The holiday season is in full swing and in just a matter of weeks, it will be winter break. Our students have been going full speed since August, and it is time to celebrate and relax with family and friends.
Realistically, some of us may need some extra support during this time. That's where Connect Fulton can help. Whether the need is for food, housing, clothing, or financial or medical assistance, a multitude of services and solutions are available.
Anyone -- not only Fulton County Schools students and employees but also parents and community members who live and/or work in Fulton County - can go to connectfulton.findhelp.com, enter their zip code and access thousands of local, reduced-cost resources. If you or someone you know is experiencing a hardship, find help at Connect Fulton. We wish you a happy and healthy season.
Dates To Remember
Inclusive Schools Week December 5-9
Board Work Session Tuesday, December 6
Board Meeting Wednesday, December 14
SCHOOLS CLOSED Winter Break December 19 - January 2
Tuesday, December 6 will become a Remote Learning Day in FCS due to a statewide run-off election. The day originally was slated to be an in-person school day.
A majority of Fulton County schools serve as polling sites, and this decision will keep students and staff safer. Since the run-off election is expected to draw a high voter turnout, there will be a large number of outside visitors to our campuses. The additional traffic can also create campus congestion with packed parking lots, which can affect buses and car rider lanes.
Students will receive direction from their schools and teachers for remote learning instructions.
Board of Education Fills Vacated District 3 Seat
FCS welcomes Katherine "Katie" Gregory as its newest member of the Board of Education. Ms. Gregory will fulfill the remainder of former board member Gail Dean's unexpired District 3 term. She was named the seat's finalist after the board conducted an extensive process to solicit, vet and appoint a qualified candidate.
Ms. Gregory is currently Chair of the School Governance Council at Hapeville Elementary School. Seeing an opportunity for greater parent involvement, she helped reinstate the school's PTA after it became inactive. She also served the community on Hapeville Main Street's Board of Directors and is a member of Tri-Cities Church in East Point.
A swearing-in ceremony will be held in December, with Ms. Gregory's term officially beginning in January 2023 and expiring in December 2024. Read more.
Know When to Stay Home When You Are Sick
Symptoms like sore throat, runny nose, cough and congestion, fever and chills, and shortness of breath are common symptoms of viral illnesses. Viral illnesses like flu, RSV, COVID-19 and others are all going around. Keep your child at home if they are exhibiting any of these symptoms. They should remain at home until symptoms have improved and they have been fever free without medicine for 24 hours.
The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is urging Georgians to get vaccinated against flu right now. Flu vaccine is available at public health departments, doctors' offices, grocery stores, neighborhood clinics and pharmacies.
Fulton Connect Gives Culinary Students a View into Their Future
For three Saturdays in October, students from Banneker, Creekside, Langston Hughes, Tri-Cities and Westlake high schools enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at the Fulton Schools College and Career Academy (FSCCA) and attended culinary classes created by Chef Byron, executive director of Georgia ProStart, a division of the Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA). Hosted in the state-of-the-art commercial kitchens at FSCCA, students donned white chefs' coats and got covered in flour as they learned the skills needed to be successful in food service. Read more.
District to Employ New Crisis Alert System
When staff and students feel safe and secure, they can focus on their goals - learning and academic achievement. As FCS continues to lead the way with safety and security in both capacity and capabilities, district staff will soon be armed with a wearable alert notification system, called Centegix. Also known as "Crisis Alert," Centegix allows for immediate lockdown alerts by all staff and teachers wearing a Centegix badge. With the push of a button on the wearable CrisisAlert badge, an alert instantly reaches administrators and responders. The goal is to roll out the system in all schools by February 2023. Click here to see a board presentation about the system.
Good News About Grad Rates, ACT and Sat Scores
There is exciting news about our district's 89.3% graduation rate and the growth seen in participation rates of students taking the ACT and SAT. These gains were made possible by the hard work of our students and staff, and through the exceptional support FCS offers to all students to help them grow and improve their post-secondary opportunities. The overall graduation rate grew by 1.6 points in 2022 and is 5.2 points higher than the overall graduation rate for Georgia of 84.1%. FCS students outscored the state and national average ACT score for the sixth consecutive year, while also showing a 60% increase in the participation rate. The 2022 results also showed growth in SAT participation and an increase in the percentage of graduating seniors taking the SAT by seven percent. Keep up the great work!
Magnet Application Now Open Until January 15
Fulton County high school students interested in concentrated studies in Mathematics and Science, Visual or Performing Arts, International Studies, Business, or STEM are encouraged to enroll in one of four magnet programs.
The magnet window opened on November 15 and will close on January 15.
The Georgia Department of Education (GADOE) released its annual College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) for 2022 with modifications due to a waiver from the U.S. Department of Education. Fulton County Schools (FCS) has again outranked state standings and demonstrated visible progress in helping struggling schools to overcome the learning gap resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The district's mitigation system, which consists of extensive additional instructional support and monitoring and which began before the pandemic, was augmented by FCS's Bridge to Success program, funded by the American Rescue Plan stimulus package. Read more.
"Let's Talk Schools!" | New Literacy Training Program
Superintendent Mike Looney's interview program, "Let's Talk Schools," is online and packed with important information for parents. In a recent episode, Dr. Looney takes a deep dive into the district's literacy training.
Plus, make sure you hear all about the resources, interventions, and support services offered to students.
