April 21, 2022, Post Meeting Update
The Fulton County School Board met on Thursday, April 21, 2022, for its regularly scheduled Board meeting at the South Learning Center. The following are highlights of some of the more highly discussed topics, with the full agenda available online. Other topics discussed or approved are available via BoardDocs. Summaries of Board actions can be found here and Board policy updates can be found here.
Superintendent’s Report
Bridge to Success Update
A monthly update on the Bridge to Success plan, the district’s comprehensive strategy to utilize the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP), Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) funds, was presented by Director of Federal Programs, CARES/ARP Montreal Bell. Ms. Bell included information about the work done to help students recover from learning loss and initiatives happening in schools and throughout the district.
Extended Learning, After School Enrichment and High Dosage Small Group tutoring programs are winding down for the 2022 school year. Ms. Bell presented preliminary data indicating how many students participated in each of these programs. She also updated the Board on a variety of other Bridge to Success programs, including Every Child Reads and Expanded Programs.
Summer School registration will continue through May 26. Late registration is also available at the summer learning sites on June 6 & 7. The face-to-face session will take place in 36 schools June 8 through July 8 (Elementary School from 7:40 a.m.-11:40 a.m., Middle School from 8:20 a.m.-12:20 p.m., High School from 8:55 a.m.-1:20 p.m.). Fulton Virtual will take place June 1-July 13 with late registration taking place June 1-6 online. Breakfast, lunch and transportation will be provided at all in-person locations. For more information, visit the FCS Summer School website.
Finally, Ms. Bell discussed findings from the Bridge to Success survey initiated at the beginning of the year. Stakeholders indicated the number one goal of the plan should be focused on helping students recover from learning disruption caused by COVID-19. More information, including monthly financial reports, are available on the FCS Bridge to Success website. See the full presentation here.
FCS Middle College
Deputy Chief Academic Officer Dr. Gyimah Whitaker shared her excitement about Fulton County Schools (FCS) Middle College, a new program that expands the district’s schools, academic offerings, and post-secondary options by offering an alternative pathway to graduation where students earn a high school diploma and two technical college certificates. In collaboration with Atlanta Technical College (ATC), FCS Middle College students will take nine core academic courses while focusing their remaining coursework training in high-wage, high-skill, in-demand career fields. The FCS Middle College effort is part of the Expanded Programs portion of the Bridge to Success Plan.
Dr. Whitaker highlighted some of the programs offered at the school and showed a four-year course program outline. Prior to the Board meeting, FCS held a Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony with ATC solidifying their partnership. McClarin High School is positioned to become Fulton County Schools' first "Middle College" with a completely transformed campus. The program is slated to open in August 2024. More information can be found on the FCS Middle College website. Click here to see the full presentation.
Turnaround Schools Update
Dr. Cherisse Campbell, Zone 1 Superintendent, and Dr. Tamara Candis, Zone 2 Superintendent, co-presented a Turnaround Schools update highlighting the practices designed to improve student achievement and move Fulton County Schools (FCS) off three state designated lists on which eight schools were previously categorized as support and improvement schools based on the 2019 administration of the Georgia Milestones.
Fulton County currently has one traditional school designated as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement School (CSI) – which is a list of the lowest 5% of Title I schools in the state based on a 3-year College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) average. There are two traditional Fulton County schools designated as Targeted Support and Improvement Schools (TSI) – which are schools with at least one subgroup that performed at the lowest 5% of Title I schools on at least 50% of the 2019 CCRPI components. The final state accountability designation is Promise schools – which are schools whose 2019 CCRPI was within the 5 to 10% lowest Title I schools in the state based on a three-year average. There are five traditional Fulton County schools designated as Promise.
The district is focused on the goal of zero failing schools and no schools on any state improvement list. As part of an intensive effort to make sure students continue to grow, FCS will continue to prioritize student engagement using formative assessment data to drive daily instruction, providing support through 1:1 coaching sessions, site visits and strategic support circles. Click here to see the full presentation.
Tiered Flexibility Model
The Board approved three additional Value-Added Flexibilities for two high schools, Chattahoochee and Centennial. These Value-Added Flexibilities will allow the schools to compact course standards so students can receive multiple credits while taking one consolidated course. Additionally, two policy revisions and one policy adoption have been approved by the Board including Requirements for Operation of Official Vehicles, Credit Recovery, and School Admissions.
Annual Perception Survey
Fulton County Schools’ Annual Parent Perception Survey and Annual Employee Perception Survey closes today, Friday, April 22. Answers to the surveys will help the district make improvements to our schools. The survey is anonymous and confidential and should take about 10 minutes to complete. Please complete one survey per school where you have one or more students enrolled. The survey is available in multiple languages.
Milestones Assessments
The Georgia Milestones testing window begins Monday, April 25 and will play a crucial role in assessing how much our students have learned throughout the year. The test measures knowledge and skills in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, and provides critical information about achievement and readiness for the next level of learning. Preparation for the exam and participation is crucial. It is critical the district receives 95% participation from all schools. Dr. Looney urged parents to send their students to school for the test to accurately determine where the district is in relation to the state standards. Click here for a list of frequently asked questions.
Home Internet and Device Safety Parent Meetings
This month, Fulton County Schools is hosting parent information meetings on Home Internet and Device Safety. A panel of experts from the FBI, GBI, AT&T, Common Sense Media, FCS educators and school district leaders will share strategies and information parents can use to protect their families at home. This topic is timely since the school year is winding down and students will soon begin spending more time on their personal devices or using their home internet.
Open to all FCS parents, staff and community members, the meetings will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at two school locations – Tuesday, April 26 (FCS Innovation Academy, Alpharetta) and Thursday, April 28 (Global Impact Academy, Fairburn). Parents will hear tips from each panelist followed by a Q&A session moderated by Dr. Emily Bell, FCS Chief Information Officer. For more information, visit www.fultonschools.org/homeinternetsafety.
Let’s Talk Schools
Check out our new weekly series, Let’s Talk Schools, hosted by Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney, as he chats about all things FCS. Click here to see his discussion with Executive Director of Transportation Vickie Cross.
Extra! Extra!
Find out what is going on at Fulton County Schools. Be sure to check out the special News section of the district’s website for the latest and greatest FCS happenings.
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