Board Bulletin for 12/11/2024
Board Bulletin for 12/11/2024
The Fulton County Board of Education met on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 for its regularly scheduled work session at the North Learning Center. The full agenda is available online via BoardDocs. Meetings are streamed live on the FCS homepage, with recordings available within 48 hours.
Superintendent’s Report
In his report, Dr. Mike Looney noted that December 9-13 is Inclusive Schools Week, an annual international event celebrated the first week in December. It’s a time designated to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of teachers, administrators, students, and parents in making their schools more inclusive.
Swearing In of Board Member Sara Gillespie
The Honorable Cassandra Kirk, Fulton County Chief Magistrate Judge, officiated the swearing-in of Sara Gillespie to the Fulton County School Board of Education. Gillespie, elected by voters to represent District 1, completed the remaining term of outgoing Board Member Katha Stuart, who retired at the end of August. The School Board officially appointed Gillespie effective October 8, with the term ending on December 31, 2024. She will begin her full four-year term on January 1, 2025.
The Future is Fulton: Strategic Plan Update
Executive Director of Strategy and Governance Dr. Ryan Moore shared progress on our district’s strategic plan, The Future is Fulton. This plan continues to guide our efforts to enhance student performance, prioritize safety and operational efficiency, ensure impactful programming, strengthen employee engagement, utilize fiscal resources effectively, and deepen community connections. Every school in the district has submitted its tailored strategic action plan, aligned with our overarching district goals, to support student success and growth. He presented the emerging trends across the district, highlighting key focus areas for schools and outlining goals they will work toward to drive continued progress and improvement. Click here to see the full presentation.
Policy Update
The Board is committed to establishing and maintaining policies, procedures, and operating guidelines that maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of all district divisions. The following policies were presented for action with minor legal changes:
Instructional Calendar
The Instructional Calendar for SY-27 was presented for action. The calendar will be voted on next week at the Board meeting.
Academics Student Services Update
Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Dr. Chris Matthews presented a comprehensive update on the extraordinary work of the district’s Student Support team. He began with school social workers, who have completed more than 15,000 interventions with students and recently implemented a new monitoring tool that prioritizes student safety. Within the first two weeks, social workers identified, intervened, and supported over 25 students in imminent crisis and secured timely, critical support for them and their families.
Throughout this school year, the School Psychology and Intervention teams have completed 2,168 evaluations and more than 26,000 targeted consultations. Additionally, the Counseling and Student Support team works diligently to build and deepen community partnerships to provide robust support for students. A prime example is the district’s partnership with Toyota’s Driving Possibilities campaign which helps remove basic need barriers from students by providing food, hygiene items, and clothes through our S.A.F.E. centers.
Illustrating the high-quality instruction for our students with disabilities, the Services for Exceptional Children (SEC) team’s efforts showed gains in Milestones achievement across content areas, including an increase in reading on or above grade level. The SEC team continues to ensure impactful programming and deepening community connections to provide support. FCS’ partnership with Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA) offers pre-employment services for students with disabilities during the school day, empowering them to gain essential employment skills and independence.
Dr. Matthews highlighted the work of the Student Discipline Prevention and Intervention teams, which continue to leverage student accountability to ensure effective programming and prioritize safety. The district’s partnership with the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office’s REACH mentoring program exemplifies this through their significant impact and growth and helps keep students in school and progressing towards graduation and future goals.
He also noted the extraordinary work of the Federal Programs team, which supports the implementation and distribution of Title I, Title III, and Title IV grant funds and supports our Family Engagement, Section 504, and ESOL Teams.
None of the high-quality programs, supports, interventions, or strategies are effective if students are not attending school, hence the district’s implementation of the Attendance Improvement Framework in the 2023-2024 school year. Importantly, end-of-year attendance improvement data last year showed a districtwide decrease in chronic absenteeism.
As the Student Services team continues to design and implement innovative and impactful programs to meet the unique needs of students, Dr. Matthews reassured the Board that the “Future is Fulton.” Click here to see the full presentation.
Pre-Work Session
Fulton County Schools’ pre-work session is a public meeting that takes place before each monthly work session. It is an opportunity for the Board to receive policy drafts, provide feedback, and give presentations or focus on topics of interest. Audio recordings of the pre-work session are available within 48 hours. Topics discussed at this week’s session include:
- School Allotment Guidelines
The following topics will be discussed at a future pre-work session:
- Program Evaluation Update: PEAK
- Board Policy JBFB Work-Based Programs
- Board Policy JQK Foreign Exchange Students
New Hires & Promotions
The following individual was approved for a new position at the Board meeting:
- Rako Morrissey | Principal, Roswell High School
Board Recognitions
Each month the Board recognizes outstanding students, staff, and schools honored at the state, national, or international level. Honorees must have placed first at the regional or state level or be among the top finishers at the national or international level.
- Congratulations to the Fulton County Schools Budget and Grant Services department for receiving the Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) for Fiscal Year 2024-2025
2024-25 Community Meetings with Board Members
Each member of the Fulton County Board of Education sponsors a monthly meeting open to all community members. The sessions provide an opportunity for direct contact with community members and give Board members a chance to listen to local issues and concerns. Click here to see the meeting schedules of all Board members.
