Hello ICSAtlanta Parents & Staff,

As the local Coronavirus threat has increased, anxiety levels have understandably risen.  I want to take a moment to explain the steps that ICSAtlanta is taking to maintain a safe, healthy school environment for our students, staff, and families.

Registering New Students
Many districts have limited or restricted enrollment of new students from high-risk areas.  Please note that ICSAtlanta does not offer enrollment to any new students after our enrollment cut-off in September.

Student Travel

After today, March 10th, no ICSAtlanta field trips will be approved or taken for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.
Furthermore, ICSAtlanta’s international trip to Austria, Switzerland, and Germany, scheduled for this June, has been cancelled and will be rescheduled with EF tours for the summer of 2020-2021.  Over the next few days, we will be in contact with parents of students affected by this change.

Community Events
The ICSAtlanta Run the World 5K and Fun Run has been cancelled.  At this point, we feel that holding this event is too much of a risk for our ICSAtlanta community.  If you have already paid your race registration fees, bought tickets to the pasta dinner, or contributed money as a race sponsor, please consider donating these funds to ICSAtlanta as, with this cancellation, our school will lose a large amount of projected revenue; furthermore, we have already committed to several non-refundable expenses.  If you are unable to do so, we understand and will gladly refund your money.  Please, however, give the race committee time to regroup and determine how to best handle the refund process.  They will be in contact soon.
The silent auction will go-on!  ICSAtlanta will undertake our first, completely-virtual silent auction.  More details will be released soon.

For now, our upper campus drama performance and the French track’s La Kermesse will go on.

Staff members who choose to travel to high-risk areas
Staff members must inform administration via email, prior to returning to work, if they have traveled to areas with a level 3 or 4 Travel Health Notice Advisory for Coronavirus, as identified by the Centers for Disease Control or the US State Department.

Parents who have traveled to high-risk areas or who have students in Georgia schools already impacted by a Coronavirus case
Parents, please inform ICSAtlanta administration via email (info@icsatlanta.org) if you have traveled to areas (within the past 14 days) with a level 3 or 4 Travel Health Notice Advisory for Coronavirus, as identified by the Centers for Disease Control or the US State Department.
Additionally, if you have students in a Georgia school where a Coronavirus case has been identified, please inform ICSAtlanta administration via email (info@icsatlanta.org).

Healthy School Practices
As mentioned in previous emails, ICSAtlanta is monitoring staff and student attendance rates, sanitizing our campuses, encouraging students and staff who are sick to stay home, and encouraging students and staff to wash their hands thoroughly and often.

Health Habits Reminder
Please continue to remind your children of the importance of practicing good hygiene and to keep them home if they have been running a fever or are exhibiting signs of illness.
The CDC and DPH have been very consistent in urging the following measures for all Georgians to help prevent the spread of any respiratory virus: 
• 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.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue to cover it, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
The Department of Public Health will continue updating the community through their   website, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is continuing to update their   website with the most current information as well.

On a final note, please keep in mind that, at this point, it is not  if our school will need to close (for a day, a week, or weeks), but  when we will need to close.  Please do your best to prepare your families for the event of this major disruption to your normal schedules.  We will be here to support our ICSAtlanta community in any way we can. 

We will send out further updates as needed throughout the coming days and weeks.

Sincerely,
Tanya Parker
Executive Director