COVID-19 Updates

We have prayerfully and carefully considered our next steps related to Governor Kemp’s announcement  today that Georgia public schools will remain closed for face-to-face instruction through the end of the school year.  While GAC may also need to take this step, we have not yet made a decision.  For now, we know with certainty that we will continue with online learning through Friday, April 24.  We are confident we can continue to be successful in this platform, both in achieving academic outcomes, and in caring for our students.  I appreciate the phenomenal efforts of our teachers and the overwhelming support of our GAC community.  We will update you via email in the next few days. Hope you all are enjoying your Spring break.

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The COVID-19 crisis is challenging and unlike anything I have experienced in my 26 years in education.  As we have mentioned in every communication this situation, we rely on guidance from the CDC, the Governor’s office, and state and local (Gwinnett, Newton, Rockdale) Department of Public Health (DPH).  

As COVID-19 is now classified in the stage of community spread, the DPH has advised us to NOT to notify our entire community about cases.  We recognize this is a change from what we previously communicated.  The Department of Health will fully take the lead on all cases when individuals test positive, and will work with the individual to notify anyone that may be at risk of exposure.  The DPH has informed us that they will issue notification to those who they deem may have been exposed to the disease.  As an organization we must adhere to the guidance of those departments on the frontlines of the crisis, and HIPAA (health privacy) laws.  This does not prohibit the individual themselves from notification.

As the crisis continues, we know that the members of the GAC family have and/or will be affected.  Our prayers are that the symptoms will be mild.  Our hearts and prayers go out to each of them and the members of our community who are providing needed medical care and taking on risk for the rest of us.  We are confident that Christ is near and will hear our prayers.

Scott Harsh, Ed.D
President

Dear Parents,

I want to thank all of you for your gracious support during our first two weeks of online learning.  I’m so very proud of our students for the way they have risen to the challenge, embracing a new routine with energy and optimism.  I’m also so very grateful for our incredible teachers who have worked tirelessly to provide our students with the very best in learning, engagement, and encouragement throughout these last two weeks.  Parents, your overwhelmingly positive feedback has been a source of energy for our faculty and staff. Thank you for supporting us the way that you have. 

Early this week I shared some thoughts in one of my videos about how we can use this time to spread encouragement.  I referenced an article in the Harvard Business Review entitled, “How Bad Times Bring Out the Best in People”. The article encouraged readers to focus on the opportunity we have right now to “express the very best we have to offer”, to “feel an increased sense of belonging”, and to “come together in unity to do good”.  

As we get ready for Spring Break, I want to encourage every GAC family to give some thought to the opportunities we each have next week to make a difference for others --- people in our home, in our GAC community, and beyond.  A few ideas we shared through the #GACFamilyChallenge are: 

• Write letters or draw pictures of encouragement and mail them to medical professionals, patients in local nursing or extended care facilities, or our military serving us locally and abroad.
• Create driveway and sidewalk artwork with sidewalk chalk and inspirational messages so people can see it as they walk or drive by. 
• Arrange a sidewalk serenade (and hold up signs of encouragement) for a person who might be living alone and could use some cheer.
• Put up your Christmas lights/inflatable decorations to brighten the mood in your neighborhoods in the evenings.
• Put on a digital concert or play for a grandparent or elderly family friend who may be feeling lonely.  

Many of you already responded with creative, heartfelt ways to do good and inspire others. You’ve taken Galatians 6:2 to heart, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” I look forward to seeing more of you take action this next week.

So while our Spring Break plans may no longer include some of the things your family traditionally does each year, we have an amazing opportunity to create new family memories. Let’s get creative and let’s spend some time next week blessing others and bringing joy. If you do, I promise this will be a Spring Break your family will never forget.

