Bts fcn 2013

August 2013

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2 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013

Welcome to Forsyth County school system Forsyth County Schools is ‘Forsyth County Schools treasures projected to serve more than 40,300 students this school its heritage, but realizes the year, and is the largest growth in the community has employer in the county with some 4,200 full-time employallowed the system to provide ees and 1,500 substitutes.

The district is the ninth opportunities to students that largest of 180 school systems in Georgia. would not have been possible otherwise.’

From the 2011-12 to 201213 school year, the district Buster Evans added 1,722 new students.

Superintendent Sixteen of Forsyth County’s schools have outgrams, Forsyth Academy/ grown the student enrollment 35 schools: • 20 elementary Academy @ Night for high capacity of their buildings, so • Nine middle school students, and Gateway 99 trailers are on school cam• Five high schools puses to accommodate the Academy, an alternative pro• The Academies for Creative gram for middle and high growth.

Education, or ACE, that The district is projected to school students grow to 47,278 students by includes one 6-12 online One of the school district’s 2018. school, iAchieve Virtual beliefs is that change creates The local system is home to Academy.

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Schools treasures its heritage, but realizes the growth in the community has allowed the system to provide opportunities to students that would not have been possible otherwise.

For this school year, the district has many positive changes, beginning with a pay increase and no additional furloughs for employees, and the hiring of 280 new educators.

Forsyth County Schools’ fourth Strategic Plan will begin this year, starting with a busy fall with the finalizing the 2014-19 Facilities Plan for future school construction and renovations; adjusting attendance lines for redistricting for the 2014-15 school year; implementing a new Continuous Improvement

Plan, where school -based plans drive the work of the Central Office; venturing into the new teacher and leader appraisal cycles; and also a new virtual learning platform, itslearning.

Forsyth County Schools values its partnership with parents, businesses and community organizations. The 2013-14 year is going to be an outstanding one.

Best wishes to students and staff as they return to continue working for “quality learning and superior performance for all.”

L.C. “Buster” Evans Superintendent

forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 3

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013

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Jennifer Sami Forsyth County News

Shari Frankel joins cheerleaders in celebration as she enters the auditorium of South Forsyth High on July 30 for new teacher orientation.

New school year begins Thursday District continues to add students

By Jennifer Sami

jsami@forsythnews.com

When the 2013-14 school year begins Thursday, the Forsyth County school system will welcome about 40,300 students, more than 4,200 employees and a new learning platform.

“Our plates will be quite full this year as we focus on crucial programs and initiatives to continue our pathway to greatness,” said Superintendent Buster Evans. “We ended 2012-13 on a high note and expect the continuation of success this new school year.

“Our staff members have been quite busy this summer preparing for the return of students.”

The district continues to grow, with

about 1,200 new students this year, which means it has overtaken its western neighbor, Cherokee County, in size.

This year, 99 trailers will be housed on campuses throughout the county.

“We have seen a boom in new student registration this summer as our economy continues to improve,” Evans said.

“This has caused us to double the number of our trailers this summer on 16 of our 35 school campuses. Without funding for new school construction, modifications and additions, this will continue to occur.”

While growth is nothing new to the school system, the itslearning platform is. The program will be used for the first time this year by parents, students and teachers.

It will replace the Angel learning management system and the Edusoft classroom assessment programs the See YEAR | 6

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4 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

FORSYTH COUNTY SCHOOLS

Note: All Holidays are subject to

Approved 11/15/2012

2013-2014 STUDENT CALENDAR

revisions due to inclement weather.

1-7 5 6 8 28

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013

Early Release Days End of Semester First/Last Day of School Inclement Weather Days Pre/Post Planning/Prof. Dev. Prof. Dev. (Student Holiday) Student/Staff Holidays

July 2013 M T W T 1 2 3 4 7 8 9 10 11 14 15 16 17 18 21 22 23 24 25 28 29 30 31

Preplanning Open House MS Open House ES First Day of School Early Release/Prof.Dev.

August 2013 S M T W T F 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 28 29 30

S

17 Days September 2013 M T W T F 2 3 4 5 6 9 10 11 12 13 16 17 18 19 20 23 24 25 26 27 30

S 3 10 17 24 31

S

S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 18 Days March 2014 M T W T F

25-29 Thanksgiving Holiday (No School)

22 Days November 2013 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

17 Days May 2014 T W T 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 21 22 27 28 29

F 2 9 16 23 30

19 End of 1st Semester (89 Days) 20-31 Holiday Break (No School)

16 Days December 2013 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

17 Days June 2014 T W T 3 4 5 10 11 12 17 18 19 24 25 26

F S 6 7 13 14 20 21 27 28

16-17 Early Release/Parent Conf.

