METRO ATLANTA — Thousands of students across Metro Atlanta are celebrating the end of the school year today, with several districts officially kicking off summer break. But while kids enjoy their last bus rides and final goodbyes, school leaders are already focused on what’s ahead for the fall.

In Atlanta Public Schools, Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson says his team is preparing to evaluate safety measures over the summer, a priority that’s only grown following last fall’s school shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County.

“Anytime something happens outside of your district in this day and time, it puts you in a tough spot for a while,” Johnson said.

In addition to safety, APS will explore expanding cell phone restrictions, following a pilot program at Midtown High School that Johnson says showed promising results.

Meanwhile, in DeKalb County, Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton is preparing for potential changes that could impact where students attend school in the near future. Today marks the last day of classes for the district, but work is already underway on what Horton calls a “student assignment planning process.”

“We’re looking at the history of DeKalb, the disconnection of our facilities, our educational programming, and our attendance boundaries,” Horton explained. “It’s an opportunity for us to reimagine how school districts look.”

That reimagining could mean school consolidations and closures. Horton says the district is currently operating with more than 15,000 empty seats and expects to make formal recommendations by February. The redistricting process would begin next school year and be implemented in phases.

Summer break may be just beginning, but the planning underway points to a school year full of change ahead.