Spring break travel and guidance | March 30 - April 3
The health of our entire school family remains a top concern. There is a chance that some of you will travel internationally or domestically during Spring Break. While we can’t restrict your travel, we want you to know of our concern. As a reminder, the State Department has issued advisories in regards to international travel. The CDC posts similar health notices for many countries and even restricts re-entry from several countries. If you choose to travel internationally during Spring Break, we want to know your plans and we will request that you self-isolate for at least 14 days upon your return. The CDC also offers recommendations in regards to travel within the U.S. states. If you choose to travel domestically, we ask you to be careful in choosing your destinations. Please consider self-isolation upon your return as well. We’re counting on each other, as a community, to abide by the advisories and to use an abundance of caution.

During Spring Break we have plans to continue sending you uplifting morning messages from GAC with some special guests from our GAC community. So be watching for those!

Join us for a Virtual Good Friday Chapel | April 10
We are providing an opportunity for the GAC community to come together to celebrate Good Friday. If we had been in school on campus that week, we would have celebrated with an All School Easter Chapel. Even though we won’t be able to be together in person, we can connect digitally in worship, the reading of scripture, special videos, and an inspiring message. Please make plans for your family to join the GAC family for this special digital Good Friday Chapel. More information will come out the week after Spring Break.

Online Learning Continues | April 6 - April 24
Today, Governor Kemp announced that all public schools are to remain closed through Friday, April 24. We will extend our Online Learning and suspension of campus activities through April 24 as well.

As I stated earlier this week, the rhythm of online learning is different and we will be adopting some adjustments to the weekly schedule for K4-12th grade students following Spring Break. The schedule will continue with four days each week with scheduled classes and one flex day reserved for students to catch up on work that may be piling up, work ahead, collaborate with peers, get additional help from a teacher, participate in digital chapels, connect with a GAC counselor, and more. Starting after Spring Break, we will be adding optional sessions for students to engage socially with different activities such as co-curricular team devotionals, student-led discussion groups, digital chapels, and more. In addition, our teachers are using this flex day for additional training, collaboration, and checking in on individual students. We believe this rhythm holds many advantages for students and teachers.

The week following Spring Break includes Good Friday on April 10 that was already a scheduled student holiday. With that, we plan to host classes beginning on Monday, April 6, with no flex day that week. Starting the week of April 13, the flex day will shift to Wednesdays.

New Middle and High School Daily Schedule
As online learning moves into an extended time period, we have listened to feedback from our parents, students, and teachers. While this feedback is overwhelmingly positive, we all recognize there are differences between face-to-face classes and online classes that should be taken into consideration for our daily schedule. One of the things we’ve found is that learning in an online format is more efficient. Our teachers have commented that they are able to cover more material in each class session. In our current schedule we have a mixture of 45 and 90 minute classes. While both work well face-to-face, we think a 70 minute class may be more ideal in this new online platform.

Therefore we have made some adjustments to the daily schedule for Middle and High School students. Making these shifts will allow us to address issues such as prolonged screen time, provide appropriate breaks between classes, allow students to focus more intently but with fewer classes each day, and provide additional time for students to connect with teachers before and after the class schedule. We believe this schedule allows for more personalization of learning and is more sustainable for students and teachers in the weeks ahead. Of course, we will be monitoring and evaluating these changes and, if needed, we will be ready to make additional adjustments for the benefit of students.

Lower School Daily Schedule
The Lower School daily schedule will remain very much the same with adjustments (such as Zoom sessions occurring at a consistent time) that will be reflected on each teacher’s page of MyGAC. Students will still have the flexibility of working through activities at their own pace or following a more structured schedule that more closely mirrors a typical school day. Daily activities will still be posted each morning on teachers’ pages.

GAC Activities and Events
The month of April contains many significant events in the life of students in all three school levels. Some events, like Prom on Friday, April 17, we are postponing - not canceling - with plans to reschedule when it is safe once again to gather in large groups. We will announce plans for other annual events at a later date, but as of now all activities through April 24 are canceled or postponed. We will be working to reschedule as many of those activities as is feasible. My prayer is that we will be able to preserve many of our spring celebrations and events, especially for our seniors.

As of today, we remain thankful that we have no known members of the GAC family that have tested positive for COVID-19. We pray this continues to be the case. However, if you or someone in your immediate household is diagnosed with COVID-19 we continue to ask that you notify our Director of School Life, Jimmy Chupp. We continue to welcome your feedback and encourage you to visit the COVID-19 Updates page for any updates or communication you may have missed.

