GPTC Coronavirus (COVID-19) Emergency Announcements

This page is for emergency messaging and health guidance information only and will be updated should a critical need arise.

UPDATED Friday, February 12, 2021
11:00 a.m.

GPTC will resume normal, on-campus operations** beginning Monday, March 1, Monday through Thursday, with virtual appointments available with faculty and staff members on Fridays.

In-person, face-to-face classes will resume through staggered class schedules to ensure adequate space for social distancing. Instruction will be delivered remotely/online otherwise. On-campus limited labs* will continue as previously held. Students should stay in contact with their instructors for guidance about their courses and to determine when they are expected to attend classes and labs in person.

* Limited labs are those which require in-person instruction, such as lab-intensive and clinical courses requiring physical interaction and onsite equipment. GPTC’s limited labs will adhere to social distancing and classroom/lab capacity guidelines.

**MASKS, SOCIAL DISTANCING AND FRONT ENTRANCE SIGN-INS ARE REQUIRED ON CAMPUS

UPDATED Wednesday, January 20, 2021
11:00 a.m.

COVID-19 cases continue to rise in our region. To protect and maintain the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff against the spread of the virus, Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s Spring Semester 2021 lecture-based classes will continue in a VIRTUAL/ONLINE format until further notice. In-person/on-campus limited labs* will resume on Monday, January 25.

UPDATED Thursday, January 7, 2021
1:00 p.m.

UPDATED Sunday, November 15, 2020
10:00 p.m.

THANKSGIVING SAFETY: Please follow the safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) linked below as you plan your Thanksgiving Holiday gatherings.

Thanksgiving Holiday Safety Advice from the CDC

 

UPDATED Wednesday, November 11, 2020
11:00 a.m.

GPTC campuses CLOSED beginning at noon, Nov. 11, through Nov. 13

On November 11, Georgia Piedmont Technical College was notified of three confirmed COVID 19 cases among its staff. Out of an abundance of caution, we will be closing all GPTC campuses today, Wednesday, November 11, at 12 noon through Friday, November 13, for extensive sanitation and cleaning. All online classes will continue as scheduled. There is no higher priority than the safety and health of our students, faculty and staff.

 

UPDATED Tuesday, April 21, 2020
3:30 p.m.

GPTC campuses will remain CLOSED until further notice. Summer classes to begin in an all-online format on May 18.

Out of caution related to health concerns resulting from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and in accordance with Governor Brian Kemp’s Executive Order 03.26.20.02, all schools within the Technical College System of Georgia will remain closed for in-person instruction with limited exceptions through the rest of the Spring 2020 semester. Georgia Piedmont Technical College transitioned to all online classes beginning March 23 and will continue to hold classes only via digital platforms for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester.

Students should look for specific guidance from instructors regarding limited exceptions where in-person/lab instruction will be allowed on an individual, case-by-case basis and should continue to monitor their GPTC Student Email and Blackboard accounts for communication from their instructors.

Summer Semester 2020 begins on Monday, May 18, in an all-online/digital learning format as well. It is our hope that we can resume in-person instruction on campus at some point during the summer, but the safety of our students, faculty and staff is our first priority.

During this time of campus closure, the college faculty and staff is maintaining customer service hours and contact via phone, Blackboard and email. GPTC Directory

Please continue to follow all updates at https://www.gptc.edu/coronavirus-covid-19-updates/ and by checking college email accounts and social media.

 

UPDATED Thursday, March 26, 2020
7:30 p.m.

GPTC campuses will remain CLOSED until further notice.

Out of caution related to health concerns resulting from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and in accordance with Governor Brian Kemp’s Executive Order 03.26.20.02, all schools within the Technical College System of Georgia will remain closed for in-person instruction with limited exceptions through the rest of the Spring 2020 semester. Georgia Piedmont Technical College transitioned to all online classes beginning March 23 and will continue to hold classes via digital platforms only for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester. Students should look for specific guidance from instructors regarding limited exceptions where in-person instruction will be allowed and should continue to monitor their GPTC Student email and Blackboard account for communication from their instructors.

There will be no in-person classes until the first day of the Summer 2020 semester on Monday, May 18.

During this time of campus closure, the college faculty and staff is maintaining customer service hours and contact via phone, Blackboard and email. GPTC Directory

Certain faculty and staff may be required to report on campus and should contact their supervisor for guidance.

