of school. Random temperature checks will be conducted throughout the school day. Students and staff will be required to wear masks during Face-to-Face instruction.  Social distancing in the classroom, hallways and during recess, lunch, etc, will be maintained.  Schools and buses are following enhanced cleaning routines. An Isolation Room has been established in every school should a students or employee begin to feel ill during the school day.  Your child’s health and safety is our number one priority.

Please check out this infographic for a summary of the District's extensve COVID-19 safety protocols.

Employees will continue to perform health self-checks daily per FCS protocols. All families are requested to check the temperature of their child each day prior to leaving their home to go to school and should stay home if sick or have a fever at or above 100.4. FCS will also randomly check the temperature of students. Time is scheduled between sessions for enhanced sanitation procedures in the classroom and on the bus. Social distancing standards will be in place. Also, water fountains will be restricted.

For students with IEPs in program classes (Autism Self-Contained/Support Classes, Intellectual Disability Classers, Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Classes, Orthopedic Impairment Classes, GNETS Classes, Pre-School Self-Contained Classes, Kindergarten Self-Contained Classes, LIFE/Project Search Classes) staff and student will be provided safety guidelines that include various supports/supplies to support health and safety while in the classroom.

CDC guidelines for K-12 recommend frequent cleaning and daily disinfection of high touch surfaces. The CDC also recommends that cleaning and disinfecting products should not be used by or near students. To that end, Fulton County Schools uses a two-step approach to cleaning and disinfecting that is effective while also employing a strategy for safe use in schools.  

There is a difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Both play a critical role.

• Cleaning physically removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces or objects by using soap (or detergent) and water. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.
• Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces or objects. Disinfecting works by using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces or objects. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection. Clean surfaces and objects using soap and water prior to disinfection. (source: CDC)

The two-step approach below allows us to maximize our health and safety efforts.

Step 1 – Continuous Cleaning: All staff play a critical role by frequently cleaning high-touch surfaces. Teachers and staff are provided a general cleaner and microfiber cloths to clean with throughout the day. The general cleaner is peroxide-based and Green Seal Certified, meaning it is safer to use around students/staff and is not harmful to the environment. Microfiber cloths are particularly helpful in the cleaning process because they are proven to remove germs, dirt, and other impurities. Studies show that microfiber cloths can remove up to 98% of bacteria and 93% of viruses from surfaces using just water alone. The combination of using a peroxide-based cleaner with the microfiber cloths ensures we are doing more to remove germs, dirt, and impurities than we have in the past. The cleaning of high-touch surfaces throughout the day by teachers and staff ensures both the efficiency and effectiveness of the disinfection step.

Step 2 – Disinfecting: As previously mentioned, disinfectants are not recommended for use around children and care is given to limit their use during the school day. Custodians will disinfect some common areas when children are not in the immediate vicinity; however, most disinfection will be done when students are not at school. FCS has implemented a Custodial Chemical Standard that includes the use of a hospital grade disinfectant (Halt) that is on the EPA’s List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). FCS custodians are trained on the proper use of the Halt product, including strategies that ensure adequate dwell time – which is the time it should be left on the surface – and the use of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as gloves.

This two-step process of areas being cleaned frequently throughout the day and disinfected after students leave will greatly assist us in our continued efforts to provide our students and staff with a safe, clean, and healthy environment.

The first step in addressing/reducing COVID spread through aerosols (airborne particles) is to wear face coverings, which are mandated in all Fulton County schools and district facilities. The CDC has provided guidance for individuals recommending the use of masks: “Use of Masks to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19.”

Fulton County Schools is following CDC and ASHRAE guidance regarding HVAC. Fulton County Schools has a robust building controls system. We are increasing ventilation in our buildings, running systems longer and adjusting outside air settings where practical. This strategy includes overriding demand-based ventilation controls by lowering CO2 level settings or changing other air damper settings. 

We are also in the process of upgrading our central air filtration. We outsource ongoing monitoring and replacement of filters. The company we use has identified a solution that includes acquiring and installing MERV 13 material compatible with our racks. This material is in high demand and is being installed as we receive it.

Guidance and research continues to evolve and information regarding the effectiveness of other solutions is often mixed. We believe the investments we have made in increased utility costs associated with ventilation and increased filtration are the best investments we can make based upon our systems and given the current research.

Students will not be required to take a coronavirus test to attend in-person instruction. All persons, including students, who are sick, have tested positve for or been exposed to COVID-19 are expected to stay at home. Parents should monitor their students for signs of illness, including a fever and other symptoms.

FCS has taken precautions and promoted safety measures for staff and students to prepare for this phase. In the event a positve test is reported at your student's school, FCS will work with public health officials and follow their protocols for reporting the case(s) and next steps. Those who become sick at school or have a fever at or above 100.4 will be sent home immediately. Anyone reporting to the clinic will have their temperature taken. All schools will have a room to isolate symptomatic persons.