FCBOE Board Meeting - April

The Fulton County Board of Education held their monthly board meeting at 6 p.m. on April 22, 2021.

• Interim Chief Information Officer Dr. Emily Bell shows a presentation (available below) on Capital Plan 2027.

• Chief Academic Officer Cliff Jones presents the FOCUS plan below.

Graphics courtesy of Fulton County Schools

• Jones presents recognitions for the following students:

  • Langston Hughes High School Student wins State Debate Championship

    Madison Webb took first place in the 2021 Urban Debate League High School State Championship, winning all rounds in the Varsity High School Division.

  • Westlake High School Basketball Player named National Player of the Year and All-American

    Senior Raven Johnson was awarded the coveted title of Player of the Year by Jersey Mike’s Naismith and MaxPreps as well as named McDonald’s All American.

  • Westlake Girls Basketball team wins State and National Championships

    The Lady Lions made Georgia history by winning their fourth consecutive GHSA state championship as well as the GEICO National Championship and named MaxPreps National Team of the Year.

• The Board pauses for Public Comment. The meeting will resume shortly.

• The Board presents Board Matters for their respective districts.

• Supt. Mike Looney introduces that FCS is celebrating its 150th anniversary, creating a series of videos to celebrate. One of the videos reflect on amazing teachers and alumni. The Board moves to play a video featuring Fulton County teachers and alumni to honor them.

  • Northview senior Janice Nam shouts out several Northview High School teachers.

• Chief Talent Officer Ron Wade gives COVID-19 update. The positivity rate is 4.2%, with the data per 100,000. There is a moderate rate of transmission. Fulton County is working to vaccinate as many employees as possible, with over 3500 vaccinated employees who were vaccinated with FCS.

Graphics courtesy of Fulton County Schools

• Fully vaccinated students and employees = 2 doses received or 1 dose J and J, must be 14 days since last dose, high-risk and high-contact and are free of symptoms will not need to quarantine if vaccinated.

• Chief Talent Officer Ron Wade shares the launching of a survey in the upcoming week to see how many total employees are vaccinated. The survey will ask new employees if they have been vaccinated.

• District 2 Board Member Katie Reeves questions whether there is no legal issue asking if employees have been vaccinated. Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney says there is no requirement to be vaccinated, the staff is asked to complete the survey.

• Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney shares two important dates, May 3, May 17.  Fulton County has developed a cautious approach to making progress. Beginning May 3, for outdoor activities only, masks will not be required for grades 9-12, but they will be recommended, and all other safety protocols in effect. From May 3, at school-sponsored outdoor events and activities will have masks recommended, but they are not required for visitors and spectators.

• People capacity limitations are lifted on outside venues in accordance to Governor Brian Kemp’s changes starting May 3.

• Fulton school coaches may attend off-campus banquets as they deem appropriate.

• Beginning May 17, while engaged in outdoor activity, masks recommended not required for students in grades prek-8 and their employees.

• School leaders may schedule and host outdoor end-of-year celebrations without restrictions on group sizes. All other COVID-19 restrictions are still in place. 

• There are no changes to the summer FOCUS program.

• Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney discusses upcoming plans for next school year. 

• Face to Face instruction will be the primary method of instruction in Fulton County next year. Fulton County will open its first virtual school, and families can commit to virtual schooling, (FAVE) for enrollment. FVS will also continue to exist for students who need to take highschool classes in a hybrid of at school in-person and virtually, with no full enrollment in either. 

• The county will continue to work with the Board of Health and GDPH and CDC to determine the best course of action in the Fall.

• District 2 Board Member Katie Reeves questions the capacity limitations lifted on school venues in correlation to graduation ceremonies upcoming in May, as some schools do not host graduation ceremonies on school grounds. 

• Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney responds to District 2 Board Member Katie Reeves question. For graduation ceremonies, some outside vendors continue to provide restrictions on capacity,  and vendors and locations are prerogative. Fulton County has no authority to mandate group sizes at those outside venues. Principals are aware of the change and the announcement. Schools have started reaching out to the graduation venues and checking. 

• Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney says there is a large difference of opinion regarding approach to return to normalcy within school community, with some families  finding the implementations too fast, and some families finding the implementations too slow, but the County is working with the Fulton County Board of Health to watch data for students in order for students to experience more normality.

• District 4 Board Member Franchesca Warren asks about South Fulton Schools where many families opted for virtual learning. She asks about additional measures that can be put in place to make these families feel safe to return. 

  • Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney responds that the County has done an exceptional job of managing COVID-19 at the height of its outbreak. The County Schools have consistently had school because of measures staff put in place that have worked. The Fulton County Board has invested in upgrading to the HBCA system, a better filtering system.Teachers continue to screen students and look for symptoms. When a student may have been exposed, parents are contacted, students are isolated, and the contact is traced. These are all consistent will recommendations from healthcare entities FCS works with. The measures taken this year are not sustainable. Teachers cannot be expected to teach simultaneously while managing COVID-19 safety next year. Students who want to stay remote will have to enroll in the virtual school because of the learning disruption which can only be resolved with face to face disruption moving forward. Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney requests parents to send their children to school.

• The Board approves all executive action items.

• The meeting is adjourned.