How Many Students Are Expected In Fulton Schools This Year?

One of Georgia's largest school district will begin its 2017-18 school year next week.

Classes resume on Monday, Aug. 7 for the Fulton County School System, the fourth largest system in the Peach State. It's projecting an enrollment of roughly 96,676 students. This is an expected increase of about 628 students from the previous school year, the system notes.

Fulton County has 105 schools – 59 elementary schools, 19 middle schools, 17 high schools and 10 start-up charter schools.

Here's a rundown on what's new in the Fulton County School System.

New Schools

A replacement C.H. Gullatt Elementary School in Union City becomes the newest school constructed in Fulton County. Built to replace an aging structure, the new 112,000-square-foot school will house up to 850 pre-kindergarten through fifth grade students in a 54-classroom building that blends in with the surrounding community among 33 acres of land.

Riverwood International Charter School in Sandy Springs will open a new addition that is the first phase of a complete replacement of the school. Phase 1 includes a 112,500-square-foot addition that includes 30 classrooms to support approximately 600 students as well as a newly constructed baseball field. Phase 1 also will begin to prepare the site for the construction of future phases, which will include the demolition of the existing school building and construct the new cafeteria, career and technical education space, media center, performing arts and athletic facilities of the new school.

Personnel and Staffing

By the summer’s end, Fulton County Schools will have welcomed nearly 800 new teachers for 2017-2018. This will bring the district’s total teaching force to about 6,800. In addition, the following schools have new principals this year:

Elementary School

• Campbell Elementary School: Leah Mackey
• Conley Hills Elementary School: Jami Pettway
• Creek View Elementary School: Monica In
• Hapeville Elementary School: Thomas Garrett
• Medlock Bridge Elementary School: Matthew Vance
• New Prospect Elementary School: Amy Booms-Lemons
• Ocee Elementary School: Ryan Moore
• S.L. Lewis Elementary School: Ethel Lett

Middle Schools

• Paul D. West Middle School: Darrell Stephens
• Webb Bridge Middle School: Rebecca Perkins

High Schools

• Riverwood International Charter School: Charles Gardner
• Roswell High School: Robert Shaw

Charter Schools

• Hapeville Charter Career Academy: Candace Bethea
• KIPP South Fulton Academy: Siobhan Gardner
• Latin College Prep: Christian Harden

New Programs, Curriculum Offerings

Fulton County schools is embarking on its next five-year Strategic Plan. Launched in 2012, the previous five-year strategic plan created clarity for the district’s work and provided a sound direction to drive its progress. With the former strategic plan coming to a close, the district is now stepping back, reflecting on what worked, and refreshing and renewing the plan. From the process, which involved strong input and engagement from the school board, district leaders, staff, students, parents and community members, the following goal was established: “We prepare all students to graduate ready to pursue and succeed on their chosen paths.” The district also has established four focus areas – Student Achievement, People and Culture, Community Collaboration and Fiscal Responsibility. Over the next few months, Fulton County Schools will continue to refine the metrics for which this plan will be measured and then will officially launch the Strategic Plan to the community.

CBI Expansion at Three High Schools. The system will begin the year with three new community-based instruction programs at Westlake High School, Northview High School and Riverwood International Charter School. The new CBI programs provide high school students with disabilities the opportunity to learn academic, community, daily-living, and career skills within the communities where they currently live, work, and shop. Fulton modified the three buildings to ensure campus accessibility and provide renovated and appropriate classrooms, home-living centers, sensory/therapy rooms and restroom facilities. CBI programs already are in place at Alpharetta, Banneker, Cambridge, Centennial, Chattahoochee, Creekside, Johns Creek, Langston Hughes, Milton, North Springs, Roswell and Tri-Cities high schools.

Fulton Schools College and Career Academy Expansion. This will be the second year for the Fulton Schools College and Career Academy as it expands to more than 500 students and offers new pathways including Teaching as Profession, Broadcast Video Applications, Work-Based Learning, and additional dual enrollment opportunities.

