COVID-19 Resources

All GAC buildings have been deep cleaned and will continue to be thoroughly cleaned daily. There will be an increased presence of custodial services during the school day to help with additional cleaning of high-touch surfaces and restrooms.

We are using professional-grade electrostatic sprayers that allow for increased disinfecting throughout our buildings. Bioesque is the primary disinfecting solution that is used by our Campus Services and our custodial teams. We added Nanoseptic self-cleaning surfaces to all high traffic touch points in classrooms, offices, restrooms, and elevators. 

Our ventilation systems have been serviced to make sure they are performing at optimal efficiency and effectiveness. We have increased our HVAC staff to allow for continued maintenance and servicing of all units throughout the year.

Parents and Faculty/Staff are asked to keep ill students home and to notify their school level nurse of COVID-19 related illness. In addition, if you begin to experience any COVID-19 symptoms we ask that you get tested for COVID-19.

Individuals who are noticeably ill or become ill during the school day will be isolated and sent home without delay. We created a new MS/HS Health Center as well as adding an additional room in the Combee Elementary to isolate sick students, faculty and/or staff members. This will allow for separation from the general student body.

Our health team, which includes administrators, school nurses and our athletic trainer will work directly with the local health department on cases of COVID-19 and the related exposure including contact tracing assistance and notification. 

We will continue to conduct contract tracing when we are notified of positive cases. The DPH updated their quarantine guidance for those individuals who have been exposed to a person who has tested positive for COVID-19. Those who are vaccinated do not have to quarantine, but are required to wear face masks inside buildings through Day 14.  We also strongly recommend that your child be tested on or after Day 3. Please send a copy of the vaccination and any testing results to nurse@greateratlantachristian.org.

Teaching, modeling, and reinforcing healthy hygiene habits will remain a priority at all levels. Proper hand washing methods, covering of coughs, and using hand sanitizer will be encouraged at all school levels.

We have also added touchless hand sanitizer stations at entrances/exits to all buildings. We equipped each classroom with disinfectant, paper towels, hand sanitizer, and tissues. We have installed at least one bottle filler fountain in each of our buildings.

We will begin the school year in a face covering/mask optional environment. Wearing a face covering will be a personal/family decision for each student and adult on campus. While mask usage is optional and not mandated for staff, teachers, and students during the school day, every member of the GAC community will be supportive of individuals who choose to wear a face covering. We ask that there be mutual respect within the GAC community for those who choose to wear a face covering and those who choose to not wear one. 

However, we will use a 5% threshold across our school campus (grade K4-12) to consider when to require masks as a layered mitigation strategy. 

• If any grade level (K4-5th), reaches a 5% positive case count, we will require all students in the grade to wear masks indoors for the following 14 calendar days. For instance, if we have three positive cases in a grade level with 60 students, we will require masks for all students in that grade level for 14 days. 

• If any school level (Village, Elementary, Middle School, or High School) reaches a 5% positive case count, we will require all students in that school level to wear a mask when indoors for the following 14 calendar days. This will not impact students K3 and younger. 

We also will require face coverings for all passengers on school transportation due to a federal mandate. Therefore, our school bus drivers and riders, including athletic teams, students riding to retreats and other school activities, must wear one. 

Approved face coverings include two-layer cloth masks or disposable masks. All face coverings are to be solid in color and without valves, messaging, branding, or designs (with the exception of GAC branding). We will purposely provide face-covering breaks throughout the school day.

Vaccinated students and faculty/staff who are deemed close contacts, meaning they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive, may remain on campus for the 14-day period provided they wear a face covering.

Chapels and other assemblies are an important part of the GAC experience, and we commit to continuing these important segments of student life. At times, we will utilize our new technology to provide streaming into each classroom or larger group assemblies. We may also adjust to small group gatherings.

GAC was able to provide for full athletic and performing arts activities last year while maintaining a safe environment, including the ability for parents and the student body to attend.  

Our GAC athletic staff follows the guidance from the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) and the DPH who will govern our steps forward. Currently the GHSA has no restrictions on athletic teams for the 21-22 school year. If this changes in the future, information will be communicated by individual team coaches and the Athletics Office regarding our athletic teams, Tennis Academy, and Aquatics Club.

GAC Performing Arts Band, Orchestra, Theater, and Choir have a full schedule of classes, practices and performances scheduled for the 21-22 school year. 

We will continue with all before and after school programs for students K3-5th grade (Encore Kids) and 6th-12th (The Club) and our Discovery Activities for our Lower School students. While following all CDC and DPH protocols, these programs provide a safe and supervised option for your student.

While it has always been important to GAC to not have unsupervised children before or after school, the current health and safety conditions prohibit unsupervised students on campus at any time. If you need your child to be at GAC outside of the normal school hours, please enroll them in one of our programs.

The GAC campus is blessed with wonderful facilities with a great amount of space which have allowed us to expand seating areas for students, faculty and staff. The MS/HS Dining Hall will extend further into the Bricked Gallery with added tables to allow for appropriate spacing. Our Elementary and Village students will be utilizing the Combee Cafeteria as well as additional spaces in their buildings. Young Learners will remain in their classrooms for lunch.

Eating outside or in classrooms may be part of the lunch routine from time to time. Additional cleaning and sanitizing will be conducted between lunch periods. To begin the year, Sage Dining Services will continue their processes and procedures of food being served by Sage employees reducing self-serve stations.

We will continue to offer all GAC bus transportation routes including our late routes. We are currently under a federal mandate that requires all passengers on school transportation to wear a mask. Therefore, our school bus riders and athletic teams riding on a bus must wear masks. This will include students riding a bus to retreats or other school activities.

Global travel, mission trips, school trips and spiritual retreats are key experiences for our students. Based on our belief and our parents survey, we plan to resume travel for our students during the 21-22 school year. All class trips, mission trips, and learning excursions are optional. We will continue to look for ways to offer local options with similar impact for our students.