Please continue to follow all updates at https://www.gptc.edu/coronavirus-covid-19-updates/ and by checking college email accounts and social media.

 

UPDATED Thursday, March 19, 2020
1:00 p.m.

GPTC campuses will remain CLOSED to students and guests through Sunday, April 5.

All Spring semester classes will resume via online platforms including Blackboard on March 23. There will be no in-person classes until Monday, April 13.

During this time of campus closure, the college faculty and staff is maintaining customer service hours and contact via phone and email.

During the college’s Spring Break, April 6-10, the campuses will be open to serve students applying for admission and registering for Summer semester classes.

Please continue to follow all updates at https://www.gptc.edu/coronavirus-covid-19-updates/ and by checking college email accounts and social media.

 

UPDATED Sunday, March 15, 2020
3:15 p.m.

In light of health concerns resulting from the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Georgia Piedmont Technical College will suspend all classes, including online classes and GED classes and GED testing, for the week of March 16, 2020. The suspension period will give us time to work with our faculty to make this challenging transition in our teaching and learning methods. Effective Monday, March 23, all classes will resume using alternative methods of online instructional delivery, including via Blackboard. Be reminded that all campus locations in DeKalb, Newton and Rockdale counties will be closed to students and guests until further notice.

During this time of campus closure, the college will maintain customer service hours and contact via phone and email. The college’s leadership and faculty will continue to develop answers, adjust plans as necessary and communicate frequently via college email, social media accounts, the emergency alert system and the college website at www.gptc.edu. Students should be diligent to check their college email accounts routinely for updates from their instructors and advisors.

In addition, all college activities, meetings and events from March 16 through March 29 are either cancelled or postponed until further notice. The college will announce plans for any activities, meetings and events previously scheduled for after March 29 at a later date.

The following previously scheduled events and activities are either cancelled or postponed until further notice:

March 16:  GED Orientation South DeKalb AM Session
March 16:  GED Orientation Newton AM Session
March 16:  GED Orientation South DeKalb PM Session
March 16:  GED Orientation Newton PM Session
March 17:  ESL Registration – DeKalb/Starnes Center Day Program
March 17:  GED Orientation Rockdale PM Session
March 18:  Student Success Center (DeKalb) Research Paper and PowerPoint workshops
March 23:  ESL Registration – Rockdale Evening
March 24:  Let’s Talk About Non-Traditional Careers Summit
March 24:  Student Success Center (DeKalb) GALILEO & Citation Formats workshops
March 26:  Spring Career Fair

UPDATED Friday, March 13, 2020
3:10 p.m.

* In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and as a precautionary measure, Georgia Piedmont Technical College campuses will be closed to students and guests beginning Monday, March 16, and until further notice. All in-person instructional activities and campus events are suspended. Web-based courses will resume on Monday, March 23. In addition, all on-campus events and activities are cancelled or will be postponed until further notice.

Faculty and staff should consult supervisors for additional details. Faculty members will be available by email to address student inquiries. GPTC Directory

During the closure, GPTC campuses will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.

Please return to this web page often for all updates related to college operations and plans.*

The health and safety of Georgia Piedmont Technical College students, faculty, and staff continue to be our top priority.

We are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to provide updates to our campus community via email and through this web page when any new relevant information warrants a change in our response to this issue. If there is a known risk to the campus, this information will be provided through the Georgia Piedmont Technical College Emergency Alert System, via email, through social media, and on this website to quickly reach students, faculty, and staff.

All college custodial teams are following best-practice guidelines and taking extra steps to deep clean our campuses, particularly “high-touch” points such as door knobs, railings, door handles, bathroom push doors, and light switches.

As a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

• Practice social distancing. This means creating a space of 6 feet between you and other people when out in public and avoiding public spaces altogether. Please stay home if you are able.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Opt into the Georgia Piedmont Tech Emergency Notification System

Now is good time make sure that you have opted into the GPTC Emergency Notification System. If you have not, you can opt in from your phone to receive text messages.

Text these two words to 30890: join emergency

Bookmark the pages below for the latest official information about the coronavirus

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Official Coronavirus Webpage
• World Health Organization Official Coronavirus Webpage
• CDC Official Map of Confirmed US Cases