• See What's New for 2022-2023

  • Welcome Back for the 2022-23 School Year!

    Fulton County Schools (FCS) continues to be the fourth largest school district in Georgia with a projected 2022-23 enrollment of approximately 89,450 students. The system includes 108 schools – 59 elementary schools, 19 middle schools, 19 high schools, 10 start-up charter schools, and 1 full-time virtual school.

    This is the place to find all the info you need for the new school year, including our "What's New for 2022" list that every parent, student and community member should know. More news and information about recent board updates and district events/achievements can be found on our FCS News Website.

    SUbscribe to the FCS News Email List

     


  • School Safety and Security
    Recent events in our nation have drawn attention to school safety, and Fulton County Schools is committed to providing safe and secure learning environments. The district has historically been committed to safety resources and currently has one of the largest school police forces in Georgia. This year, the district has increased additional non-sworn personnel called Campus Security Associates (CSAs) to help secure schools and buildings throughout the district. In addition to the increased number of CSAs in our schools, the district is providing enhanced police training for all officers. While annual safety and security training for all school administrators continues, the FCS School Safety Advisory Committee continues to proactively review the school district’s safety protocols. The district has video surveillance camera systems in every school. This year, additional schools have been updated with Avigilon Video Surveillance cameras to allow FCS Safety and Security and FCS Police teams to monitor activities in and around facilities. FCS will continue to prepare for an active shooter situation. We will be implementing the “Run, Hide, Fight” protocol. Elementary schools will train staff to lead students in Run, Hide, Fight, and secondary schools will train staff and students in the protocol.

    Download the "Safety Plans & Drills" Document

    Download the "Investments in Safety" Document

     

    COVID-19 Protocols
    Most district COVID-19 protocols have not changed since last school year. Masks will remain optional in all district buildings and on buses when conditions allow. The district is ordering and distributing additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to schools. Per Centers for Disease Control and Georgia Department of Public Health guidelines, all persons with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis are required to isolate. Students and staff who have had a direct exposure to COVID-19 while attending school or participating in school activities may be exempt from quarantine, providing they remain symptom-free, and do not test positive for COVID-19. Mask-wearing for 10 days following a direct exposure is recommended but not required.

    Download the COVID-19 Precautions Document

     

    Breakfast/Lunch Fees
    Federal funds to support free meals have expired and Fulton County Schools will return to offering healthy meals daily at a reasonable price. At elementary schools, the price for breakfast is $1.10 and lunch is $2.45. For middle and high schools, the price for breakfast is $1.25 and lunch is $2.70. Students may qualify for free meals or for reduced price meals. Reduced price is $0.30 for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch. A NEW application must be completed for the Free & Reduced Meal Benefits Program. Families are strongly encouraged to pre-pay for student meals through the MyPaymentsPlus online payment system by visiting www.mypaymentsplus.com. Cash or check payments may also be accepted at your child’s school.

    Start the Free & Reduced-Price Meal Application.

     

    Transportation
    Due to a bus driver shortage, transportation challenges are expected to affect bus routes and on-time arrivals at schools this year. Parents and students are encouraged to sign up for our free “Here Comes the Bus” app that allows students and parents to track their bus in real-time. Alerts notify when the bus is just a few blocks away from the bus stop, offering safety for students and peace of mind for parents.

    Download the "Here Comes the Bus" app.

     

    Student-Issued Devices
    At the end of last school year, all devices for students in grades 3-12 were collected and have been through a stringent summer cleaning process. As students in grades 3-12 return, they will be issued a cleaned device at their enrolled school for the 2022-2023 school year. Students in PreK – 2nd grade will have class sets of devices, enough for each student to have a device to use while at school. The district has started deploying these devices to schools and will continue deployments through the month of August. Click here for information about the Information Technology (IT) Division.

    Contact the IT Service Desk.

     

    Grading and Reporting
    A new Grading and Reporting policy goes into effect in August when school starts. Some of the major changes include a revised K-2 grading scale, allowable deductions for late work/missing assignments, and standardized grading categories and weights.

    View the New FCS Grading & Reporting Policy.

     

    Code of Conduct
    Fulton County Schools has revised the Student Code of Conduct to include new behaviors considered unacceptable as well as upgraded consequence ranges. The new Code of Conduct is available online. Every parent/guardian must sign the "Acknowledgement of Receipt Form" within their Infinite Campus Parent Portal account or stop by their school front office to sign a printed form.

    Review the 2022-23 Code of Conduct changes.

     

    New Cell Phone Policy
    Students are required to put phones away starting this school year. Elementary school students will be prohibited from using any form of personal communication device during school hours. Students in grades 6-12 will not be allowed to use them during class time but can if they are instructed to by a teacher.

     

    English/Language Arts Resources
    The district will implement new Reading/English Language Arts resources this school year. The resources are aligned to the Science of Reading. With this implementation, students and parents will see an increased focus on instruction related to phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension and writing.

    Review the ELA Program and Resources.

More Changes

  • By the summer’s end, Fulton County Schools will have welcomed more than 700 new teachers for 2022-2023. This will bring the district’s total teaching force to approximately 7,000. Retirements and promotions also have led to changes in school leadership:

    New & Promoted Personnel

    New School Principals:
    Terrell Awak, Creekside High School
    Arnisha Canty, Cliftondale Elementary School
    Miranda Freeman, Sandtown Middle School
    LaToya Miley, Roswell High School
    Martin Neuhaus, Northview High School
    Uche Ngoddy, Oakley Elementary School
    Ayo Richardson, Mountain Park Elementary School
    Heather Rucker, Northwood Elementary School

    New District Leaders*:
    Ritu Ahuja, Director, Principal Leadership
    Brian Downey, Zone 6 Superintendent
    Gonzalo LaCava, FCS Chief Talent Officer
    *Director level and above.

