Northview High School to Vie for High-Q Title For WSB-TVs 31st season of High-Q, Fulton County Schools Academic Bowl champions Northview High School is one of the thirty Georgia schools selected to vie for the 2017 title and $5,000 in scholarships. The Northview team is captained by sophomore Akaash Para, with sophomores Ayush Nene, Varun Vangala and junior Anirudh Thatavarty rounding out the starting four. Sophomore Amshu Chakrigiri and senior Nithin Raghavan are the alternates. Northviews coach is Scott Fowler.
Hillside Elementary PTA Recognized Nationally as a School of Excellence National PTA has recognized Hillside Elementary and its PTA as a National PTA School of Excellence for their achievement in building effective family-school partnerships. Research shows that when families and schools work together, student achievement increases, schools improve, and communities grow stronger. Being recognized as a National PTA School of Excellence demonstrates Hillsides leadership and commitment to supporting student success and continuous school improvement. To be recognized as a National PTA School of Excellence, PTAs evaluate their current family engagement strategies and submit a goal for school improvement that families, teachers and administrators have set together. They improve upon their family engagement strategies throughout the year, while focusing on their goal. The National PTA School of Excellence designation is awarded to those schools that have demonstrated improvement in the family-school partnership and significant progress toward their goal.
N. Fulton County Has Five of Georgias Top 10 Highest Scoring Schools for ACT Recently released ACT scores put Fulton Countys high schools among the highest-scoring in the state, with five schools listed among the top 10 in Georgia. Northview HS had the second highest ACT score in the state for 2016, with Johns Creek HS following as the third highest. Chattahoochee HS, Alpharetta HS and Cambridge HS were ranked fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively. Fultons overall composite scores remain high at 23.2, a 0.3 increase from last year. Comparatively, Georgias overall composite scores increased slightly to 21.1 from 21.0 last year, and the national composite score fell slightly to 20.8. Scored on a scale of 1 to 36, with 36 being the highest possible score, the test is taken voluntarily by students throughout the year. Similar to the SAT, the ACT is a test commonly used for college admission and placement. It measures English, math, reading and science proficiency, with an optional writing section, whereas the SAT measures only math, reading and writing.
Over 100 N. Fulton Students Named Semifinalists for National Merit Scholarships Alpharetta High SchoolVeronica R. BianMegha DesaiLuke T. HeyerdahlBrian HuIzaan KamalRohan KansaraKatelyn LawrencePhilip Paul N. MantchevAnav MittalNitish SoodAnthony ZhangJeffrey Zhang Cambridge High SchoolCameron L. ChongSavannah C. FarrMadison A. LandisJason X. Yang Centennial High SchoolKarl A. JacobiKyle QianJustin SimardCaroline Wittschen Chattahoochee High SchoolJohn E. ArndtAmanda Y. BaoSarah ChenAditi ChoudhuryChristopher J. ChungRachel FitzgeraldAnanya GhoseMatthew GreenSaitej GuttikondaPallavi K. KenkareDong M. KimAbhinav KumarSofie K. LehtikoskiRahil ManjiKalen PattonRyan PengJoaquin RamasAshwin RamaswamiMichael SawchukHarry D. TraubEric WangSophia YanTigerwin Yang Johns Creek High SchoolNoor Abi RachedMadeleine E. BlairBrennen M. BlotnerDaniel A. BodeaCassie ChenAdam D. DavaultYasheen GaoShalin G. KapilWoohyun KimAndrew W. LiangAchyutha Abhishek MallemadugulaAmy W. MuKatherine ShinChristopher R. SullivanAbhinav L. TirathAnshul TusnialAkhil R. VaidyaJamie WangVivian L. WangMichelle YangKoosha Zendehrouh Kermani Milton High SchoolRoopsha BandopadhyayGrace CassidyAditi DhumeMaya EashwaranNiva MatchaAnkita P. MohapatraAmulya NooneGina PiazzaKate L. ReynoldsAndrew D. Sauer Northview High School Ruth AustinPragya BanerjeeAshna BhardwajCharles ChengJasmin GaoFelicia GuoAmy L. JiangMinji KimJudy LiMichelle LiuCalista Mei Prahathishree MohanaveluEvan MoyThomas MoySoumil NarianiSally L. PanKeshav S. PandiriSidharth S. PotdarNithin RaghavanTarun RameshOmkara P. RaoYashi SanghviLeonardo TangKavya VridCatherine YangStarr T. YangAmanda W. ZhangBill W. ZhangJoseph ZhangIrene ZhouPatrick ZhouRaymond Zhu
Two North Fulton High Schools Named to Newsweeks Top Schools List This 2016-17 school year has started off with a bang for Northview High School and Chattahoochee High School, which were both named among Newsweek Magazines list of top-ranking public high schools. The annual list spotlights high achieving schools that continually challenge students with advanced curriculum offerings. Of the 11 schools listed from Georgia, Northview was ranked #132 and Chattahoochee was ranked #281. Only 500 schools nationwide are spotlighted in the report. The Newsweek ranking highlights the best public high schools that have proven to be the most effective in turning out college-ready graduates. The lists ranking is based on six components: College acceptance rate (25%) Graduation rate (20%) Average Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate scores (17.5%) Average SAT/ACT scores (17.5%) Changes in 9th-grade to 12th-grade enrollment rates (10%) Counselor-to-student ratio (10%) To be considered for the ranking, schools must complete a questionnaire from Newsweek. The entire report is online at Newsweek.com/high-schools/americas-top-high-schools-2016.