(K-12) 18 Student/Staff Holiday

S

S

Elementary I Elementary II Middle High

Begin 7:40 a.m.

8:20 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

8:25 a.m.

End 2:20 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

3:40 p.m.

M

4 5 11 12 18 19 25 26

S M 1 2 8 9 15 16 22 23 29 30

14 Days Early Release 11:50 a.m.

12:30 p.m.

1:30 p.m.

12:55 p.m.

1-3 6 20

Holiday Break (No School) Prof.Dev.(Student Holiday) MLK Day (No School)

14 17

Prof. Dev. (Student Holiday) Student/Staff Holiday (President's Day)

14 17 31

Early Release/Parent Conf.

(K-12) Inclement Weather Day (#1) Spring Break(No School)

1-4 21

Spring Break (No School) Inclement Weather Day (#2)

18 Days February 2014 M T W T F

20 Days October 2013 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Labor Day (No School) Early Release/Prof. Dev.

S 7 14 21 28

January 2014 M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 S

S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 19 Days April 2014 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

2 18

S 1 8 15 22 29

F S 5 6 12 13 19 20 26 27

S 3 10 17 24 31

23 23 26 27-28

Elementary II: 8:20 a.m.

Daves Creek Johns Creek Mashburn Midway Sawnee, Silver City Whitlow

Last Day of School End of 2nd Semester (89 Days) Memorial Day Post Planning (Prof. Dev.)

TOTAL DAYS: 178 - Students 187 - Staff

Elementary I: 7:40 a.m.

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forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 5

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013

Great Careers Start Here!

Alyssa LaRenzie Forsyth County News

Sena Hosu, right, learns about the bus safety zone from Kelly Mohnkern during the SOAR Back to School Safety Fair on July 27. Officials urge safety on the roads as school buses return.

Safety emphasized as buses return to roads Traffic delays likely over the next month

By Hilary Butschek

hbutschek@forsythnews.com

Expect delays on Forsyth County roads starting Thursday, the first day of the 2013-14 school year, as about 300 buses will carry some 23,000 students to and from campuses.

The buses are likely to create traffic delays, especially during the first couple of weeks of school, said Garry Puetz, the Forsyth County school system’s director of transportation.

“What we ask for each year is that people allow a little bit of extra time to get through Forsyth County,” he said.

Bus drivers will be getting used to their routes and over the next month or so many things can take more time than usual.

Each driver will be getting to know their students, as well as the parents along their route. Parents will also be learning the route.

“You’ve got moms and dads taking videos of their kindergartener’s first day of school,” Puetz said.

Parents can prepare for the start of school by going online to check their child’s bus pick-up and drop-off times.

They can find that information on Parent Portal by clicking on the transportation tab on their account, which specifies the bus route number and times for each child.

Parents can also visit the school system’s Web site to check bus route maps and times. Both show proper bus stop locations.

Expect delays in pick-up times too, though. Buses could be as much as 10 to 15 minutes late reaching a stop.

Delays could vary over the first few See BUSES | 6

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6 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

Campus rules remain mostly unchanged

By Hilary Butschek

hbutschek@forsythnews.com

All rules in the Forsyth County school system will stay the same for the upcoming year, though an additional measure was added over the summer.

The modification is that any electronic cigarette device is not allowed on school grounds, said Todd Shirley, the district’s director of school safety.

There have not been many problems with the devices in the past, Shirley said, but the rule is there to “anticipate” future issues.

The system’s code of conduct wasn’t in need of changing, Shirley said, because officials haven’t received any complaints.

“I feel like our code of conduct is very fair,” he said. “It’s easy to understand for parents.”

Although the basic countywide rules will for the most part stay the same, Shirley said it is important for students to look over their school’s rules. No matter what school they attend, being aware is always a good thing.

“Every year, we want to tell the kids to be very conscientious of their school rules,” Shirley said.

Getting to know administrators and teachers can help students follow the rules at school, and it will also keep them safe.

“If students ever see strangers, notify your teachers or administrators,” Shirley said. “Be aware of strange things on campus.”

The rules are there to protect students.

“I have a lot of confidence that kids know what is and what’s not acceptable, and parents too,” Shirley said.

To add to their safety, this year every school has new lockdown buttons.

