Decatur, GA – City Schools of Decatur, DeKalb County Schools Atlanta Public Schools announced that schools will close indefinitely in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

CSD’s closure starts on March 13. Atlanta Public Schools and DeKalb County Schools closure will start on Monday, March 16.

“In light of the Governor’s announcement and in consultation with other Metro Area school districts, City Schools of Decatur will close schools effective March 13, 2020 and will remain closed until further notice,” the school district said. “Students are not to report to school, and all extracurricular activities are canceled. All employees should check their CSD email this evening for additional information.”

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In a Twitter message, Superintendent Meria Carstarphen said students would need to attend on March 13 to get ready for the extended closure.

Based on rec by Gov @BrianKempGA on 3/12, APS is going to close, however, need everyone to come to work & class tomorrow, Friday, 3/13, to prepare for an extended leave starting Monday. Anticipate being closed up to 2 wks & potentially extending beyond Spring Break.#COVID19

— Meria Carstarphen (@CarstarphenMJ) March 12, 2020

DeKalb County Schools released the following statement regarding the closures:

In light of Gov. Brian Kemp’s advice, DeKalb County School District is closing schools Monday, Mar. 16, 2020, until further notice. All district and school-sponsored events, athletics, extracurricular activities, meetings and competitions are canceled until further notice.

Friday, March 13 is a scheduled teacher’s workday and students do not report. We will finalize our digital learning days during this time.

The district is exploring options for providing emergency meal service for students.

More information will be available to all DCSD families and staff over the next 24 hours. Please visit our website (www.dekalbschoolsga.org) or follow the District’s social media channels for up to date information.

This story will be updated when more information becomes available. Here’s the full announcement from CSD:

Dear CSD Community,

Please review the following at your preferred level of detail.

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City Schools of Decatur will be closed indefinitely starting Friday, March 13, 2020.

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In light of the Governor’s announcement and in consultation with other Metro Area school districts, City Schools of Decatur will close schools effective March 13, 2020 and will remain closed until further notice. Students are not to report to school, and all extracurricular activities are canceled. All employees should check their CSD email this evening for additional information.

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In light of the Governor’s announcement and in consultation with other Metro Area school districts, City Schools of Decatur will close schools effective March 13, 2020 and will remain closed until further notice. Students are not to report to school, and all extracurricular activities are canceled. All employees should check their CSD email this evening for additional information, and essential personnel are expected to report to work. We hope to resume instruction as soon as possible, but the health situation remains fluid and this timeline is subject to change. We have not been informed of any member of the CSD community who has tested positive for COVID-19.

For the first three days of this closure, we are asking teachers to work toward preparing enrichment and learning materials for distribution online. Please look for emails and website postings at individual schools for teacher- and school-specific information about how to access these materials. Renfroe and DHS students should also check their own CSD email accounts for information directly from teachers.

While at home, we encourage families to take preventative steps to ward off the spread of COVID-19:

– Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

– Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

– Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

– Stay home when you are sick. Avoid other social situations, such as trips to the mall, restaurants, faith services, etc.

– Cough or sneeze into a tissue, throw the tissue in the trash and then wash your hands.

– Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

– Do your best to stay calm.

– If you are feeling ill, please contact your physician for guidance.

We understand that these are trying circumstances for students, families, and staff. We are trying at all times to make the healthiest, safest decisions for all of our stakeholders.

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