I am excited about another year in Fulton County Schools. We are so proud of our students, who have shown resilience over the last few years, and our educators and programs have only continued to grow and improve. Students are excelling on multiple levels, from academics to sports to the fine arts to career technology and innovation. We have made so much progress in our recovery from the pandemic, and I appreciate the support of our parent stakeholders and Board of Education.
Community backing and collaboration is vital for our success. So much great work has been done to support our students and we have proved that we are better together. Examples of our collaborative success include the Bridge to Success, the program we created to utilize federal dollars from the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan. These funds have been applied to create and supplement existing programs that allow us to focus on the whole person – academics, workforce development and emotional health.
As we move into the new 2023-2024 school year, our dedicated and determined staff and I look forward to building on the progress we have made. We know you value high quality education and programs that will help prepare your children to be the leaders of tomorrow. Our heartfelt aim is to help students be successful in the path they choose – first to graduate, then to attend college or be ready for employment in the workplace. Fulton continues to demonstrate strong expectations for academic rigor with college readiness support.
Our Career, Technology and Agricultural Education (CTAE) programs equip students with leadership and vocational skills to prepare them for employment. Our extensive student services provide mental health and other important resources for students’ wellbeing. I could not be prouder of our community, but there’s always work to do and we’re ready to launch. We have also invested heavily in literacy training and focused on the science of reading in our early grades.
Last, but not by any means least, we have taken measures we needed to address that enhance our safety and security programs. Our district has made tremendous investments in equipment, tools and personnel as well as updating our assessment protocols. Safety and security are our top priorities, so students can be free to learn and succeed. As the world and our communities change, we adapt and evolve together while keeping our goals in front of us. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.