“It sets off an automatic alarm throughout the school of a code red lockdown,” Shirley said.

It will also immediately send a call to the 911 emergency center, alerting authorities that the school is in a lockdown and to send first responders there.

On the Net A copy of the code of conduct will go home with every student, and an electronic version is available online at www.forsyth.k12.ga.us.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013

FROM 5

Buses weeks, depending on a child’s grade level.

Puetz said elementary school pickups are the first bus route of the morning, so delays should be minimal.

Next up are high school riders, with middle schoolers picked up last.

So, over time, delays could compound.

Puetz encouraged parents to be aware of their children’s drop-off time. Every year, he noted, there are incidents where drivers cannot release children because their parents aren’t there to meet them.

Students should arrive at their bus stop five to six minutes early for the first few days of school to ensure they catch the bus.

Also, Puetz said, keep safety in mind while riding the bus.

“Stay out of the danger zone,” he said, which is within 12 feet of the bus.

FROM 3

Year system had been using for several years.

Mike Evans, director of information and instructional support systems, said the new platform will be integrated with Infinite Campus, the student information system, to provide “for a streamlined experience for students, parents and teachers.”

“Parents will have a single log in to view all their children’s current and past due assignments across courses and have access to student grades in grades 6-12,” Evans said.

“Additionally, parents will have access to instructional content and have an overview of each student’s performance against standards.

Students will be able to view assignments from all classes on one screen and view current and past due assignments across courses.”

According to Evans, students will

Alyssa LaRenzie Forsyth County News

Ariel Langen and Hailey Mallard practice riding a school bus during the SOAR Back to School Safety Fair on July 27.

To be safe, children should only board a bus through the door and wait for the driver’s signal before doing so.

Elementary school-age children will learn basic bus safety rules over receive immediate feedback on submitted assignments and recommended learning activities based on learning preferences.

The new system is one more tool the district is using to continue the transition to the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards.

It’s the third year the district has implemented the standards and Fonda Harrison, chief academic officer, said it’s also “the second year the system will be held responsible for the College and Career Ready Performance Indicators.”

The indicators are based largely on test results, specifically tracking progress.

Last school year, Harrison said, the district’s “scores were very favorable in comparison to the state,” a trend officials hope continues in the coming year.

To prepare for the new school year, the county’s schools will hold open house events this week so students can meet their teachers and visit their new classrooms.

the first 20 days of school through the transportation department’s SOAR program, which instructs them how to get to school “safely, orderly and respectfully.”

Contact The first day of school is Thursday. For more information on bus routes, schools, registering a child or other school-related issues, visit www.forsyth. k12.ga.us.

Many elementary schools have held kindergarten roundup events, which allow kindergarteners to ride a school bus with their parents.

Garry Puetz, director of transportation, said his department is “ready to go.”

“We’re just putting the finishing touches on our routes and finding our final drivers,” Puetz said. “We’ve added some routes, we’ve added some drivers to accommodate the new students, so we’re looking forward to a great opening with the help from our parents, students and motorists.”

forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 7

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013

forsyth county public schoolS Elementary schools

(770) 887-2341 fax: (770) 781-2281 Polly Tennies, principal ptennies@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Big Creek Elementary 1994 Peachtree Pkwy.

Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 887-4584 fax: (770) 781-2247 Sherri Black, principal sblack@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Coal Mountain Elementary 3455 Coal Mountain Drive Cumming, GA 30028 (770) 887-7705 fax: (770) 781-2286 Debbie Smith, principal dsmith@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Brookwood Elementary 2980 Vaughan Drive Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 965-5060 fax: (678) 965-5061 Kathie Braswell, principal kbraswell@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Cumming Elementary 540 Dahlonega St. Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 887-7749 fax: (770) 888-1233 Pamela Pajerski, principal ppajerski@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Chattahoochee Elementary 2800 Holtzclaw Road Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 781-2240 fax: (770) 781-2244 Barbara Vella, principal bvella@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Daves Creek Elementary 3740 Melody Mizer Lane Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 888-1222 fax: (770) 888-1223 Eric Ashton, principal eashton@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Chestatee Elementary 6945 Keith Bridge Road Gainesville, GA 30501