New Career, Technical and Agricultural Education Offerings. New CTAE programs being offered this year include:

• Bear Creek Middle School – Agricultural Education and Law and Justice
• Elkins Pointe Middle School – Construction
• Haynes Bridge Middle School – Healthcare Science
• Renaissance Middle School – Graphic Design and Healthcare Science
• Sandtown Middle School – Marketing and Healthcare Science
• Sandy Springs Middle School – Healthcare Science
• Banneker High School – Manufacturing and Computer Science
• McClarin Success Academy – Healthcare Science
• Riverwood International Charter School – Healthcare Science

Safety

Quick Tip App. Parents, students, and other concerned stakeholders can advise the district’s Safety and Security personnel of any current or potential threat using the Fulton County Schools app. Those who want to report a tip anonymously can download the Fulton County Schools app (available for free on both Apple and Android devices) and access the “Quick Tip” component. Information can be sent using pre-populated categories to make it easier for the sender. Photos also can be uploaded.

Bus Transportation Bus Fleet Ready to Roll. Fulton County Schools’ Transportation Department is prepared to have around 800 buses rolling out on the first day of school. Over the summer, 125 replacement school buses were added to the bus fleet – 90 or which are propane-powered – to replace aging vehicles and 90 new drivers were hired to meet the staffing targets set for the new year. The new buses are being funded through SPLOST, the one-penny sales tax for education.

Propane-Powered School Buses with Three-Point Seat Belts. Fulton County Schools will add 90 Blue Bird Vision Propane school buses that are equipped with three-point seat belts. It will be the largest fleet of its kind in Georgia. The 72-passenger buses developed by Blue Bird and ROUSH CleanTech have the cleanest propane engine available for school buses certified to a low nitrogen oxide level (NOx) of .05 g/bhp-hr. This makes these engines 75 percent cleaner than the current emissions standard, and will reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by thousands of pounds each year compared with the number of diesel buses being replaced. In addition, running propane-powered buses is more economical and it is anticipated that Fulton County Schools will save $3,500 in fuel per year per bus, which adds up to $315,000 that can be put back into the classroom. Although lap belts are not a new feature, Fulton County Schools will be the first district in Georgia to begin placing three-point safety belts – similar to what are found in passenger cars – on their larger “Type C” school buses.

School Nutrition

Lunch prices will increase $0.10 this year. With the nominal increase, the prices are now $2.45 for elementary schools and $2.70 for middle and high schools. The reduced lunch price is $0.40. Parents are able to join their student for a meal, pending teacher/administrator consent, at $1.55 for breakfast and $3.45 for lunch. For breakfast, the cost will remain at $1.05 for elementary schools and $1.20 for middle/high schools, with the reduced price for impoverished students at $0.30.

Fulton County Schools will continue to offer the Community Eligibility Provision to 27 schools this year. The program provides students in those schools access to free breakfast and lunch. To qualify, a school must have 40 percent or more of its students eligible for free meals over a four-year period.

Qualifying schools include: Asa G. Hilliard Elementary, Bethune Elementary, Brookview Elementary, Campbell Elementary, College Park Elementary, Conley Hills Elementary, Feldwood Elementary, C.H. GullattElementary, Hamilton E. Holmes Elementary, Hapeville Elementary, Heritage Elementary, Lake Forest Elementary, Seaborn Lee Elementary, S.L. Lewis Elementary, Love T. Nolan Elementary, Liberty Point Elementary, Oakley Elementary, Palmetto Elementary, Parklane Elementary, Renaissance Elementary, Camp Creek Middle, McNair Middle, Paul D. West Middle, Woodland Middle, Banneker High, McClarin High, and Tri-Cities High.

Parents of students attending the selected schools do not have to complete a meal application or pay any money for their child’s school breakfast or school lunch in 2017-2018. However, if parents want their child to buy extra portions or approved snacks from the school café, they must send money or place money on their child’s meal account.

Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program. Eighteen Fulton County elementary schools were selected by the Georgia Department of Education to participate in the USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. This allows the School Nutrition Program to provide a free fresh fruit or vegetable snack to all students outside of the breakfast or lunch meal. The program introduces school children to a variety of free produce that they otherwise might not have the opportunity to sample, while also providing a nourishing snack to help fuel the students’ brain and growing body during the school day. The 18 elementary schools selected are Asa G Hilliard, Bethune,Brookview, Campbell, Feldwood, C.H. Gullatt, Hamilton E. Holmes, Hapeville, Heritage, Lake Forest, Oakley, Palmetto, Seaborn Lee, S.L. Lewis, Mimosa, Love T. Nolan, Parklane, and College Park.

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