Achieving Excellence
To Parents/Families and LEAs
The Georgia Academy for the Blind staff are working to open school for the 2020-2021 school year as scheduled with students reporting to school in person! That means the first day of school for students is Monday, August 3, 2020. The top priority for all of us is to open school safely. Although we are working hard to open school on time, we know we will need to be flexible given the current unfolding circumstances related to COVID-19. If the reopening date changes, the Georgia Academy for the Blind staff will inform you as soon as possible. The school calendar for 2020-2021 is posted to this site.
We will provide plans for our Open House which is on Sunday, August 2, 2020, as we get closer to reopening and know the social distancing guidance in place at that time.
I hope you are having a nice summer time and enjoying family events. We will stay in touch. Email, text, or call if you have any concerns.
Always,
Cindy
Cindy B. Gibson, Ed.D., T.V.I.
Superintendent
Georgia Academy for the Blind
Distance learning for the Georgia Academy for the Blind ended on May 15, 2020. Thank you to parents/families for working with staff to return student issued technology devices. Staff are working on a plan to open the 2020-2021 school year. The plan will depend on many factors as students come to GAB from many school districts. When a plan has been finalized, it will be shared with parents and school districts. Staff are committed to ensuring that a reopening plan has students‘ safety as the priority.
La educación a distancia para la Academia para Ciegos de Georgia finalizó el 15 de mayo de 2020. Gracias a los padres / familias por trabajar con el personal para devolver los dispositivos tecnológicos emitidos por los estudiantes. El personal está trabajando en un plan para abrir el año escolar 2020-2021. El plan dependerá de muchos factores a medida que los estudiantes vengan a GAB desde muchos distritos escolares. Cuando se haya finalizado un plan, se compartirá con los padres y los distritos escolares. El personal se compromete a garantizar que un plan de reapertura tenga como prioridad la seguridad de los estudiantes.
GAB Family,
As we prepare to end the 2020 school year in just a few weeks we want to thank our families for patience and ingenuity in addressing the rigors of online instruction. Our GAB teachers have done an awesome job of providing a variety of activities for engagement with instruction. We will continue to update you through the website, Remind app, Panther Press, FaceBook and case manager contacts.
Today Gov. Kemp extended his shelter in place order through June 12, 2020. As a State agency, the Georgia Academy for the Blind is closed. We know your concerns for retrieving your personal items and will provide a plan as soon as we are cleared to do so. In the meantime, campus maintenance is continuing. Part of that cleaning and maintenance is discarding perishable items that were left during closure. When we do return, the campus will have upgraded HVAC and will be ready for occupancy. If you have specific concerns during this time, please reach out to Frank Reynolds for cottage issues frreynol@doe.k12.ga.us or your student’s case manager, or me cgibson@doe.k12.ga.us
GAB intends to serve the WHOLE child and WHOLE family. As we are now into the 7th week of closure, please let us help you with needs which have arisen if we have resources for you.
Stay strong and be good to yourself!
Always,
Cindy
Familia GAB,
Mientras nos preparamos para terminar el año escolar 2020 en solo unas pocas semanas, queremos agradecer a nuestras familias por su paciencia e ingenio para abordar los rigores de la instrucción en línea. Nuestros maestros de GAB han hecho un trabajo increíble al proporcionar una variedad de actividades para comprometerse con la instrucción. Continuaremos actualizándolo a través del sitio web, la aplicación Remind, Panther Press, FaceBook y los contactos del administrador de casos.