Haw Creek Elementary 2555 Echols Road Cumming, GA 30041 (678) 965-5070 fax: (678) 965-5071 Amy Davis, principal ardavis@forsyth.k12.ga.us Johns Creek Elementary 6205 Old Atlanta Road Suwanee, GA 30024 (678) 965-5041 fax: (678) 475-1725 Alyssa Degliumberto, principal adegliumberto@forsyth.k12.ga.us Kelly Mill Elementary 1180 Chamblee Gap Road Cumming, GA 30040 (678) 965-4953 fax: (678) 965-4958 Ron McAllister, principal rmcallister@forsyth.k12.ga.us Mashburn Elementary 3777 Samples Road Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 889-1630 fax: (770) 888-1202

Tracey Smith, principal tbsmith@forsyth.k12.ga.us Matt Elementary 7455 Wallace Tatum Road Cumming, GA 30028 (678) 455-4500 fax: (678) 455-4514 Charlley Stalder, principal cstalder@forsyth.k12.ga.us Midway Elementary 4805 Atlanta Hwy. Alpharetta, GA 30040 (770) 475-6670 fax: (770) 521-1866 Todd Smith, principal tsmith@forsyth.k12.ga.us Sawnee Elementary 1616 Canton Hwy. Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 887-6161 fax: (770) 781-2254 Eileen Nix, principal ecnix@forsyth.k12.ga.us

See SCHOOLS | 8

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013

forsyth county public schoolS Settles Bridge Elementary 600 James Burgess Road Suwanee, GA 30024 (770) 887-1883 fax: (770) 887-7383 Lee Anne Rice, principal lrice@forsyth.k12.ga.us Sharon Elementary 3595 Old Atlanta Road Suwanee, GA 30024 (770) 888-7511 fax: (770) 888-7510 Amy Bartlett, principal abartlett@forsyth.k12.ga.us Shiloh Point Elementary 8145 Majors Road Cumming, GA 30041 (678) 341-6481 fax: (678) 341-6491 Rebecca Johnson, principal rjohnson@forsyth.k12.ga.us Silver City Elementary 6200 Dahlonega Hwy. Cumming, GA 30028 (678) 965-5020 fax: (678) 965-5021 Paige Andrews, principal pandrews@forsyth.k12.ga.us Vickery Creek Elementary 6280 Post Road Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 346-0040 fax: (770) 346-0045 Kristan Riedinger, principal kriedinger@forsyth.k12.ga.us Whitlow Elementary 3655 Castleberry Road Cumming, GA 30041 (678) 965-5090 fax: (678) 965-5091 Lynne Castleberry, principal lcastleberry@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Middle schools Lakeside Middle 2565 Echols Road Cumming, GA 30024 (678) 965-5080 fax: (678) 965-5081 Debbie Sarver, principal dsarver@forsyth.k12.ga.us Liberty Middle 7465 Wallace Tatum Road

Cumming, GA 30028 (770) 781-4889 fax: (678) 513-3877 Connie Stovall, principal cstovall@forsyth.k12.ga.us Little Mill Middle 6800 Little Mill Road Cumming, GA 30041 (678) 965-5000 fax: (678) 965-5001 Connie McCrary, principal cmccrary@forsyth.k12.ga.us North Forsyth Middle 3645 Coal Mountain Drive Cumming, GA 30028 (770) 889-0743 fax: (770) 888-1210 Jeff Hunt, principal jhunt@forsyth.k12.ga.us Otwell Middle 605 Tribble Gap Road Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 887-5248 fax: (770) 888-1214 Steve Miller, principal stmiller@forsyth.k12.ga.us Piney Grove Middle 8135 Majors Road Cumming, GA 30041 (678) 965-5010 fax: (678) 965-5011 Terri North, principal tnorth@forsyth.k12.ga.us Riverwatch Middle 610 James Burgess Road Suwanee, GA 30024 (678) 455-7311 fax: (678) 455-7316 Kathy Carpenter, principal kcarpenter@forsyth.k12.ga.us South Forsyth Middle 2865 Old Atlanta Road Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 888-3170 fax: (770) 888-3179 Sandy Tinsley, principal stinsley@forsyth.k12.ga.us Vickery Creek Middle 6240 Post Road Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 667-2580 fax: (770) 667-2593 Kathy Rohacek, principal

krohacek@forsyth.k12.ga.us High Schools Forsyth Central High 520 Tribble Gap Road Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 887-8151 fax: (770) 781-2289 Rudy Hampton, principal rhampton@forsyth.k12.ga.us Lambert High 805 Nichols Road Suwanee, GA 30024 (678) 965-5050 fax: (678) 965-5051 Gary Davison, principal gdavison@forsyth.k12.ga.us North Forsyth High 3635 Coal Mountain Drive Cumming, GA 30028 (770) 781-6637 fax: (770) 781-2273 Beth Hebert, principal bhebert@forsyth.k12.ga.us South Forsyth High 585 Peachtree Pkwy.

Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 781-2264 fax: (770) 888-1224 Jeff Cheney, principal jcheney@forsyth.k12.ga.us West Forsyth High 4155 Drew Road Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 888-3470 fax: (770) 888-3471 Betty Pope, principal bpope@forsyth.k12.ga.us Academies of Creative Education (ACE) 1130 Dahlonega Hwy. Cumming, GA 30040 Includes Forsyth Academy (non-traditional charter high school), Academy at Night (770) 781-3141 Gateway Academy (alternative program), and iAchieve Virtual Academy (6-12 online school) (770) 781-2299 Brad Smith, principal basmith@forsyth.k12.ga.us

forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 9

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013

Forsyth County Board of Education District 1 — Ann Crow Ann Crow, an Atlanta native and graduate of Auburn University, began her third term on the board in January 2011.

She, husband Roger and their three daughters became Forsyth County residents in 1984.

Crow is executive vice president of Crow Financial Services Inc., a busiCrow ness services firm.

She has served the Forsyth County community as a director, officer and campaign chairwoman of the United Way; member and past president of Sawnee Woman’s Club; and officer and director of the Cumming/ Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce where she led establishment of the chamber’s education committee.

In addition, Crow was the cochairwoman of the 1996 school system Strategic Plan Initiative, which is the system’s operating guide today; member of the Board of Education’s Blue Ribbon Task Force, Standard Bearer Evaluation Committee and 2001 SPLOST Referendum Committee.

District 2 — Kristin Morrissey Kristin Morrissey has a computer science degree from the State

University of New York and Monroe Community College. She also studied microelectronic engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology.

Morrissey retired after 16 years as an automation specialist for the Monroe County Library System. Morrissey and husband Joe have two children, Mackenzie and Morrissey Sydney. She also graduated from the Georgia Academy for Economic Development and Leadership Forsyth. She’s a member of the Forsyth County Library Board of Trustees, Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce Quality of Life Council and is secretary for the Forsyth County Com­munity Connec­ tion. Morris­sey was elected to the school board in Novem­ber 2010.

District 3 —Tom Cleveland Raised in DeKalb County, Tom Cleveland moved his family to Forsyth County in 1995, where his two sons attended Forsyth County schools.

He began his third term on the board in January.

Cleveland is employed by Sage Software as the leader of HR operations and has spent his career implementing information technology solutions, with the past 10 years specializing in the human resources area.

Cleve­­land served as the co-chair of the Vision 2010 steering committee, member of the teacher of the year selection committee, sex education committee and other Cleveland various roles in the school system.

He currently serves as a worship team member at First Baptist Cumming, a disaster assistance team member with the American Red Cross and a member of the Amateur Radio Emergency Services group within the county.

District 4 — Darla Light, chair Raised in Forsyth County, Darla Light graduated from Forsyth County High School and attended the University of Georgia, where she majored in special education.

She began her second term in January 2009.

She and husband, David, a former educator, live in Forsyth County with their three children — Christopher and Payton, both of whom are graduates of Light Forsyth County schools and are enrolled in college, and Carlin, a 2013 graduate of North Forsyth High School.

Light has served as a PTSO officer at elementary and middle schools and coached middle school basketball. She

is a member of FCSÕ 2400 Challenge Committee, is active in the North Forsyth 400 Rotary Club and is a small business owner.

District 5 — Nancy Roche, vice chair Nancy Roche, who began her fourth term on the board in January, has a B.S. in computer science and mathematics.

She has previously worked as a systems analyst for IBM. A member of the Forsyth County Board of Education since 2001, Roche served as chairwoman in 2003 and from 2005-2008. She was appointed to the Georgia School Board Associations Board of Directors in June 2007.

She has served GSBA on the strategic planning committee, governmental operations committee, nominating committee and serves as a preRoche senter and mentor for new board members.

Roche is a member of the Deer Creek Shores Presbyterian Church where she sings in the choir, teaches Sunday school and serves on the Christian Education Committee, the Preschool Board of Directors and the Presbyterian Women.

She is also member of the Forsyth County Republican Party and the Republican Women.

