2 more school districts start 2022 online

Dekalb, Fulton join Clayton, Rockdale to delay in-person return.

Dekalb County Public Schools and Fulton County Schools on Friday announced that they will start classes online when students return from winter break next week.

They join Clayton County Schools and Rockdale County Public Schools in pushing back the return to in-person classes amid record-breaking reports of coronavirus infections in Georgia.

Friday, the state reported24,320 new confirmed and probable coronavirus infections. A daily earlier, the state set a record with more than 25,000 new or likely cases.

“Please remember COVID-19 is an ever-changing situation, one we cannot predict,” said a statement from Fulton County Schools. “We implore our community do all they can to be safe. We strongly encourage people to get vaccinated.”

In mid-december, many metro Atlanta school districts reported a spike in coronavirus cases among students and staff. Atlanta Public Schools, Fulton County Schools and Gwinnett County Public Schools were among districts that reported their highest numbers in weeks.

Fourteen school districts across metro Atlanta recorded more than 40,000 COVID-19 cases since the school year began in August. In late December, the omicron surge was hitting metro Atlanta the hardest in the state.

Remote learning begins Tuesday in Fulton County Schools. Fulton plans to return to face-toface instruction Jan. 10. Masks will be required from Jan. 10 through Jan. 21.

Dekalb will start remote learning Wednesday. Students will also return to in-person learning Jan. 10.

Atlanta Public Schools said in a statement Friday that the district will reopen Monday with mandatory surveillance testing for all employees. In-person classes resume for students Tuesday.

will continue with our strict COVID-19 mitigation protocols, which include mandatory testing twice a week for employees, voluntary testing for students, and mandatory masks for everyone inside an APS school or office building,” the APS statement said.

Clayton County Schools said Thursday that increasing COVID19 infections have led it to switch to online learning for all students through Jan. 7. Students will return to school buildings Jan. 10.

Several metro Atlanta colleges and universities have also announced they are beginning the spring semester online. They include Agnes Scott College, Emory University, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College and Spelman College.