I am thankful for every GAC family and I pray daily for your well-being and protection. I hope you have a wonderful Spring Break, filled with joy and meaningful family time. We look forward to resuming our online classes on April 6, and I can’t wait to be back on campus together soon. May God bless your family and our entire GAC community.

Scott

Scott Harsh, Ed. D
President

U.S. State Department Travel Advisories
CDC Global Travel Health Notices
CDC COVID-19 and travel within the U.S.

Spartan Family, 

You made it to Wednesday afternoon! Hopefully you've enjoying the early end to the school day and this wonderful spring weather. Here's a short video announcing our #GACFamilyChallenge. You can check our social channels to see my family's submission and consider sending yours in by Friday morning.

Scott Harsh, Ed.D
President

Dear GAC Parents,
I am so encouraged by our first day of online classes.  It has truly been a successful day. Your feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we loved seeing the photos of your students in their online learning environment.  We continue to be grateful for how you and your student(s) have responded to this move to online learning with grace, understanding, and a positive spirit. The feedback from our teachers has also been equally positive, with many commenting that our students adapted exceptionally well to the online learning platform with eager engagement and a real desire to learn. 

Please continue to share your photos, stories, and feedback.  We shared some of your photos below and on social media (I hope you are following us).

Yesterday we shared a google form to collect your feedback, and from your questions, we’ve started an FAQ page that will be updated regularly and placed on our COVID-19 Updates webpage. Please use this resource to stay informed and continue to submit questions you may have. While we love to hear your positive feedback, we also need to know what isn’t working well so that we can respond. As a reminder, we’ve set up an IT Hotline (770-243-2388) with additional staffing to ensure our students, teachers, and parents have access to real-time support for any technology issues that may arise.

With day one of our online classes complete, I continue to be grateful for the opportunity we have to serve your family. We are committed to providing the very best in learning, engagement, and support for each student and your family. As a community, let’s resolve that in this season of physical distance, that we will creatively and proactively create ways to connect remotely, to celebrate our students and teachers, and to work together to strengthen our families and our community. Let’s be attuned to each other in support and love. We will get through this temporary crisis, and I believe that together we will emerge a stronger community.

Thank you for your partnership,
Scott Harsh, Ed. D
President

Dear Parents,
Thank you for your patience and support as we’ve finalized our online learning plans. As a change of pace, we made a short video today that I hope will help you and your family know what to expect in the days ahead.  For the video I interviewed our two Instructional Lead Teachers (ILTs), Crystal Downs and Derek Wilson, and asked them to answer “what will my child’s day look like during online learning” and other questions you may have.  

As a reminder, the Online Learning Schedule will run Tuesday - Friday of this week.  Then, Monday March 23 will again be a Student Holiday. The additional Student Holiday is intended to provide a break for your child and time for planning and additional training for teachers.

Beyond teacher specific questions, in the event you have challenges with your device (Macbook, iPad or accessing Zoom), feel free to contact our IT Helpdesk via a HelpDesk ticket or call our IT Hotline 770-243-2388. We’ve worked to allocate our IT Staff to be responsive to your needs as quickly as possible.

We’ve also created a Google form so you can submit questions you may have. We are committed to serving your student/s and your family well during this time so I encourage you to make use of this tool.  In addition to responding to your individual questions, we plan to use your questions to create an FAQs page which will be posted to our COVID-19 Updates webpage.

For those of you with students in 6-12th grade, I want to call your attention to one action item your student(s) need to take within the next 24 hours.  In order to facilitate a secure testing environment, your student will need to access the system used by our Ethos School which utilizes a Lockdown Browser. Students will be receiving login information later today for Ethos via email from noreply@mrooms.net. This email will give instructions with a username and temporary password. Students should click the link and create  their password. Students will take their major tests and quizzes by logging in at https://lms.ethosschool.org/login.  Please bookmark this site for future reference. Your teachers will be providing further instructions, but it’s important for students to set up their login with Ethos now. If you do not receive an email from Ethos by 8:00 AM, March 17, please email Tasha Jenkins.

