FCBOE Work Session - February
The Fulton County Board of Education met for their monthly work session at 3 p.m. on Feb. 8, 2022.
Chief Operations Officer Noel Maloof presents a program manager update to the Capital Plan 27. View the presentation below for more information.
Graphics courtesy of Fulton County Schools
District 4 Board Member Franchesca Warren asks Maloof for a timeline regarding the new updates to Capital Plan 27.
Maloof replies it will be available sometime in the spring.
The Board motions unanimously to move forward with the other agenda items.
District 5 Board Member Linda McCain congratulates Barnwell Elementary and Autrey Mill Middle School for winning first place in the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl.
Chief Communications Officer Brian Noyes presents a legislative and budget update. View the presentation below for more information.
Graphics courtesy of Fulton County Schools
Chief Communications Officer Brian Noyes worked with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) to propose an amendment that requires the fiscal year to end one year from the day of issuance.
Noyes urges any Board members who have ties to the Democratic party to support the amendment, which he calls nonpartisan.
He presents House Bill 385, a new bill that introduces changes to the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, and Senate Bill 266, which hinders transgender athletes’ ability to compete in sports.
Noyes also presents four bills regarding critical race theory (House Bill 888, House Bill 1084, Senate Bill 375, and Senate Bill 377) that are currently being debated in the Georgia General Assembly. The Board has not taken an official stance on these bills yet.
District 3 Board Member Gail Dean asks if a potential house resolution exists to create new study committees.
Looney notes that Fulton County Schools has implemented new resources and done additional training regarding parental options to opt out of obscene materials.
Looney says the district began developing programs to stop students from bypassing the Fulton County internet security system on their own devices at school.
Noyes will receive a list of complaints about specific concerns regarding obscene book material to review.
District 2 Board Member Katie Reeves reiterates that parents will have the ability to opt out of books from their child’s curriculum over concerns regarding obscene material.
District 5 Board Member Linda McCain asks how students who bypass the technology security system will be reprimanded.
District 5 Board Member Linda McCain questions how students who bypass the technology security system will be reprimanded.
Noyes replies that FCS is issuing an update to the Student Handbook, and students who violate the handbook will potentially get their devices confiscated.
Students who violate the handbook will have to attend a meeting with the school and their parents to get proper training to prevent further violations.
Dr. Looney and the Board note that Fulton County is ahead of the state when it comes to a parents bill of rights and a students’ bill of rights.
District 4 Board Member Franchesca Warren asks whether there is a high chance the Georgia Parents Bill of Rights will pass and how this will impact FCS.
Dr. Looney says the district will adapt FCS’s Parents Bill of Rights to fit Georgia’s requirements.
Melin thinks an opt out decision should be allowed in regards to the new Parents’ Bill of Rights.
District 4 Board Member Franchesca Warren speaks on her concern of how this bill will impact the Social Studies department.
Melin discusses how Bill 1093 impacts zoning.
Dr. Looney speaks on what the Board is doing for schools who have three or more fights.
Dr. Looney asks parents to check their students before school to ensure they are not bringing knives, guns, and box cutters to school. He notes that more knives have been brought to FCS schools this year than in the past several years.
Dr. Looney presents the Superintendent Report.
Chief Academic Officer Cliff Jones presents the Accountability Report. View the presentation below for more information.
Graphics courtesy of Fulton County Schools
Jones says that on Jan. 27, 2022, the Georgia Department of Education provided an update on the Every Student Succeeds Act, which decrees that schools will not have grades.
Jones notes that the Georgia Milestones will resume this year. This year, Milestones scores are worth 20% of students’ final grades, while last year it was worth only 1%.
Last year, the highest Milestones participation rate for a FCS school was 61%, while the lowest participation rate was 5%.
Dr. Looney and the Board members emphasize the importance of FCS making the 95% participation rate.
District 5 Board Member Linda McCain questions why a teacher would encourage students to opt out of the Milestones. She asks if teacher evaluations were impacted by Milestones scores.
Board Vice President and District 6 Board Member Kimberly Dove offers suggestions on how to ensure students will participate in state testing. She inquires into closing the gaps in results.
Jones talks about progress and overall achievement scores in regards to closing gaps scores. He discusses how base lines will help with progress scores.
Dr. Looney discusses the bridge plan and how that summer program will positively impact students’ state testing. He asks parents to send their kids to school as much as possible.
District 5 Board Member Linda McCain asks for input on how likely milestones will continue and how they are moving to MAP.
Dr. Looney says there is a conversion table that will help compare data between the two testing systems.
The Board passes item 5.01
Jones explains the textbook adoption. For high school, the textbook adoption is “Words Their Way” and “My Perspectives”
Kelley Webb explains how “My Perspectives” helps build students’ knowledge and vocabulary. She discusses how AMSCO, although unnecessary, will be beneficial to those who deem it fit.
District 2 Board Member Katie Reeves understands the need for new resources and the parents’ concerns on the recommendations. She was hoping to see something that addressed grammar in the middle school section.
