Board Bulletin for 4/21/2023

 

The Fulton County Board of Education met on Thursday, April 20, 2023, for its regularly-scheduled Board meeting at the South Learning Center. 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

In his report, Superintendent Mike Looney recognized Assistant Principals Week, saying APs are the “unsung heroes” of our school system. He also recognized April 4 as National School Librarians Day. In addition, this week he recognized the 2023-2024 FCS Teacher and Professionals of the Year with surprise visits at their work locations. Big congratulations to Elise Kreitner, Teacher of the Year, from Autrey Mill Middle School; Barbara Rettker, School Professional of the Year, from Northview High School; and Harriet Perry, Support Professional of the Year, from the FCS Federal Programs Department! Watch this fun video to see how shocked they were!

New Strategic Plan
Dr. Looney announced the school district has started the process of creating a new strategic plan. The previous plan sunset in 2022 and the district is now approaching the end of federal funding for the Bridge to Success plan, which has led its focus over the past few years. Engaging stakeholders in the new strategic plan’s development is a priority of the Board. Employees, parents and community members can expect more information in the coming days about ways they can provide their feedback.

Safety Update
As FCS continues its focus on safety, Dr. Looney reported the Centegix alert system has now been installed in all buildings and staff training is occurring. The badges allow employees to call for assistance immediately and give their exact location when and where help is needed.

Bridge to Success Update
Director of Federal Programs Montreal Bell provided the Board with a program management update for the district’s Bridge to Success plan, a three-year comprehensive effort to help students recover from learning loss resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The presentation included additional details about the information required for the Georgia Department of Education's (GDOE) six-month review and the Year Three performance report.

About 200 survey responses from school and district staff members, parents/guardians, students, and community members were collected during the review process. Survey results showed increased support for current Bridge to Success plan priorities, with Every Child Reads and FOCUS programs ranked as the top two most important initiatives. Click here to see the full presentation.

K-5 ESOL Textbook Adoption
The Board voted to adopt a series called Reach Higher by National Geographic Cengage as the district’s new K-5 ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) textbook resources. The ESOL department recently hosted an extensive Teacher and Public Review Process which allowed stakeholders to give feedback on proposed materials. Reach Higher is a language-rich, cross-curricular series that supports both the Georgia Standards of Excellence for English language learners as well as those for WIDA, a national educational organization that designs language development standards and assessments.

Comprehensive School Improvement (CSI) Update
Zone 1 Superintendent Dr. Cherisse Campbell updated the Board on the Comprehensive School Improvement (CSI) list, specifically as it relates to College Park Elementary School and staff’s work addressing areas of improvement. Since the first CSI presentation in February, the district has finalized a plan of support for the school with the GADOE. FCS has also submitted a grant proposal and implemented plans for 2023 Georgia Milestones preparation. Currently, data shows incremental improvements in both reading and math. The next step is to finalize the fall semester action plan based on 2023 Milestones data. Click here to see the full presentation.

Board Policy
The following policies were approved by the Board:

• Board Policy CBA Nepotism was rescinded as previous language was consolidated into Board Policy GAG Staff Conflict of Interest and Board Policy BHA Board Member Conflict of Interest.
• Board Policy DN Surplus Funds was revised to match legal requirements and ensure clarity. The policy will be titled “Investments” moving forward.
• Board Policy IHE Promotion and Retention was revised to include minor wording changes that match state law. Parents should note that the Georgia Milestones Assessment will be used as part of the state promotion and retention criteria this school year. The criteria had been waived over the last few years due to COVID-19.
• Operating Guideline IDCI Credit Recovery was included in the information reports to the Board. Operating Guideline IDCI defines credit recovery, details the options and reasons for credit recovery, includes a flowchart for the credit recovery process, and provides course number details in the appendix for schools to follow.

Change in May Meeting Date
The Board has rescheduled its monthly action meeting to Tuesday, May 16. The new date will allow Board members and district staff to attend high school graduations held on May 17, the previously scheduled date.

Additional Items:

Let’s Talk Schools!
Check out our twice-monthly series, Let’s Talk Schools!, hosted by Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney as he chats about all things FCS. The most recent episode features Shamona Harrell, coordinator of Secondary School Counseling, and discusses helpful tips on managing and supporting your student's social and emotional needs.

Extra! Extra!
Find out what is going on at Fulton County Schools. Be sure to check out the special FCS News Website for the latest and greatest