Board Bulletin for 8/19/2022

 

The Fulton County School Board met on Thursday, August 18, for their 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

Focus on Safety. Safety remains Dr. Looney’s highest priority for Fulton County Schools. The district’s safety team will convene on August 30 to discuss how to expend dedicated safety resources recently approved by the Board with plans to bring recommendations to next month’s Board meeting. Some of these resources include investing in additional non-sworn personnel called Campus Security Associates (CSAs), deploying additional communication devices, and adding to the district’s fleet of police vehicles. Additionally, Dr. Looney has authorized the emergency purchase of door alarms for all school buildings with hopes of having them installed by the end of September starting with district high schools.

Dr. Looney emphasized that school safety is everybody’s business and outlined several safety protocols in place within the district, including an app that is downloaded on every FCS-issued device where people can S.H.A.R.E (See, Hear it, Report it, Every time) anonymous tips. He asked parents to check their child’s book bags to ensure they are not bringing weapons to school and reminded everyone ‘if you see something, say something.’ Visit fultoncountyschools.org/safetyfirst for more on the district’s comprehensive safety measures.

Transportation Job Fairs. FCS is in need of bus drivers. On Saturday, August 20, from 8 a.m.-12 p.m., the district will hold dual job fairs for bus drivers at the North and South Transportation facilities. Incentives include up to a $2,000 signing bonus and flexible schedules.

• Click here to register for the North Transportation Center event.
• Click here to register for the South Transportation Center event.

Bridge to Success Update. Director of Federal Programs Montreal Bell provided the Board with an update on the FCS Bridge to Success plan, a three-year comprehensive plan to help students recover from learning loss resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan is funded by the federal government’s American Rescue Plan and other Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. Ms. Bell outlined the work that is well underway in schools.

• Students have new ELA resources aligned to the Science of Reading. LETRS Training (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) remains an integral part of learning and a variety of programs continue to provide students with learning experiences that support more opportunities for hands-on learning in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and the arts.
• The FOCUS plan supported students in summer school and will continue to provide high dosage, small tutoring in all schools beginning in the fall. Additional curriculum resources such as the parent hub and literacy videos have been added to support families and teachers with instruction.
• The Professional Learning and Leadership Development (PLLD) team has a robust Aspiring Leaders program that supports the growth of district staff that will lead Fulton into the future.
• Schools and administrative buildings have used funds to support health and wellness initiatives.
• One-time retention supplements have been provided to staff.
• In the coming months, the Student Support team will develop its plans for student safety and define its goals based on school needs.

Look for updates on the Bridge to Success website at www.fultonschools.org/bridgetosuccess. See the full presentation here.

Policy Updates. The Board approved the following policies:

• Board Policy GBRI - Professional/Classified Leaves of Absence: Clarifies expectations for employees when there are remote days and normal work cannot be performed.
• Board Policy GCRC – Non-Exempt Employee Workday: Clarifies the 8-hour work schedule for non-exempt employees and expectations for employees when there are remote days and normal work cannot be performed.
• Board Policy KG – Use of School Facilities: Updates the priority list for school facility use, adds feeder programs and governmental entities to the priority list, cross-references Policy KIA Political Campaign Activities for information on political organizations/candidates using a school facility, and adds information about cell tower leases, use of athletic fields and facilities, and film production.

Other Information

The following information items were not presented at the recent School Board meeting but may be of interest to parents and community members.

Redistricting 101 Online Meetings. A districtwide school redistricting effort is scheduled to begin this fall, and two online information meetings (called ‘Redistricting 101’) are set for August 30 (12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.) and August 31 (6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.) will kick off the process.  During the meetings, FCS staff will explain the redistricting process, including population trends throughout Fulton County, data, and the School Board's criteria used to create new attendance zone boundaries. These meetings are for information only; no maps will be presented. More details, as well as the Microsoft Teams links to join each meeting, are posted on www.fultonschools.org/redistricting.

Summer Learning Survey
The district has opened a follow-up survey for parents to share their perspectives and experiences with the FCS 2022 Summer Learning program. The Parent Summer Learning Follow-Up Survey will be available from August 22-September 9. Download the survey here.