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Welcome Back for the 2023-24 School Year!
Under the leadership of Superintendent Mike Looney, Fulton County Schools (FCS) continues to be the fourth largest school district in Georgia with a projected 2023-24 enrollment of 89,658 students. The system includes 104 schools – 59 elementary schools, 19 middle schools, 18 high schools, 7 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 2023" 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.
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For More Information...
School Safety and Security Drills
The safety and security of students and staff remains a top priority. Additional safety drills will occur this year in accordance with new state law changes.Code of Conduct
Fulton County Schools has recently implemented revisions to the Student Code of Conduct, incorporating novel codes and additional improvements. These new codes have been formulated in order to address prevailing behavioral patterns. Moreover, there have been notable enhancements, such as the establishment of a uniform disciplinary response for certain Tier IV offenses. The Code of Conduct is available online to review with your student. It is important that every parent/guardian sign the "Acknowledgment of Receipt Form" within their Infinite Campus parent Portal account or stop by their school front office to sign a printed form.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 which 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.New Math Resources
FCS has approved new mathematics instructional resources for Grades K-12. Teachers will be trained on the resources during the 23-24 school year. Teachers in grades 6-12 will begin using new resources in the second semester. Grade K-5 will fully implement the new resources during the 24-25 school year. These resources support the intent of Georgia’s new K-12 Math Standards with a focus on real-world examples and math in context.Digital School Sign-in & Monitoring
FCS is rolling out a new technology called Checkmate to make it safer and easier for guests to sign-in to school buildings. The Checkmate rollout is taking place this fall and will be completed in early 2024. District leaders will also implement new digital classroom management and monitoring software. Information Technology, Student Services, and Security departments will work collaboratively to implement the tools or create a roadmap for implementation through the 2023-24 school year. Features of the software include: analytics for student engagement; classroom management allowing teacher control of student devices and access to websites; and the monitoring of student screen time, self-harm, or bullying alerts.YouTube Filtering
FCS will introduce Linewize, a tool that allows additional filtering capability for sites like YouTube and gives teachers and the district greater visibility and control over how students use devices in the classroom.Communication Tools
Timely and important information families need to know is available through the FCS News website, The Messenger monthly e-newsletter, and our news program, "Let's Talk Schools!" Be sure to follow us on all social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and Threads.Student Password Reset
For security purposes, all students are encouraged to reset their student passwords from the standard password set by FCS when their device was issued.Strategic Plan
The Board of Education and Dr. Looney have started the process of updating the district's strategic plan. We encourage participation in the process and will share ways you can be involved and give feedback as the new year starts.Customer Service Survey
We value your input! A new customer satisfaction survey link is now included on the footer of each employee’s email allowing all stakeholders to share their feedback.
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More Changes
Fulton County Schools has been busy over the summer recruiting the most qualified teachers and staff, bringing the total workforce to 10,900 for the 2023-24 school year. Retirements and promotions also have led to the following changes in school and district leadership:
New & Promoted Personnel
School Principals:
- Karin Alhadeff - Vickery Mill ES
- Lamar Billups - Bear Creek MS
- Dr. Opie Blackwell - Centennial HS
- Thomas Garrett - Ridgeview Charter MS
- Vincent G. Golden - Banneker HS
- Susan Gowin - River Eves ES
- Felipe Jackson - Hamilton E. Holmes ES
- Dr. Christian Padgett - Hapeville ES
- Cheryl Parker - Heritage ES
- Mike Scheifflee - Alpharetta HS
District Leaders*:
- Brannon Gaskins - Chief Academic Officer
- Shamona Harrell - Director of College, Career, and Student Supports
- Cliff Jones - Chief of Staff
- Brian Keefer - Executive Director, Professional Learning
- Dr. Shannon Kersey - Assistant Superintendent of Learning and Teaching
- Amanda Swerdlow - Director of Program Evaluation
- Kerri-Ann Williams - Director of K-5 Literacy
*Director-level and above
Information Technology
New Support Program for Student/Staff Devices at Each School
School Technology Specialists (STS) will be assigned to schools every day for the 2023-24 school year. They will be responsible for all student and staff device support, such as troubleshooting, swapping devices as needed, repair, and login/access issues. The assigned STS will report directly to an IT Support Coordinator who will manage their work and frequently meet with school principals and administrative staff. Additional centralized technical support is available and managed by the IT Support Coordinator.Safety and Security
The district continues to embrace the connection between students' physical and emotional safety to assure we are continually making efforts towards a highly positive and engaging learning environment. Maintaining safe schools is a top priority. This year we are implementing several updates to ensure the physical safety of our buildings. One such example is integrating our front door access with our lockdown processes in an automated way. When time is of the essence, our doors will automatically lock and secure in a lockdown event. The installation of window security film will provide another layer of protection to slow down or delay someone with bad intentions that is attempting to gain access to our facilities.