Community Rallies Around a Young Girl Battling a Rare Form of Ovarian Cancer Campbell Fretz is a vibrant, fun 12-year-old girl who loves to swim, sing, do gymnastics and spend time with her twin sisters. In April, her mother noticed she was running a fever with no other symptoms. After a visit to urgent care, Campbell was sent home. A few days later, her mom discovered a tiny knot above Campbells belly button. Eventually, she ended up at Childrens Hospital at Scottish Rite in Atlanta. Campbell was admitted for further testing. After several tests and two surgeries, doctors removed a five-pound ovarian tumor, larger than a football, out of Campbell as well as four large lymph nodes. At just 12 years old, she was diagnosed with an extremely rare, advanced stage 3 germ cell ovarian cancer. Through it all, Campbell has maintained a smile. Shes brave and assures everyone shes a fighter and will win this battle. On days she doesnt feel strong, she asks her family and friends to help her fight and be strong for her. The community has now rallied around Campbell and her family. As Campbell fights for her life through treatment after treatment, and yet another upcoming surgery, theyve found support from so many friends, family and people they have never met. A Go Fund Me page and a Facebook page have been established to follow Campbells progress: GoFundMe.com/274ep7w Facebook.com/CampbellsCrusade/?fref=ts In addition, t-shirts are being sold to help fund Campbells care:Booster.com/campbells-crusade-against-ovarian-cancer?utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=desktop-dashboard-campaign-v1&utm_medium=social&ref=facebook_social_desktop-dashboard-campaign-v1
First Lady Sandra Deal Visits Northside Library for Toddler Storytime with Patrons Atlanta-Fulton Public Library Systems Northside Library patrons had a wonderful surprise when Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal recently stopped by to read to the branchs youngest patrons during Toddler Storytime. The children enjoyed the story Boomers Big Day and even got to see a service dog during the First Ladys visit. Deals visit was during the Library Systems Summer Reading Program, which encourages people of all ages to read 10 books (15 for our younger patrons) during the summer months. The program also helps ease the summer slump many students experience when they are away from school, teachers and homework assignments and is geared toward keeping minds active and engaged.
Approved Budget Supports District Priorities and Pay Raises for Staff The Fulton County Board of Education recently approved the FY 2017 budget, granting pay raises for teachers and staff for the 2016-2017 school year. The approved budget also aims to keep millage rates the same 18.502 mils for FY 2017, which means no increase in school taxes for most property owners. Superintendent Jeff Rose was ushered into his first school board meeting with the approval of the $1.3 billion budget. This is an amazing accomplishment that deserves recognition. Im proud to be part of the staff that presents this budget to the taxpayers and citizens of Fulton County, Dr. Rose said. Having a sound, balanced budget says a lot about the quality of our business processes and the fiscal transparency we provide to our public. The approved budget focuses heavily on employee compensation to ensure that schools are staffed with the most qualified teachers and support personnel. A 5% raise will be granted to employees paid on the teaching salary schedule and a 3% raise is set for all other district staff. Those who teach special education, an area in high demand both locally and nationally, will receive an additional $3,000 supplement to their FY 2017 salary. Eligible employees in the district also will receive a step increase as they transition to the new budget year. 67% of the $952 million budget is devoted to instruction, with the remaining 33% budgeted for pupil transportation, maintenance and operations and other administrative functions. The budget also keeps class sizes the same and does not include any staff reductions or furlough days for employees. Other highlights include extended work calendars for counselors, social workers and psychologists and funding for flex positions at each elementary school. Breakdown of the FY 2017 Budget:General Fund - $952,134,657School Nutrition Fund - $42,078,921Debt Service Fund - $16,436,834Special Revenue Fund - $48,662,890Capital Program Fund - $252,489,588Pension Fund - $33,231,270Student Activity Fund - $16,459,736Total All Funds - $1,361,493,896
Dr. Jeff Rose Begins Tenure as Fulton School Superintendent On June 1, 2016, Jeff Rose, Ed. D., officially took the helm as Fulton County Schools Superintendent. I am thrilled to begin a new journey with Fulton County Schools. I look forward to working with the school board, colleagues and the community to positively impact the education of all students, said Dr. Rose. Dr. Roses first day on the job began with meeting his district office staff and other leaders in his administration. In the coming weeks, he will continue to meet with school leaders, elected officials, parents and key business and community leaders to assess Fultons successes, its challenges and ways to bridge the gaps in between.
Fulton County School System Honors Meredith Tongue as 2016 Teacher of the Year Meredith Tongue, an eighth-grade social studies teacher at Elkins Pointe Middle School, has a strong belief system that guides her teaching the belief that all students should be an equal partner in their own education. I believe that establishing personal relationships with students is as important as teaching them the content. I believe that all students deserve respect, love and compassion, regardless of their behavior and attitude toward school, Tongue says. I believe that the kids who need love the most ask for it in the most unloving ways. I think if all educators were to reframe their thinking about kids and the behaviors they exhibit as cries for help, we would be able to reach more at-risk students. Tongue also believes in creating a challenge for students in her classroom, while also providing them a safe place to fall and pick themselves up if they dont succeed the first time. If you set expectations high, students will rise to the occasion, no matter what level the class is. Students need to be pushed outside of their comfort zone, in small incremental steps, to help them realize their own potential, she says. Its important to show them that its OK to fail its what you learn from it that is important. Principal Kindra Smith says that Tongue, who has been nominated as her schools Teacher of the Year five times in the past five years, is the consummate professional and an excellent example for other educators. Mrs. Tongue is an amazing teacher, leader and role model. She exemplifies the true spirit of being a teacher and she works hard to ensure that every day her work empowers students to be successful, says Smith. In all of the years that I have served as a school leader, I have never seen teaching and learning delivered in such a highly engaged and deliberate manner, like I have in Mrs. Tongues class. When I am in her classroom, I dont want to leave!