We continue to be grateful for your partnership.  I hope you find the video below to be helpful. 

Scott 
Scott Harsh, Ed. D
President

Dear GAC Family,

Today was a productive day of preparing students for success during our online learning days.  Teachers and students held practice zoom sessions, talked about daily expectations, ensured needed software and applications were accessible, and identified communication pathways.  Our goal is for our students to feel confident in the process. The work we have completed this week will be important to maintaining academic progress and sustaining a sense of community — albeit in a different setting — among our students and their teachers.

As we progress and build on our plan for Online Learning, it is important to recognize that this plan is not the same as our past plans around GAC Cyber Days. Students and teachers will be following a typical day schedule (8:30-3:15) utilizing our online learning platform. This will include a structured schedule for students and attendance will be taken for student participation. This will provide students with consistency in the structure of the school day, as well as awareness of exactly when each teacher is available and providing instruction.

What does this look like?

• Teachers will be available for instruction and questions during their normal class periods each day for Middle and High School. Village and Elementary School students will have each academic subject every day and their Specials (art, PE, music, Spanish, etc.) teachers will be posting activities on their page in MyGAC.
• Most grade levels and classes will utilize Zoom, a video conferencing platform for synchronous class lessons. 
• Teachers will utilize Loom, a video podcasting platform for effective communication. 
• Instructional sessions will be recorded with 24/7 access.
• Office hours/Help sessions will be hosted before and after school – as normal. GAC will continue to build and maintain strong connections between teachers and students through our online learning platform. 

Our team of teachers, counselors, and administrators will work to recognize and address areas of concern for students and families as they come up.  If you have a question related to our shift to online learning, please reach out to your child’s teacher (grades K-5), Lauren Hollier (grades 6-8), or Matt Beasley (grades 9-12).

Reminder, Monday is a student holiday, allowing our teachers another day to finalize their plans.  On Monday, you will receive a more detailed email with student expectations and processes for the online learning days.  Young Learners families, you will receive a specific email as well. You may also check our COVID-19 webpage and your School level group pages inside MyGAC for information.

This is an unprecedented time.  While we are all facing challenges, I want to encourage you to consider the opportunity during the next two weeks for your family to spend more time together, to rest, have family dinners, to plan game nights, to read, and to enjoy an extended time together with far fewer interruptions and distractions.  While this is not a scenario that we would have wished for, let’s use it as an opportunity to strengthen our families.  

Over the weekend, we recommend that you think about spaces and needs for productive learning free from distraction in your home. Students will need a quiet location to work each day.  We also recommend creating a daily schedule and routine that includes plenty of sleep, physical exercise, good nutrition, social time with family members, and time outside. This will help you and your child feel a sense of routine and normality during this disruption.

During the next few weeks we will be communicating with you often.  We’ll also be praying for you and we ask that you join us in praying for our GAC community.  As I said goodbye to our elementary students and families in carpool today, I was struck with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the relationships we share.  We are blessed with an incredible community, amazing teachers, and phenomenal students. We will miss seeing you during the next few weeks and will be excited to be back together just as soon as it is possible.  

May God bless your family,
Scott

Dear GAC Family, 
As I shared in my letter earlier this afternoon, our senior leadership team continues to monitor the situation and be proactive while striving to communicate clear and comprehensive information with you.  

I imagine most of you are now aware of Governor Brian Kemp's statement during today’s 3:00 p.m. press conference.  Citing the rapid rise of the Coronavirus in Georgia, Governor Kemp issued a call to action that schools should consider closing as early as tomorrow through the next two weeks.

Earlier today we announced our plan to begin utilizing our Online Learning platform Monday, March 16.  While we had hoped to stay open into next week, that is no longer a possibility. Based on Governor Kemp’s announcement, we have now decided to shift completely to our online learning platform beginning Monday and continuing for the next two weeks, followed by our week of Spring Break, March 30 - April 3.  