Jones values grammar, and he is interested in how it will be important in future textbook adoption choices.
Dr. Looney mentions the transformation it will bring to students’ performance in school.
Dove says her community supports the variety of materials presented. She inquires as to how many interactions teachers will need with the new material.
Jennifer Burton says there is no specific number.
Warren asks if professional learning will hit on the writing pieces and if it will help students’ grammar.
Webb mentions there is a grammar book that comes with “My Perspectives.”
Dr. Looney voices that teachers need more time for learning, so the calendar will have more professional development days. The calendar will be available in March.
Reeves mentions that sometimes students need to be farther ahead in the curriculum.
Jones discusses how this will be a part of the plan.
Board President and District 7 Board Member Julia Bernath expresses excitement about the textbook adoption because they are unable to create their own.
Dr. Looney says teachers will save time due to the training, and the weeks will line up with training days. These days will be used to refine their skills rather than teach them skills.
Reeves asks for reassurance that the teachers will have proper training to teach students at the paces planned.
Stuart inquires into how the training will be done.
Dr. Looney speaks on literacy coaches’ role within this plan and how they will support both students and teachers.
Hapeville Charter Career Academy Renewal is placed in consent.
There are no questions about February Board Policy Review Schedule.
Board Procedure GBBA Professional Qualifications and Duties placed in consent.
Board Policy JBD Absences and Excuses placed in consent.
Board Operating Guideline IFBGA Responsible Use of Enterprise Network is accepted for information.
Maloof is brought to the board to discuss the following:
The RFP No. 407-22 Bi-Polar Ionization System Replacement Project is placed in consent.
Dean asks why some of the schools only require two bi-polar ionization systems.
Maloof says that this is because these are replacements, not completely new installations.
Conley Hills Elementary School Replacement Update is passed as information.
Maloof tells the board about this new location, and how it does not require as much work as the former site idea.
Dean thanks Maloof for all of his work then asks about the prototypes that they have for this school.
Maloof explains that this is the most recent prototype that FCS has been using.
Dean mentions her excitement for this new school and how she hopes the community loves it.
Dove talks about how they have been working on this since 2018. She then inquires into the distance this site is from Conley Hills. She reminds the community that the prototype is still in the beginning stages.
McCainn mentions she is glad that they saved some money on the land. After, she asks about the current budget in comparison to the former $44 million budget, but they do not have a new one at this time.
Stuart thanks Maloof and his team, and she discusses the frustrating process. She mentions how excited she is for the community.
Contracting Report for February 2022 for Items Between $100,000 and $1,000,000 is approved as information
Reeves inquires into the current year's expenditure on the items mentioned previously.
Yalanda Bell communicates that she can do that.
Chief Financial Officer Marvin Dereef discusses how FCS has spent more money this year than last year.
Dr. Looney speaks on inconsistencies between state and federal differences in budgeting due to auditors because of a difference in approval.
Dean asks if they have been notified by auditors.
Dr. Looney mentions that he can share the letter that has been circulating.
Dereef says that the auditors are saying that they will allow it because they did not spend beyond the budget. They said there are schools in other districts who overspent, so their finances are being held. FCS is not one of them.
McCainn voices her concern about a potential fine next year.
Dereef says he asked the auditors and they currently do not know; however, they have confirmed the release of last year’s audit.
Dr. Looney states that they should not be penalized because of the disagreement of those higher up in position.
Dean asks about the letter.
Dr. Looney decides to send the board the letter, and they can sign it if they are comfortable.
Reeves asks who is in control of auditing.
Dr. Looney states that a disconnect between federal and state can harm FCS.
Dean inquires into the amount of money being discussed.
Reeves says he is unsure because it is a dispute between the federal and state auditors.
Item 7.11 goes in consent.
Monthly Capital Programs Report goes in consent.
Proposed Budget Adjustments for February 2022 enters information.
Dereef explains how it is not an increase in budget but rather a shift in budget.
Banking Resolutions enters discussion.
Employee Travel Report for February 2022 remains in discussion.
SPLOST VI Certificate of Distribution Authorization goes in consent.
Stuart is excited for social workers at all schools, and 3DE being implemented at Roswell Highschool. She asks how 3DE will impact teachers.
Dereef says 3DE is completely voluntary, and it is a school within a school. It’s only for 9th graders at Roswell Highschool next school year.
Warren inquires about the increase in TAG at schools and how they intend to expand programs.
Dereef states that these inquiries will be addressed at a later date.
Dove asks about the initial responsibilities of the CSAs.
Dr. Looney discusses that they will have proper training.
Reeves expresses that the community needs to know that 3DE was implemented before any discussion, so it was only at Northview.
Dean asks for explanation in regards to the number of CSAs. Then asks what they will do between then and now.
Dr. Looney has purchased 10 CSAs for schools who have had three or more fights
Proposed Changes to School Allotment Guidelines FY2023 is passed unanimously.
There are no questions about the Information Reports to the Board.
The meeting is adjourned.