Hoy el gobernador Kemp extendió su orden de refugio hasta el 12 de junio de 2020. Como agencia estatal, la Academia para Ciegos de Georgia está cerrada. Conocemos sus inquietudes para recuperar sus artículos personales y le proporcionaremos un plan tan pronto como tengamos autorización para hacerlo. Mientras tanto, el mantenimiento del campus continúa. Parte de esa limpieza y mantenimiento es desechar los artículos perecederos que quedaron durante el cierre. Cuando regresemos, el campus habrá mejorado la HVAC y estará listo para ser ocupado. Si tiene inquietudes específicas durante este tiempo, comuníquese con Frank Reynolds para conocer los problemas de la casa de campo frreynol@doe.k12.ga.us o el administrador de casos de su estudiante, o mí cgibson@doe.k12.ga.us
GAB tiene la intención de servir a TODO el niño y TODA la familia. Como ahora estamos en la séptima semana de cierre, permítanos ayudarlo con las necesidades que surjan si tenemos recursos para usted.
¡Mantente fuerte y sé bueno contigo mismo!
Siempre,
Cindy
In compliance with Governor Kemp's executive order, GAB's campus is closed. Travel is not permitted in our state unless it is for essential travel per Governor Kemp's executive order. If your child left something essential like medicine at school, please contact your child's teacher.
Mensaje importante sobre el cierre de la escuela y los viajes no esenciales En cumplimiento de la orden ejecutiva del gobernador Kemp, el campus de GAB está cerrado. No se permite viajar en nuestro estado a menos que sea para viajes esenciales según la orden ejecutiva del gobernador Kemp. Si su hijo dejó algo esencial como medicina en la escuela, comuníquese con el maestro de su hijo.
Families, Dr. Gibson has asked that anyone who is able please download the remind app so that teachers and the school can be in contact with you. We want to stay in contact with you! Thank you!
FREE MEALS FOR STUDENTS
Students age 21 or younger may be eligible to receive a breakfast and/or lunch through their local school system. To receive a meal, the student does not have to be a student enrolled in the Local Public Schools. Children younger than pre-K or kindergarten age are able to receive meals. Children must be present to receive the meal(s).
Information about individual schools, serving sites, dates and times of availability will be shared on your local school system’s website if they have applied for the USDA waiver to serve. Please click the link below to find where your student can receive a free meal at the local district. Please contact Andrea Johnson State Schools Nutrition Director, 404-558-3857 or email ajohnson@doe.k12.g.aus if you have difficulty in finding the location.
Updated Free Meals List/Lista actualizada de comidas gratis
COMIDAS GRATUITAS PARA ESTUDIANTES
Los estudiantes de 21 años o menos pueden ser elegibles para recibir un desayuno y / o almuerzo a través de su sistema escolar local. Para recibir una comida, no es necesario que el estudiante esté inscrito en las Escuelas Públicas Locales. Los niños menores de pre-kínder o jardín de infantes pueden recibir comidas también. Los niños deben estar presentes para recibir la (s) comida (s).
La información sobre escuelas individuales, sitios de servicio, fechas y horarios de disponibilidad se estaré compartiendo en el sitio web de su sistema escolar local, si ellos han solicitado la exención del USDA para servir. Haga clic en el enlace a continuación para saber en qué distrito escolar local su estudiante puede recibir una comida gratis.
Comuníquese con la Directora de Nutrición de las Escuelas del Estado Andrea Johnson, al 404-558-3857 o envíe un correo electrónico a ajohnson@doe.k12.g.aus si tiene dificultades para encontrar los lugares en los cuales se ofrecerán las comidas. (para espanol: Maria H. 404-326-5096)
Safety Update
Dear families:
As a result of seeking to be as secure as possible, effectively immediately, the access gates will remain locked throughout the day. Gates 2, 3, and 5 will be opened from 7 am to 8:30 in the mornings and opened again from 2:30 to 3:30 in the afternoons. Also, we have a few gate operators assigned to remotely open the gates. You simply call them by pressing the Gate operator button shown in the picture.Once you are parked, remember to bring your license in order to receive a visitor’s badge. To enter the Hendricks school building, you will ring the doorbell which is located on the right and left access door to the building. You press that button and you will gain access to this building where you will sign in and receive a visitor’s badge.
We appreciate your help and patience in this matter.
10 minute video about the Georgia Academy for the Blind, Georgia School for the Deaf and Atlanta Area School for the Deaf