This means that all students (Young Learners - 12th grade) will not come to campus Monday, March 16 through April 3. We recognize the hardship this creates as many of you will need to reorient your schedule, however, our highest commitment remains the safety and welfare of our students and community. Monday will be a student holiday and teacher workday.  Our teachers will be making final plans to support online learning for the next two weeks with content creation, testing our digital tools and applications, and fully preparing for this shift.

We remain confident in our ability to deliver engaged and meaningful instruction through our online learning platform.  We also recognize that we are navigating uncharted territory. We are ready to be fully responsive with deep levels of support with ongoing communication to our entire GAC community.  

Over the next few days we will update you with a more thorough list of GAC activities that will be canceled or postponed, as well as, greater details that will help you as you prepare for this shift to online learning.

Thank you for your ongoing support. 

Scott Harsh, Ed. D.
President 

Dear GAC Family, 
As we continue to monitor the evolving situation around COVID-19, our priority remains the health and well-being of the entire GAC community.  We are constantly monitoring the situation, making adjustments, and striving to communicate clear and comprehensive information with you. Please know that at this time, there are no known cases of COVID-19 within the GAC community. 

As you know, yesterday the World Health Organization (WHO) elevated the COVID-19 virus to pandemic level.  The core team of our senior leadership is meeting multiple times each day to review advisories from the CDC, Department of Health and other agencies, within the context of the goals for the GAC family.

The purpose of this letter is to:
1) Inform you of our plans to close the campus Monday, March 16 (K4-12, with Young Learners remaining open) to conduct a full day preparedness test of our online learning platform.
2) Provide clear guidelines for our decision making process for when we would announce a school closure and move to our Online Learning platform.
3) Share the new protocols we’ve instituted to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 during regular school operation.

Monday, March 16 - School Closed for Preparedness Test
My last letter (dated March 9) informed you of our work during this past Monday’s Professional Development Day that focused on refining our plans and processes for online learning in the event of a closure related to COVID-19.  It was a very successful day, due to the dedication of the GAC faculty and leaders. Our early adoption to a digital learning environment years ago, as well as, our most recent two years of supporting and growing a consistent online platform through Ethos (GAC's online school) has allowed us to be well-prepared. We are indebted to the hours of dedication and work of our stellar faculty led by Dr. Betty Morris, our Instructional Lead Teachers - Crystal Downs and Derek Wison, and our Academic Deans, Matt Beasley, Lauren Hollier, and Jill Baker.  I’m also grateful for the spirit of our faculty as they have responded to this challenge with energy, grace, and great care for our students. We are blessed with a phenomenal faculty and staff.  

Due to the escalating nature of the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States and Georgia, we feel that it is necessary to take the next step in preparing our students for the potential of moving to a full online learning environment.  There are over 100 universities and colleges that have already made this decision. While we are not currently making the same decision today, it is prudent to realize that we may need to do so in the future.  

Therefore, we are announcing that Monday, March 16 will be a GAC Online Learning Day. This will allow us to fully test the process and technology.  We are asking all students to stay home on Monday and follow the instructions sent to them for an online school day.  We will work with the students on Friday, March 13 to ensure they are ready for Monday.

Our teachers, instructional lead teachers, technology team and senior leaders have worked together to create a great plan for Monday.  We will be ready to respond with assistance to ensure our students and parents have the tools, resources, and communication needed to be successful.  We are hopeful to be back together on campus on Tuesday to address and resolve any issues that surfaced during the day. We feel this is an important step because if GAC was required to close, issues would be more complicated to resolve with everyone at home.

Varsity practices and games will continued as scheduled for Monday March 16.  All other levels will be canceled. All other co-curricular activities and practices are canceled.  Any exceptions will be communicated by program leaders.

Thresholds for School Closure
It is our sincere hope that GAC will continue to operate as normal on campus, but the current situation calls for contingency planning. The following thresholds have been determined for the potential closing of our physical campus and shift to our Online Learning platform:

1. A GAC student or employee tests positive for COVID-19: 

• School is closed until further notice. 