Roche’s husband, Chris, is retired from IBM.They have three children: Christopher, Andrea andTerry.

private schools Cornerstone Schools 4888 Browns Bridge Road Cumming, GA 30041 www.cornerstonesch.com Pre School: Cheri Davis, director, (770) 205-6860 Elementary & Jr. High: Angela Martin, head mistress (770) 205-8202 Enrollment: 200 Students Head Mistress: Angela Martin Covenant Christian Academy 6905 Post Road Cumming, GA 30040

(770) 674-2990 www.covenantrams.org Grades: K4-12 Enrollment: 230 Headmaster: Johnathan Arnold Friendship Christian School 3160 Old Atlanta Road Suwanee, GA 30024 (678) 845-0418 www.fcsga.org Grades: K-12 Enrollment: 120 Principal: Rick Johnson

Horizon Christian Academy 2160 Freedom Parkway Cumming (678) 947-3583 www.horizonchristian.org Grades: K-12 Enrollment: 192 Headmaster: Gary Bennett McGinnis Woods Country Day School 5368 McGinnis Ferry Road Alpharetta (770) 664-7764

www.mcginniswoods.org Grades: Infants-eighth grade Enrollment: 450 Principal: Mary Johnson Pinecrest Academy 955 Peachtree Parkway Cumming (770) 888-4477 www.pinecrestacademy.org Grades: PreK3-12 Enrollment: 780 Head of School: Robert Presutti

forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 11

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013

Jennifer Sami Forsyth County News

Kari Register talks with prospective students about future career options during an open house at Lanier Tech in Forsyth.

Lanier Tech adds new programs For the Forsyth County News

Lanier Technical College has had an exciting year so far in 2013.

Several new programs of study have been added to support the growing c o m m u n i t y a n d bu s i n e s s n e e d s , including a physical therapist assistant program, which is offered at the Forsyth Campus.

The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states.

SACS COC accreditation opens more opportunities for current and future Lanier Tech students to continue their higher education and broadens their career opportunities.

T h e S AC S C O C a c c r e d i t a t i o n means that credits earned by Lanier Tech college students will be easier

to transfer to other institutions of higher learning, making the students’ higher education pursuits easier to attain.

The Commission of the Council on Occupational Education also accredits Lanier Tech.

The council’s accreditation process is conducted on behalf of more than 360,000 students nationwide who are pursuing careers in a variety of technical fields.

During the 2013 summer semester, the college has a total enrollment of nearly 1,700 students, with about 400 of those at the Forsyth campus.

L a n i e r Te c h , a u n i t o f t h e Te c h n i c a l C o l l e g e S y s t e m o f G e o rg i a , s e r ve s a s t h e f o r e m o s t work force development resource for Forsyth, Dawson, Hall, See PROGRAMS | 13

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12 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013

UNG brings higher education to Forsyth For the Forsyth County News

The University of North Georgia’s Cumming Campus, which opened in 2012 just off Ga. 400 at Exit 16, offers a range of educational opportunities for everyone from high school students in dual enrollment programs to graduate students.

The facility, located at 300 Aquatic Center Way, is bustling from early morning until late at night with students of all ages taking classes, said Jason Pruitt, executive director.

“The great thing about the Cumming campus is that we have such a broad range of course offerings,” he said. “We start early in the day with our dual-enrollment high school students, then throughout the day we have students who are working on multiple degree programs.

“In the evening, we have adult

learners who are taking certification courses or classes like photography just for fun. And we end the day with our master’s degree students, who are class until 10 p.m.”

The Accel Dual Enrollment Program, offered in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Education, draws some 100 students from public and private high schools in Forsyth, Dawson and Cherokee counties, Pruitt said.

Accel accounts for about onefifth of the enrollment at the Cumming campus. Though not all students have enrolled for fall yet, Pruitt said he expects the total enrollment in college courses to exceed 500 at the site.

Most of the undergraduate courses offered in Cumming are the general education, or core curriculum courses, required of all students, regardless of their chosen field of study.

Two UNG graduate programs

Contact

For information about courses offered at UNG’s Cumming Campus, visit www.ung.edu or call (470) 239-3102.

File photo

Bonita C. Jacobs, president of the University of North Georgia, mingles during an open house ceremony for the school.

are based in Cumming.

The Cottrell MBA program, previously located inside Cumming City Hall, moved to the new facili-

ty when it opened last summer.

The Master of Arts in Teaching, or MAT, also has relocated to the Cumming campus.

In addition to the hundreds of students taking college courses, continuing education and certification courses have also been popular with the Forsyth community.

Pruitt said that he’s been pleased with the lasting relationships the faculty and administrators have forged as the facility has been welcomed into the community.

