Principal Webb updates School Board on progress of New Hope Elementary

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FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – New Hope Elementary School Principal Laura Webb gave the Board an overview of the progress of the county’s newest school during Tuesday’s Board of Education work session.

When New Hope opens next fall, it will help to relieve overcrowding at Vickery Creek, Midway, Shiloh Point and Whitlow elementary schools. Webb said she anticipates an enrollment of about 900 students initially depending on how the redistricting map is drawn.

Webb said she plans to engage the community prior to the school’s opening by offering parent meetings, meet and greet sessions and spirit night to allow parents to come together and meet the staff.

“I have an extensive list of community partners and organizations,” she said. “We really are looking forward to the possibilities and potential of forming these relationships and partnerships so we can work together to support all the needs of our students.”

The new school will have a unique design unlike any other school in Forsyth with built-in S.T.EM. and robotics labs.

“We are dedicated to providing academic support and programs for our students that will allow them to reach their full potential, said Webb.

Chief Facilities Officer Matt Wark provided and update on his department’s activities.

Wark said the staff takes a “tremendous amount of pride” in the work they do, taking care of 43 school facilities nearly 8 million square feet of buildings, 2,000 acres of ponds, landscaping, water, sewer, fencing, parking lots and paving. “Our total crew is 51 staff members,” he said. “It is a tremendous amount of work and our guys are on call 24-7. We average 1,100-1,500 work orders a month. It’s been a challenge and the next five years will be even more challenging.”

The Board also got its first look at a draft of the proposed 2022-’23 school district attendance map for elementary schools. Middle and high school districts will remain unchanged.

Potentially impacted elementary schools include, but are not limited to, Whitlow, Shiloh Point, Vickery Creek, Midway, Brandywine and Big Creek. The timeline for adoption of the map is:

  • Oct 13-27 Stakeholders can provide comments on the proposed map online at the Board of Education website;
  • 18 a public forum is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Forsyth Central High School;
  • 9, the Board of Education will discuss public input, review staff recommendations and changes at 4 p.m. meeting;
  • 1- Jan. 14 Out of district applications period.

Mike Evans, Chief Technology and Information Officer, and Tim Fleming, Director of Technology Services, demonstrated features of the new analytic dashboard. One of the unique features is an Academic Virtual Assistant (AVA) that allows staff to predict with 97 percent accuracy based on past performance which students will not graduate unless  the receive help.

 

 

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