Fulton County Schools (FCS) Superintendent Robert Avossa, along with other FCS administrators and leaders, invited members of the media to Riverwood International Charter School in Sandy Springs for a public back-to-school briefing as school officials prepared for the new 2014-15 school year, which began August 11.

With a projected opening day enrollment of approximately 96,300 students 1,200 more than last school year FCS is the fourth-largest school district in the state. FCS has 101 schools throughout the district: 58 elementary, 19 middle, 17 high, and 7 charter schools.

Superintendent Avossa began the briefing by highlighting successes of the previous year, noting the advances that technology in the classrooms and Bring Your Own Technology programs offer in terms of enhanced learning opportunities; achievements in math and writing; and a solvent fiscal system that not only has averted furloughs but also will allow for a 3 percent one-time bonus to FCS employees this December. In addition, Superintendent Avossa introduced new principals for the 2014-15 academic year, including those in attendance from North Fulton schools: Brian Downey, Northview High School; Ariane Holcombe, Mimosa Elementary School; Gail Johnson, Johns Creek High School; Mary Robson, New Prospect Elementary School; Christopher Shearer, Holcomb Bridge Middle School; Rachel Williams, Crabapple Crossing Elementary School; and Laurie Woodruff, Hembree Springs Elementary School.

The many new programs and initiatives for FCS and area North Fulton schools in the 2014-15 academic year will include:

Teach to One: Northwestern Middle School will introduce an instructional delivery model for math that creates several learning stations for teachers and students to move between throughout a single class period. Students will receive an individualized learning experience, at the right academic level, using the most appropriate instructional format. Students may work on one of several instructional approaches that include live teacher-led instruction, student collaboration, software, or virtual instructors; students are assessed daily to determine whether they have mastered a skill or need more time on that skill. The Teach to One program will serve as a secondary support model for a select group of students at Northwestern Middle School.

Charter System Requests for Flexibility: Last winter, the FCS board reviewed Requests for Flexibility from schools that wanted to use the district's charter system status to exercise flexibility options supporting their school strategic plans. As example of the 18 approved requests that go into effect this year, Centennial High School can allow a waiver to grant PE credit to students who participate in GHSA athletics, school-sponsored club sports, or marching band. Mountain Park Elementary School also can implement a new TAG (Talented and Gifted) model to allow more students to be exposed to TAG strategies. Northview High School can apply a class size waiver to offer a few larger Advanced Placement courses to provide more students the opportunity to take AP courses.

Student Learning Objectives: Student Learning Objectives (SLOs), a component of the Teacher Keys Effectiveness System, measure student growth and academic achievement. Data from the assessments will help educators plan for student success by ensuring that every minute of instruction is moving students, teachers, and schools toward the common vision of exemplary instruction and high levels of student academic growth. In addition, as a measure of teachers' impact on student learning, SLOs give educators, school systems, and state leaders an additional means by which to understand, value, and recognize success in the classroom. SLOs will provide evidence of each teacher's instructional impact on student learning.

Georgia Milestones: Beginning this year, FCS will use the Georgia Dept. of Education's new testing system, the Georgia Milestones Assessment System (Georgia Milestones). Georgia Milestones will replace the CRCT and the EOCT.

Construction & Maintenance Projects: Maintenance crews have completed 4,500 maintenance work orders throughout Fulton schools. Also as part of FCS' "Rebuild, Refresh, Renew" program, renovation is under way on more than 20 schools throughout the county, including North Fulton's Chattahoochee and Roswell High, Haynes Bridge and Holcomb Bridge Middle, and Barnwell and Dolvin Elementary schools. Additional targeted improvements are planned for Alpharetta High (softball concessions), Northview High (track), and Lake Windward Elementary (play areas). Construction of a new high school in west Roswell is expected to be completed in time for the 2015-16 school year.

Bus Transportation: Sixty-six new buses have replaced older vehicles and repairs have been made to other buses. Mechanics have certified that all buses are ready. Nearly 100 new bus drivers have been hired and trained, and all (800+) drivers are being certified in CPR, Emergency First-Aid Response, and Green Cross Defensive Driving. School bus routes and bus stops are available online.

Safety & Security: A system-wide visitor identification system is being implemented, which will allow staff to scan a visitor's ID and check it against a national database. In addition to the school resource officers already in place at middle and high schools, campus security associates are being added to some locations this year. Also, security and support was increased in each of the district's four learning communities by assigning a lieutenant and investigator. They are located at an elementary school in their learning community and provide centralized support to the schools in that area.

Health Initiatives: Changes in Georgia's immunization requirements now call for seventh-grade students and new entrants/students in grades 8-12 to have one dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) and one dose of MCV (meningococcal conjugate) vaccines. To continue compliance with USDA federal regulations, "Equity in School Lunch Pricing," the FCS school board approved a 5-cent increase to the student lunch meal price and a 10-cent increase to the adult lunch meal price. Reduced price meals for eligible students will cost $0.30 for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch. Middle and high school cafeterias will no longer fry any foods all fryers have been replaced with retherm ovens. School menus will reflect new nutrition regulations. One hundred percent of grains offered will be whole grain-rich, students will be required to select a fruit as part of the breakfast meal, and lower sodium targets will be met. Also, all foods and beverages sold to students during the school day must meet new federal nutrition regulations for calories, fat, sugar, and sodium. Mimosa Elementary is one of 11 elementary schools participating in the USDA's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, which introduces school children to a variety of free produce to sample while also providing a nourishing snack to help fuel the students' brains and growing bodies during the school day.

Technology Enhancements: A primary emphasis of the SPLOST program is an investment of technology in schools. In order to be successful in the future, students must participate in engaging instruction that allows them to gather, analyze and present information easily, share work with teachers, collaborate with other students, and use current technology to create and display their work. Teachers and parents must have access to timely information on their students' performance. Teachers must also use current technology in their classrooms so that student learning can be engaging and focused on students' specific needs and interests. This year, approximately 500 laptops are being provided to new teachers and 3,400 teacher laptops are being replaced throughout the county. Schools' bandwidth also has been doubled, and students and teachers will have access to a new "digital repository" for cloud-like sharing of digital resources. FCS also will finish this year installation of digital projectors that act as interactive whiteboards in classrooms.

"We've had a great first month of school, and that's due to all the preparation that occurred over the summer," said Superintendent Avossa. "It pays off when we see our students and teachers excited to be back in class, ready for the new year."

Michelle Martin