As we review The Week in Atlanta Public Schools, I want to remind everyone about how new opportunities to receive COVID-19 vaccinations move us closer to a healthier and safer school community.
With educators and school staff now eligible for vaccinations, we are gearing up for our mass vaccination event at Mercedes Benz Stadium through our partnership with the Fulton County Board of Health. The vaccination will be delivered in two doses with the first dose on Wednesday, March 24; Friday, March 26; and Saturday, March 27.
Our employees will be among the first in Fulton County to get this round of vaccinations. We are so grateful to the Fulton County Board of Health for their partnership and want to say thank you for all that they do to help keep our community healthy.
I also want to remind everyone who wishes to get the vaccine to get registered at myvaccinegeorgia.com.
Academic Recovery
We recognize that learning loss has occurred throughout the pandemic. To mitigate that impact, we plan to launch the Summer Academic Recovery Academy (ARA) over the next three summers. I’m happy to share that All APS students can attend and are welcome to register for the academy. The registration window will be open from April 1st through April 30th.
Our Academic Recovery Academy will be a full-day program from June 2nd through June 30th, and it combines an academic recovery model with a focus on literacy and mathematics with our Power Up programming for students in grades PK-12. Students can receive virtual or in-person instruction that will address unfinished learning and academic learning loss, provide hands-on lessons via Power Up Programming, and recover course credits in an engaging, incentive-filled environment with embedded whole-child and social-emotional supports.
Transportation and meals will be provided for in-person learning students who attend the full day. Virtual learning students will be provided meals at designated pickup sites throughout the community. We are excited to offer our Academic Recovery Academy and will continue to keep you updated on the program.
Summer Camp Expo
To help our families plan for the summer, the Office of Family Engagement through its Parent as Partners Academic Center will host the Annual Summer Camp Expo from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, March 26. This VIRTUAL event helps families register for camps and enrichment programs relating to financial life skills, investing, job shadowing, mentoring, arts, camping, horseback riding, and college and career readiness. You may register here.
Our partners include these wonderful groups:
• Wealthy Habits
• Young Wall Street Traders
• Girls, Inc
• Junior Achievement of Georgia
• Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation
• Zone of Light Studios
• Breakthrough Atlanta
• Girls Scouts of Greater Atlanta
Deputization Ceremony
And for the great news of the week, I was proud to join with our own Police Chief Ron Applin and Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat as the sheriff’s office deputized our school resource officers in a special ceremony at King Middle School.
This week, our SROs were bestowed with the ability to endorse laws outside of our school district. This authorization allows them to serve our students beyond the borders of school.
Even with a pandemic and while many schools were closed, these officers protected our schools, conducted welfare checks when necessary, and helped prepare us to reopen. Now that they are deputized, they can complete more of their duties without the delays of securing other authorization within our county.
Many thanks to Sheriff Labat, Chief Applin, and, of course, to our amazing school resource officers who have done so much for the Atlanta Public Schools community!
That’s “The Week” for this week. As always, be engaged, stay healthy and, of course, please be well.
Talk Up APS 