Gwinnett extends deadline to choose learning option for next semester

Gwinnett County Public Schools' bus. (AJC file photo)

Gwinnett County Public Schools' bus. (AJC file photo)

Gwinnett County Public Schools is giving families a two-week extension to choose whether their children will be learning in person or remotely next semester.

The initial deadline was Sunday. The new deadline is Nov. 29. The semester begins Jan. 6.

Families are asked to select their preference online through the parent portal. Those who have already made a selection can change it until the new deadline, according to a school district news release. Any updated preferences will be shown the following school day.

About 55% of Gwinnett students are learning online-only this semester. Some other metro Atlanta school districts, including Atlanta Public Schools, Clayton County schools and the DeKalb County School District, remain fully virtual.

As of Friday, Gwinnett reported 121 active positive cases of COVID-19 among staff and students who had been in schools learning or participating in extracurricular activities. Another 164 cases were suspected. Of those, 28 positive cases and 24 suspected cases were newly reported Thursday.

The coronavirus case count is trending upward in the state and nationally. As of Monday, there were 387,930 total confirmed cases and 8,471 confirmed deaths in Georgia since March, according to state data.