1. A GAC parent, guardian, or household member tests positive for COVID-19: 

• Testing is mandated for student(s) in that household and those who have been in close contact with the individual. 
  • If negative, the student(s) may return after a 14 day self-isolation with a physician's clearance. 
  • If the student tests positive, GAC will shift to Threshold #1 cited above: school is closed until further notice. 

1.  A parent, guardian, household member, employee, or student has close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19:

• Student or employee must remain in self-isolation until more information can be determined. 
• The person in question is tested. 
  • If the test is positive, then the student or employee is tested. 
  • If the student or employee tests positive, GAC will shift to Threshold #1 cited above: school is closed until further notice.
  • If negative, a student or employee may return after a 14 day self-isolation and a physician's clearance. 

As this COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, we ask that you notify Jimmy Chupp, Director of School Life immediately if you or your student is exposed to someone who has tested positive and that you keep your student/s home.

Of course, if the CDC, Department of Health, Governor, or another agency with authority gives guidance for schools on closure, we will follow that directive. 

New Prevention/Wellness Protocols 
Following the protocols for social distancing, we are reducing the number of large group interactions, providing additional space for instruction and activity when possible, and limiting the number of non-parent campus visitors.  In addition, we’ve instituted new procedures for our dining hall and lunchtime.  

• Expanding the spaces utilized for dining to include the Long Forum for Middle and High school and individual classrooms in Lower School, which will allow students to minimize close social interactions.
• Discontinuance of all self-serve stations. All food will now be served by a Sage employee, or it will be pre-packaged.
• Switching to single-use utensil kits containing a napkin, salt, and pepper, which allows GAC to remove communal napkin holders, as well as salt and pepper shakers from tables.
• Discontinuance of all communal beverage dispensers. Fountain drinks and single-serve disposable vessels will now be utilized.
• Our dining team has been trained on what to do to reduce the chances of spreading the virus; we are tripling our efforts to provide a safe and clean dining experience, including reviewing proper procedures for handwashing, glove use, and the sanitization of all areas.

Service Hours for Graduation and Student Credit
Many of you have asked about the annual service hour requirements in light of our decision to cancel upcoming mission trips and service days. While we still hope your child will look for opportunity to engage in service, we realize the hardship these cancellations pose and the challenge in this current environment to find service opportunities.  With that in mind, we are awarding each student who was scheduled to serve on a Spring Mission Trip or Service Day the full number of hours associated with their intended experience. In addition, we are hopeful we will be able to promote additional service activities later this spring.  We hope this removes any anxiety students may have had from missing an opportunity to gain needed service hours and we also hope it will further a desire for students to serve in their home, neighborhood, community, and the world.  

In closing, I want to share a message of hope and perspective.  But rather than sharing my words, I want to share the inspired word recorded by the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:7-8. I received these words of encouragement today from a GAC parent and friend, and I am passing them along to you with the same intent. “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair”. 

I hope these words remind us of the eternal perspective to which we are called and of the hope that cannot be taken away.  May God guide us in our decisions and actions as we care for our students and each member of the GAC community.

With gratitude,

Scott Harsh, Ed.D
President

Dear GAC Family, 
As we monitor the situation around COVID-19 our priority remains the health and well-being of the entire GAC community.  Please know that at this time, there are no known cases of COVID-19 within the GAC community. 

Today, as students hopefully enjoyed a day away from school, our PK-12 faculty refined and expanded our online learning plans in response to the evolving situation with our students’ continued academic progress as our top priority.  We will continue to share relevant information as quickly as possible:  

Travel Considerations
We have decided to cancel all GAC-sponsored spring break trips (both domestic and international locations).  Details will be shared by each of the trip leaders with the students on a trip-by-trip basis in the next few days.

We are aware of the many plans GAC families make each year for spring break (Monday, March 30 - Friday, April 3). However, we strongly recommend that you not travel to the five COVID-19  CDC Level 2 or Level 3 areas (currently China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, and Japan).  