“A big thing for us is the involvement with the community and the partnerships that we are developing and have developed in the community, and not only the high schools,” Pruitt said.

See UNG | 14

Nutrition important for student success The U.S. Department of Agriculture has officially certified that meals served in Forsyth County Schools meet the new federal nutrition standards, ensuring that students receive healthy, well-balanced meals every day.

In addition to meeting the high nutrition standards, Forsyth County Schools’ nutrition program is reaching out to local farmers to discuss farm-toschool partnerships. These partnerships will bring more locally grown products into the cafeterias, as well as to provide educa-

tional opportunities for students to learn about the foods they eat.

School meals are also a great value, with no increase in costs for 201314. Breakfast at school is a convenience for busy families and a great way to get the benefit of the most important meal of the day. Breakfast is $1.25 at elementary school, $1.35 at middle school, and $1.45 at high school.

School lunches provide a variety of healthy choices to help students fuel up for learning for only $2.25 at elementary schools, and

$2.35 at middle and high schools per day.

Parents can prepay for student meals with www. parentonline.net with credit/check cards. Prior to the 2013-14 school year, the district utilized www.mylunchmoney.com for payment. For your convenience all account information and balances will automatically be transferred to this new system.

User names and passwords will remain the same. For more information visit www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/ nutrition

For the Forsyth County News

School meals provide: • Age-appropriate calorie limits • Larger servings of vegetables and fruits (students must take at least one serving with a lunch meal) • A wider variety of vegetables, including legumes and dark green and red/orange vegetables • Fat-free or 1 percent milk (flavored milk must be fat-free) • More whole grains and limits on sodium and trans-fat

forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 13

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013

FROM 11

Programs Lumpkin, Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties.

The college offers associate d eg r e e s , t e c h n i c a l c e r t i fi c a t e o f credit and technical diplomas in a variety of programs, including business and computer, technical and industrial, personal and public services and health care.

T h e c o l l e g e ’s p r o g r a m s a r e designed to meet the needs of area students, employers and economic developers.

Lanier Tech’s technical education is offered using up-to-date instruction, industry-standard equipment and work-based learning delivered through traditional and distance methods and media.

The college also provides adult education in each county it serves.

The Forsyth Campus continues to be an educational provider hub of in-demand programs of study. In addition, Lanier Tech provides cus-

tomized industry training and continuing education programs to the community.

Located on the local campus, the Forsyth Conference Center is designed for conferences, seminars, corporate meetings, receptions, trade shows, weddings, proms and many other public and school events.

The main facility has 14,000 square feet that can be divided into eight rooms for smaller meetings, an executive boardroom and training classroom, which is available for additional meeting space.

The conference center assisted the college in bringing more than 48,000 people to the campus.

For weddings and social events, the center offers flexible options to meet community needs in an elegant, affordable setting.

The center offers a range of services, including audiovisual, wireless Internet, video conferencing and laptop rentals, among others.

area colleges Brenau University 500 Washington St., S.E. Gainesville, GA 30501 (800) 252-5119 www.brenau.edu Devry Institute of Technology 2555 Northwinds Pkwy.

Alpharetta, GA 30009 (770) 619-3600 www.devry.edu Georgia Perimeter College Alpharetta Campus 3705 Brookside Parkway Alpharetta, GA 30022 (404) 413-7878 www.gpc.edu Georgia State University Alpharetta Campus 3775 Brookside Parkway Alpharetta, GA 30022 (404) 413-2200 www.gsu.edu Lanier Technical College www.laniertech.edu

Main Campus: 2990 Landrum Education Drive Oakwood, GA 30566 (770) 531-6300 Cumming Campus: 7745 Majors Road Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 781-6800 University of North Georgia www.ung.edu Dahlonega campus (previously North Georgia College & State University) 82 College Circle Dahlonega, GA 30597 (706) 864-1400 Gainesville campus (previously Gainesville State College) 3820 Mundy Mill Road Oakwood, GA 30566 (678) 717-3639 Cumming campus 300 Aquatic Circle Cumming, Ga. 30040 (470) 239-3102

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14 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013

Library branch opening this month From staff reports

The Forsyth County Public Library strives to meet the varied informational and recreational needs and interests of patrons while also providing cutting edge technology, services and facilities.

The system has four library branches, including: the Cumming library, 585 Dahlonega Road; Sharon Forks library, 2820 Old Atlanta Road; Hampton Park library, 5345 Settingdown Road; and the new Post Road library, which is set to open Aug. 24 at 5010 Post Road.