     

    Academics

    New 3DE Magnet program. Roswell High School becomes the fourth FCS high school to offer the 3DE program. The program will start with more than 130 ninth grade students.

    High Dosage Small Group Tutoring. High Dosage Small Group (HDSG) tutoring is a school-based intervention with significant positive effects on math and reading achievement. In the second year of implementation, FCS will continue to offer HDSG at every K-12 school and provide a HDSG paraprofessional for every elementary school in FCS.

    Code of Conduct: Fulton County Schools revised the Student Code of Conduct to include new behaviors considered unacceptable as well as upgraded consequence ranges. Families should review the 2022-2023 Code of Conduct: What You Should Know.

    In-School Academies: All high schools in Zones 1, 2, and 3 will offer at-risk students an intensive targeted program of credit recovery, full course completions, and/or targeted interventions with the goal of decreasing dropouts and increasing graduations. The approach will allow students to work at their own pace in an extremely supportive environment within their own school. In-School Academies will allow students to graduate from their high school once enough credits are earned.

    Student and Family Engagement Center (S.A.F.E. Center):  North Springs High School and Tri-Cities High School will be the district’s two newest locations for S.A.F.E. Centers. These are evidenced-based “one stop shops” for school services and community partnerships which mitigate academic, social, or emotional barriers impacting a student’s achievement. The SAFE Center concept was initially launched at Banneker High School. With guidance from partners such as the GADOE and Metro RESA, an updated concept will be launched at all three schools in Fall 2022. 

    New Grading and Reporting Policy Changes
    The following list includes some of the major changes for the new Grading and Reporting Policy that will go into effect this school year:

    • Established 14 Grading Commitments
    • Standardized Grading Categories and Weights
    • Revised K-2 Grading Scale
    • Added Minimum Number of Assignments/Assessments/Tasks
    • Included Allowable Deductions for Late Work/Missing Work
    • Standardized Recovery
    • Created Robust Communication Expectations
    • Included Non-Academic Skill Feedback
    • Updated Transfer Grades section
    • Included information on specialized group reporting

     

    School Nutrition

    Parents can put money on their student’s account for meals and/or extra sales, view account balances and purchase history, and set up low-balance reminders by visiting www.mypaymentsplus.com. Cash or check payments can also be made at your student’s school.

    The Free & Reduced Meal Benefits Program is a part of the National Child Nutrition Program. This program makes Free or Reduced Priced meals available to qualifying households.Qualifications are based on the gross income of all household members and the number of persons living in the house. A NEW application must be completed for the 2022-2023 school year. Due to COVID-19 National Waivers, families did not have to complete an application during the last school year; however, these waivers are no longer in effect and all families must complete an application for the 2022-2023 school year if they wish to be considered for free and reduced meal benefits this year. The household is responsible for payment of meals until the Free and Reduced Application is approved. Applications are available online at www.fulton.schoollunchapp.com and are also available in paper format from any school cafeteria. If able, families are encouraged to complete the online application to help expedite the application approval process.

     

    Bus Transportation

    Bus Fleet Ready to Roll. The Transportation department is prepared to have 668 route buses rolling to serve the students of Fulton County on the first day of school.

    New Propane-Powered Buses with Seat Belts. Of the entire fleet, 521 buses are propane-powered with 3-point seat belts. This is part of the district’s commitment to replace aging diesel vehicles with buses that are safer for students, more cost effective to operate, and friendlier to the environment.

     

    Information Technology

    Student Devices. An electronic device user agreement appears on the login screen of all student devices.  Logging in to the district device is acceptance of the agreement.  In addition to the electronic agreement, a hard copy of the device user agreement will be provided to every 3rd-5th grade student checking out a device.  Students are expected to bring their device to school each day, charged and ready for use. The district promotes good digital citizenship from all students and encourages them to take great care of this valuable learning tool.

    "It's All About the Swap." To ensure consistent access to technology and digital resources for students, the Information Technology Support Department is launching the 2022-2023  “It’s All About the Swap” campaign. The goal of the campaign is to make sure technology is accessible for our students at the point of need. If a student has an issue with their device and the issue can’t be easily resolved, the device will be swapped for another working device – “no trouble”.  This effort will ensure students continue learning without technical challenges. The local Device Coordinator at each school will manage swapping student devices. Devices swapped will be inspected by the assigned School Technology Specialist team, repaired, and returned to working inventory for future swaps and needs.

Connect Fulton

  • Connect Fulton is an online tool that can direct Fulton County families to free or low-cost services, from housing assistance to food pantries. The website allows users to search by ZIP code for assistance with food, housing, finances, medical, clothing, job training and more. The site contains information on thousands of nonprofits and other organizations that provide resources and social support.

Text4Help is Here for You

  • Text4Help is a tool for students to receive mental health support from licensed clinicians. Students experiencing anxiety, stress, etc. can receive assistance by anonymously texting their unique school code after dialing the Text4Help hotline:1-844-201-9946. The certified mental health professionals are provided by district social services partner CHRIS180 and respond to inquiries within three to five minutes. The conversation is completely free, safe, and confidential.