GAC will continue to observe the CDC guidelines and will follow their lead should this list be expanded. Like many U.S. organizations and in accordance with CDC guidelines, we ask GAC students, parents, faculty, staff and volunteers who plan to travel in the next few weeks to these areas, or whose household members are returning from those areas, not to return to school (including any school activities on or off campus) until a 14-day period has elapsed following their return. As with other extended absences due to illness or extenuating circumstances, students who must self-quarantine will not be penalized academically in any regard.

If you are planning to travel to these areas or if you have come in close contact with someone who has traveled to those countries or been diagnosed with COVID-19, we ask you to inform Jimmy Chupp, the Director of School Life.  Should your student require quarantine after travel, we are prepared to support your student at home with the very best in online learning supported by our GAC teachers with opportunity for regular communication and assistance.

Prevention on Campus
In the meantime, we continue to take a proactive and preventative stance.  We are reminding families and faculty of precautions to follow, including, as always, staying home if they are sick or with a temperature of greater than 100 degrees.  Visit our COVID-19 webpage where you will find previous emails from me outlining our prevention plans and any future GAC updates regarding this situation.  

Planning for Possible School Disruption 
It is our sincere hope that GAC will continue to operate as normal without disruption, but the current situation calls for contingency planning.  

Status 1: School is Open, Potential of Increased Absences
GAC already has experience with a hybrid model of instructional continuity with face-to-face learning while at the same time supporting students at home, ensuring they receive relevant instruction and the opportunity to participate and collaborate from a distance.  If your student experiences an extended absence this spring, our teachers are ready to provide instruction, engaged learning, and regular communication to support their progress and learning.  If you believe your student will be away from school for multiple days, please communicate with your child’s teacher (through 5th grade) or your school level Academic Dean, either Lauren Hollier in Middle School, or Matt Beasley in the High School, so that we can ensure seamless communication and full support.  

Status 2: Campus is Closed, Learning Continues Online
Today, in anticipation of this possibility all faculty spent the day updating our plans for all school levels (Early Childhood through High School) to deliver instruction and foster uninterrupted and meaningful learning in the midst of the disruption of our daily operations for a short or an extended period of time.  GAC is a leader in digital and online learning methodologies. While we hope we do not have to close our physical campus, if we do, our teachers will be ready. If and when this decision is made, we will communicate detailed plans with daily updates by teachers via myGAC. GAC has experience with past cyberdays as well as with the launch of Ethos, our online platform, and we are now more prepared than ever before. We are confident we can provide the very best in learning, communication, and care for our students during a time when we are not able to be together on campus.

Communication with GAC
Moving forward, please know that any urgent information will be disseminated schoolwide via an email from me or via our emergency notification system. In addition, our principals will be in frequent contact with you regarding curricular and other specifics that are more divisional in nature. Finally, we will continue to send out the Weekly News on Thursdays with the regular highlights and updates that it usually includes.

While the threat posed by the spread of Covid-19 is concerning, we remain hopeful and faithful.  We serve a God who is more powerful than any virus or disease, and He has called us to keep our eyes fixed on Him.  So, let’s continue to be wise and careful in our planning, and let’s be full of care in our words and actions with each other, especially with our students.  We parent and teach a generation that is already said to be the most anxious of all time.  We have an opportunity in the way we respond to this current crisis to lead them with love.   Let’s not miss this most important lesson of the year.

Scott

Scott Harsh, Ed. D.
President

Dear GAC Parents,

Thank you for your response to my letter last Thursday regarding the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). As we take both practical and proactive steps to the growing global health concern, we remain committed to the safety of our students and the larger GAC community.  

As you know, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) still considers the immediate health threat of COVID-19 to be low for the general public. However, we are mindful of the concerns for students with weakened immunities, students with spring/summer mission trips and study abroad plans, in addition to individuals undertaking personal travel, either domestic or international, and the potential concerns their return could present.  

Additionally, yesterday afternoon a group of GAC leaders met and discussed each of the upcoming planned GAC-sponsored trips.  At that meeting the decision was made to cancel the Thailand mission trip scheduled for late May.  Students involved in that trip will be contacted by the trip leaders directly.  Moving forward decisions will be made on a trip-by-trip basis.  

