DeKalb return-to-school delayed due to COVID spike

Due to the increased numbers of COVID-19 cases, DeKalb County School District has delayed the Jan. 19 reopening of schools to students.  

Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris made the announcement during the Jan. 11 board of education meeting, stating that students would have the option to return when DeKalb County’s positivity rate of COVID tests falls below 10 percent. As of Jan. 8, the county’s positivity rate was nearly 15 percent. 

In prior months, DeKalb County School District’s COVID-19 Task Force has based decisions to move toward in-person learning on metrics that the 14-day positive case average per 100,000 DeKalb County residents should be below 100 cases.

Teachers began returning to schools on Jan. 4 and students who were opted in to in-person learning by parents and guardians were to begin Jan. 19 in phases. 

The district will continue virtual learning until further notice. 

A virtual town hall for parents is planned for Jan. 14 from 6-7 p.m.

Questions and comments can be submitted to parent_talk@dekalbschoolsga.org. The town hall will be shown on Facebook Live at http://bit.ly/january-2021-parent-town-hall or on DSTV at https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/communications/dstv.