With the signing of the "Safe Schools Act," the state is taking systemic action to help all Georgia schools work towards a common goal of keeping students safe at school. While FCS has always gone above and beyond many best practices when thinking about school safety in the past, we will also follow the intent of the law as we implement the newest state requirements. Our current practices already meet or exceed this law, but we are also taking this opportunity to review all our practices and programs to ensure the greatest success for the benefit of our students and their safety. Read more about our safety plans and drills.
Academics
Implementation of Augmented Reality Technology in Middle School CTAE
As part of the district's Bridge to Success Plan, FCS Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education program (CTAE) has invested in zSpace technology to help our students further engage in career exploration and exposure. zSpace delivers an immersive and interactive learning platform for students without the use of goggles or 3D glasses. Read more about the CTAE programK-5 LEAP Program
The K-5 LEAP (Learning, Engagement and Assistance Program) program is a new behavioral support program designed to support elementary students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade who are exhibiting challenging behaviors that disrupt their learning and ability to be successful in a traditional classroom setting. Students will be referred by their home school teacher and principal after interventions and supports have been provided when data collected on these supports shows a need for more intensive support that cannot be provided in the home school and after meeting with parents/guardians. There are two locations for the K-5 LEAP program: one at College Park Elementary School in College Park and one at Vickery Mill Elementary School in Roswell with most students receiving support for 90 to 120 days before returning to their home school. Read more about the K-5 LEAP program.School Nutrition
Children Need Healthy Meals to Learn
The School Nutrition Program will have all 97 commercial kitchens operating on the first day of school so students can receive breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Approximately 71,000 meals will be served every day this school year. FCS offers 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. For families that qualify for reduced meals during SY23-24, households will not be required to pay the reduced price of $0.30 for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch due to Georgia Department of Education funding used to cover these costs.Households are encouraged to prepay for student meals and extra sales using MyPaymentsPlus. Visit www.mypaymentsplus.com to sign up and get started. Cash or check payments can also be made at your student’s school in the cafeteria.
The Free & Reduced Meal Benefits Program is a part of the National Child Nutrition Program and is available to qualifying households. A NEW application must be completed for the 2023-24 school year. Applications are available online at www.fulton.schoollunchapp.com and in paper from any school cafeteria.
Bus Transportation
Bus Fleet Ready to Roll
The Transportation Department is prepared to have 689 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. Transportation will also add 25 propane-powered Special Needs buses this school year. 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.
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Here's the Basic Info
- Enrolling Your Student
- Sign Up for Infinite Campus
- Attendance Zone Maps
- Federal Programs (Title I) Information
- School Year Calendars
- Sneak Peek / Open Houses
- School Directory & Contact Information
- School Hours (Bell Schedule)
- Attendance Policy
- School Lunch Menus & Info
- Free & Reduced-Price Meals
- MyPaymentsPlus
- Transportation
- Inclement Weather
- Parents' Right To Know
- Student Health Services
- Student Code of Conduct
- FCS Community News Website
- Superintendent & School Board
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Internet Safety & Device Care
For Middle & High School
For Elementary School
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Need Help? Need Resources?
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.
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Text4Help is Here for You
Silence helps no one. A text is all it takes. Text your school code to 1-844-201-9946 for help. Get a professional response in minutes.
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.