We want to be wise in regards to health, safety, and other issues associated with trips and travel.  We are closely monitoring travel advisories, considering time tables for fundraising and trip payments, talking with leaders in the other locations to which we are planning to travel, and carefully considering the health and well being of our students and community.  We will update you as we make additional decisions.  

As a reminder, our emergency plan mirrors plans recommended by federal and local health agencies and calls for the following responses to help prevent situations such as the spread of the COVID-19.  In addition to the general plan, we will continue to adapt as the situation warrants. For now, we have:

• Increased our promotion of healthy hygiene on campus.
• Increased the availability of tissues and hand sanitizers in classrooms and common areas.
• Increased individual surface cleaning in classrooms and common areas.
• Intensified routine disinfecting operations.
• Continued monitoring of our attendance patterns.  Please be sure to inform us if you or your child becomes sick.
• Continued review of our ability to pivot to online learning in both short-term and long-term situations. 

If you choose to travel personally, please:

• Monitor the CDC and the State Department websites.
• Please avoid locations where the threat of COVID-19 is increased.
• If you travel to locations of increased threat, please follow the advisories stated by health professionals.   

We covet your prayers and your support for our efforts. We are committed to doing the things we can do to protect our students and at the same time we walk in faith, lifting our eyes to remember that our help comes from the Lord. Let’s be cautious and hopeful, wise and joyful, and faithful in our response to this growing concern.  

Again, if you have any questions or concerns, please direct them to Jimmy Chupp, Director of School Life, or to one of our school nurses, Annabelle Townsend or Kristin Wilson. 

Scott Harsh, Ed. D.
President

For more information please visit these official websites:
CDC
GA Department of Health

Dear GAC Parents,

As you are well aware, there is growing concern globally in regards to the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). While the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has stated that the immediate risk of this new virus to the American public is low, we want to assure you that we are taking precautionary steps. Our highest priority is the safety of our students and staff, and GAC leaders are proactively monitoring the information as it is released by the CDC, the Georgia Department of Health, and other organizations that deal directly with schools.   

Each year we take steps at GAC to reduce the spread of the seasonal flu and other communicable diseases including the intensive cleaning and disinfecting of all student areas. The disinfectant solution regularly used by GAC kills flu, strep, MRSA, and other communicable germs. 

The CDC and public health officials continue to encourage the use of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) as the best defense against the spread of respiratory viruses, including the flu, Coronavirus, and other illnesses. These include measures such as:

• Staying home when you, or your child are sick. Please keep your child home when he or she is sick. As stated in our Student-Parent Handbook, students should be fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of medication such as Advil and Tylenol before returning to school.
• Covering your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or upper arm if a tissue is unavailable. We will make sure that tissues are readily available in all classrooms and encourage students to practice healthy hand, cough, and sneeze hygiene.
• Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are unavailable. We will make sure that hand sanitizers are readily available throughout the campus. 
• Cleaning of frequently touched surfaces and objects (such as handrails, door knobs, and bathrooms).  Our housekeeping team has already increased surface cleaning in addition to our standard disinfecting measures.  
• The CDC is still recommending flu vaccines for everyone 6 months of age or older.  It is not too late for the vaccine. 

We will continue to monitor the situation and update our emergency management plan as needed to address this specific situation. Although a temporary closure of campus is not anticipated, GAC is well-prepared to conduct cyber school days using the best platforms and strategies with our online instruction in ways that support authentic and engaged learning. 

We are especially mindful of the potential impact to upcoming mission trips and study abroad programs planned for later this spring and summer.  

Please pray for those affected by this disease and their families; wisdom for the medical professionals involved; and protection of our community.  If you have any questions or concerns, please direct them to Jimmy Chupp, Director of School Life, or to one of our school nurses, Annabelle Townsend or Kristin Wilson. 

Scott
Scott Harsh, Ed. D
President

For more information please visit these official websites:
CDC
GA Department of Health