The 23,500-square-foot, full-service Post Road facility will serve all ages of the county through programs, materials, technology and online resources.

Library cards are free to county residents as well as to property or business owners in Forsyth; employees of the public school

For the Forsyth County News

This artist’s rendering shows the Post Road library, which is set to open Aug. 24.

system in Forsyth; employees of county government; and students who are enrolled at the local campuses of Lanier Technical College and the University of North Georgia.

The Forsyth County Public Library has more than 300,000

FROM 12

UNG “The chamber of commerce has been a great partner with us and we’re currently working with Lanier Technical College on workplace development initiatives.

We have many community engagement initiatives that we’re focusing on as well.”

The Cumming campus was developed as an outgrowth of a long-term partnership between North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College, which consolidated in January to form the University of North Georgia.

In addition to the two schools, the local campus represents the culmination of many years of effort with the city of Cumming and various Forsyth County civic leaders to bring a university presence to the area.

“Our Cumming campus is a tremend o u s ex a m p l e o f c o l l a b o r a t i o n between the University System of Georgia, government officials and

materials including books, magazines, audiobooks, music CDs, DVDs and eBooks.

It also offers library computers and business services, such as printing, faxing and document scanning. Free Wifi is available at all library branches as well.

community leaders to expand opportunities for higher education in this region,” said Bonita C. Jacobs, president of the University of North Georgia.

Ultimately, the project involved a gift of real estate from the city of Cumming, a loan from the Cumming Development Authority, the involvem e n t o f b o t h N o r t h G e o rg i a ’s Philanthropic Foundation and Real Estate Foundation, as well as an ap p r o p ri a t i o n fro m t h e s t a t e o f Georgia.

With some 15,000 students, UNG is the state’s seventh-largest public university.

The regional, multi-campus university offers more than 100 programs of study, including certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and professional doctoral programs.

UNG is one of six senior military colleges in the United States and is designated as a University System of Georgia leadership institution and as The Military College of Georgia.

With the launch of its eLibrary several years ago, the local public library has amassed a vast collection of materials formatted for electronic readers, including eAudiobooks, eBooks, eMusic, eResources and eVideos. These materials are for children, teens and adults and cover a wide range of subjects.

Other online resources include a foreign language learning program, an investment research tool and online audio books for children.

The library also offers a variety of programs for children, teens and adults. Age-appropriate programs for children are offered at each library branch that help develop literacy skills like vocabulary, comprehension and fluency as well as help develop listening abilities, imagination and a love for reading.

The library offers teen book clubs in addition to special teen

More

For a complete listing of Forsyth County Public Library operating hours, call (770) 781-9840 or visit www. forsythpl.org.

events throughout the year. Each branch also provides programming for adults, featuring a combination of lifelong learning programs and literacy programs, including book clubs, programs on topics of general public interest and various cultural performances.

All of the library branches open at 10 a.m. every weekday and Saturday. Each branch closes at 5:30 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, with a rotating schedule for branches closing at 8:30 p.m.

All locations are open 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays.

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forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 15

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013 Schools are held accountable for the progress of students through testing.

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For the Forsyth County News

Testing of local students measures accountability Formerly, school accountability was measured through Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, in which reading, English language arts and math for third through eighth grades and grade 11 were measures of success.

Schools are now held responsible for overall accountability in a more thorough and rigorous measure called the College and Career Ready Performance Indicators.

The CCRPI has multiple indicators to determine a school’s performance. A numerical score (out of 100 points) is given to every school in the state based on a weighted average of achievement (70 points), progress (15 points), and achievement gap (15 points).

Additionally, all schools have the opportunity to gain bonus points to increase their score.

Achievement calculations are derived from all subject tests in the Criterion Referenced Competency Test in grades third through eighth and from all Endof-Course Test subject tests at the high

school level.

Progress points are based on individual student achievement over time.

Schools gain points in this area by having students with normal to high growth as compared to academically similar students across the state.

Achievement gap is calculated by comparing the difference between the mean scale scores for the state and the school’s highest need students.

Schools attain high scores in this area by either reducing this gap every year or by maintaining a small gap as compared to the state.

In May, the state released the CCRPI scores for the 2011-12 school year, which are posted at www.forsyth.k12. ga.us/CCRPI. Forsyth County Schools’ scores were favorable in comparison to the state.

CCRPI scores for the 2012-13 school year are expected to be published by the G o v e r n o r ’s O f f i c e o f S t u d e n t Achievement in the fall.

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