June In Focus features Tips for a Safe and Healthy Summer
by Lynne Meadows, Coordinator of Student Health Services
Summer is a fun time for students who have less school work and more time for leisure activities! While students are enjoying themselves, your school nurses want them to be safe and healthy, too. We are providing some tips for a safe summer, as well as information needed to prepare for school in August.
According to safekids.org, emergency room doctors refer to summer as "trauma season." During summer, children ages 14 and under will be rushed to emergency rooms nearly three million times for serious injuries. Please don't take a vacation from safety but remember that close supervision, proper protective gear, and simple preventative steps will help you and your child avoid danger or injuries.
Sun Safety
Children should limit sun exposure during the peak hours of 10 am. to 4 p.m. Sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or greater should always be worn and reapplied every two hours, or immediately after swimming or sweating. Use enough sunscreen to generously coat all skin not covered by clothing.
Pool Safety
Pools should always have a fence around them with a gate that latches/locks. Rescue equipment should be kept available and visible. Adult supervision is a must as children should never be left alone in or around a pool or water. Use life jackets when in or near open bodies of water or when participating in water sports.
Insect Safety
Scented soaps, perfumes, and hair sprays attract, rather than repel, insects. Bright colors and flowery prints also attract bugs. An insect repellant that is not combined with a sunscreen is the best protection because sunscreen needs additional applications while repellants do not. The current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendation for children over two months is to use products with 30 percent DEET.
Eat Healthy
Students also need proper nutrition to be healthy and safe. It is important that children remain hydrated while participating in summer activities. Remind them to drink water throughout the day and at mealtimes. Some great snacks for brain fuel are grapes, apples, oranges, raisins, applesauce, strawberries, pretzels, and graham crackers. Watermelon is an excellent choice to help with hydration during hot summer months.
Getting Ready for School
While summer is on our minds right now, we know that a new school year is coming. There are certain immunization requirements that all students must meet. Please visit our website to learn more about what your child needs prior to registering for the first time and for additional updates and information needed for returning students. There are specific immunization changes and/or requirements that affect pre-k, kindergarten, and sixth grade students.
On behalf of all of our nurses, best wishes for a safe, healthy, and happy summer!
Summer Reading
Although students are not attending school daily during the summer months, they can continue to enrich their minds, visit new places, and learn new things - through the exciting world of books. Students in all grades have summer reading lists. Please visit the Language Arts website to see summer reading lists. While visiting the Atlanta Fulton Public Library System to check out books on your reading list, take a look at the library's eCampus resources which include tutoring, test prep, and educational resources. Library cards are available for all Fulton County residents, teachers who teach in Fulton County, and those who attend school in Fulton County. Applications for library cards are available online.
Charter System
Please visit the charter system website for updates and next steps regarding charter system status. Fulton County Schools was approved as the state's largest charter system during the State Board Meeting in May. This designation does not make the school system a system comprised of individual charter schools. Instead, Fulton will become a charter system - which provides the opportunity for flexibility in operations focusing on three main areas: people, instruction, and finance. Additionally, this new charter model will increase flexible allocation of resources at the local school level to better support student achievement, allow innovation within the curriculum related to delivery of instruction, and provide financial flexibility within local schools regarding allocation of resources. During the next three years, schools will begin organizing School Governance Councils which will include parents, staff, and community members.
FY 2013 Budget News
The FY 2013 budget was tentatively approved by the Board during the May legislative meeting. The total budget, which includes the general fund, the school nutrition service fund, the debt service fund, special revenue, and capital programs, is $1.1 billion for the 2012-13 school year. Final adoption of the budget is expected at the June 5 meeting.
Instruction is the largest budget allocation at 68% of the general fund, with pupil transportation, maintenance and operations, and other administrative functions, representing the remaining 32%.
Additional information, including budget documents and presentations, can be found here.
Senior Spotlight
High school graduations for 2012 are now behind us. However, there are outstanding students who have overcome trials on their way to achievement of diplomas. Featured below are two Fulton seniors who persevered despite the obstacles and proudly graduated in May.
Dream Realized through JROTC - Jacob Snyder, Roswell High School
Jacob Snyder is a teacher’s dream who attended school each day with a positive attitude. Jacob was always on task and never disrupted class. During his junior year, Jacob became determined to join the Army after high school. Jacob's ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Battery Aptitude Test) scores were low during his junior and senior years. He called Army recruiters directly several times but was never scheduled for an interview. Because of his low scores and a speech impediment, Army recruiters deemed Jacob ineligible to join the Army. A recruiter reluctantly agreed to interview Jacob but was not impressed with his low ASVAB score.
Through the dedication of concerned teachers, Jacob was allowed to focus on career exploration and work on improving his ASVAB score. This adjustment was congruent with the mission statement of JROTC, which Jacob participated in for four years. Jacob worked hard every day in class. He printed out his results often to show his improvements. After two months, Jacob retook the ASVAB in March at Roswell High School. His score was 33 – two points higher than needed to meet the current minimum requirement. Recruiters were advised that Jacob was on track to graduate and had passed the ASVAB. He was fully qualified to join the Army as a category “Senior Bravo.” Within two weeks of his interview with a recruiter, Jacob was enlisted into the Army as a cook who will begin basic training in September. Jacob looks forward to beginning his new job and future – the fulfillment of his dream.
Unstoppable Student Marches to Success - Jamesia Lollis
Jamesia Lollis graduated from Tri-Cities High School as number seven in her class of 2012 with a 4.0 grade point average. She is a member of the National Honor Society, a member of the Math honor society (MU Alpha Theta), a member of the Student Government Association, the commander of the JROTC Color Guard, a member of the JROTC drill team, the Battalion Commander for the JROTC program, and a former member of the school’s cheerleading team. She has been accepted to Howard University, Tuskegee University, Alabama A & M University, Bethune-Cookman University, Oklahoma City University, Dillard University, Paul Quinn University, and Florida A & M University. She was also called and interviewed by a representative from Harvard University.
Although Jamesia graduated with a strong academic portfolio of accomplishments, it has not been an easy life for the quiet intellect. Due to circumstances beyond her control, Jamesia and her family often had to move and change schools. To help offset the financial burden experienced by her mother; Jamesia has worked at Six Flags Amusement Park for the past three years. During the last four months, Jamesia's home has been robbed twice of all the family's belongings, including her computer which held her homework, class projects, and completed academic assignments and essays. Along with school work, Jamesia was also challenged with assisting her mother in caring for her three year-old niece, and her grandfather, who died one month prior to graduation. Jamesia has two siblings who are currently incarcerated.
Jamesia often verbalizes her plans of pursuing a degree in Criminal Law and has demonstrated her ability to master the skills required of this degree. She is not a passive follower, but an active leader in her own right. She does not allow her challenges to disrupt her focus. She has planned her career future, strategized the academic objectives that will place her on her career path, and established the academic goals necessary to fulfill her vision.
Both outstanding students are congratulated on their achievements and wished many future successes.
District Review News is a new monthly publication published by the Fulton County Schools Communications Department. Please share your comments and suggestions at communications@fultonschools.org, using "District Review" as your subject. Thank you.