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Welcome to the 2019-2020 School Year at Independence!
Fulton County Digital Citizenship 2019 – 2020
Fulton County Schools has embraced digital citizenship as an important part of educating today's students. Our district believes that preparing students to use technology safely and responsibly is an essential commitment as we leverage educational technology to personalize learning and boost student engagement. As a result of this belief, we teach all students tangible skills related to internet safety, protecting online reputations, personal privacy, managing online relationships, and respecting creative copyright. Fulton County has been approved as a Common Sense Certified District for Digital Citizenship, an honor that recognizes our efforts in teaching digital citizenship to young people and engaging the entire community in this important discussion. This recognition is provided by Common Sense Education, part of a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and technology.
Visit the links below for great tools and resources to help students meet these goals!
Responsible Technology Use at FCS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH12gTfxVsU&feature=youtu.be
Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship:
https://www.commonsense.org
Parent Videos for Digital Citizenship:
http://bit.ly/Fulton_DigitalCitizenship
Digital Citizenship Parent Tech Tip (Parenting, Media, and Everything in Between):
Click the link below to read "What Parents Need to Know About Social Media and Anxiety"
Learn to recognize the warning signs of anxiety disorder and help your student keep social media use healthy and productive. Written by: Caroline Knorr 4/30/18
http://bit.ly/Anxiety_SocialMedia
Microsoft Surface Devices for Students
Independence High School is a blended-learning environment providing a combination of online resources with teacher instruction. Each student will be provided with a Microsoft Surface in order to complete coursework. You may opt out of receiving a device ONLY if you have your own device that the student can bring to school on a daily basis. Please complete the below form to accept the agreements attached to the student device. This form must be completed prior to a student receiving a device. A paper copy of the user agreement will be available
in the media center and at the front desk for those opting to complete the
agreement by hand. Please contact administration for any questions.
2019 - 2020 Microsoft Surface Device Agreement
Check out what students and staff have to say about our school by clicking on the "I" link below!
Roswell Rotary Honors IHS Student and Teacher for
"Service Above Self"
Ms. Gaganjot Singh, IHS Science Department Chairperson and Interact Faculty Advisor, and student, Edgar Martinez, were the recipients of the Roswell Rotary Club's "Service Above Self" Award for September. The presentation was made at the monthly meeting on September 20..JPG)
Pictured from the left: Dr. Jeff Rose, FCS Superintendent, Ms. Becky Stone, Roswell Rotary President, Ms. Tabatha Taylor, IHS Principal, Ms. Singh, Mr. Martinez, Mr. Ron Clark, founder of the Ron Clark Academy and Ms. Kibbey Crumbley, NWLC Area Superintendent.
West Nile Virus Health Alert
We want to share information with our school communities about the West Nile Virus (WNV). We are in the peak of mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall. Our local health officials are concerned about the West Nile virus and other illnesses spread by mosquitos because we are already seeing an increased number of cases that have been reported across the state. According to health officials, as a result of the heavy rain we have had this year, it has created a lot of standing water and thus the number of mosquitos have increased. Additionally, the Fulton County Board of Health has detected high mosquito activity through their mosquito surveillance and control program. In light of these concerns, we are sharing the following information to stress the importance of protecting yourself and your family against West Nile, especially those at greater risk for serious illness such as the elderly; those with compromised immune systems; people with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease; and people who have received organ transplants.
West Nile is a virus most commonly spread to people by infected mosquito bites. There are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat WNV in people. Fortunately, most people infected with WNV do not have symptoms. However, 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. West Nile virus can cause febrile illness, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord).
You can reduce your risk of WNV by adhering to the following preventive measures:
- Drain – containers after every rain, get rid of unnecessary containers. Help reduce the number of mosquitoes by utilizing the Tip-N-Toss principles on all standing water: empty standing water from containers such as flower pots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, cans and bottles, discarded/old tires, children's toys, tarps, gutters and birdbaths.
- DEET- use the appropriate mosquito/insect repellent when you go outdoors which includes repellents containing DEET that are EPA-registered with 20%-30% DEET.
- Dress - wear light-weight long sleeves, pants and socks during the day when many mosquitoes are most active especially if you work or will be outside for long periods of time. Mosquitos tend to bite during the day.
- Doors, windows and screens – make sure doors, windows and screens are in good condition and fit tightly to prevent mosquitos from coming inside and keep doors closed.
- Use Mosquito Dunks (a larvicide used to kill mosquito larvae) to control mosquitos in areas with standing water and in containers that cannot be dumped.
- Treatment and care – if you think a family member might have West Nile virus disease, please consult a healthcare provider for evaluation and diagnosis immediately.
Fulton County Residents may call Fulton County's Board of Health MOSQUITO HOTLINE at 404-613- 1303 to report mosquito-related issues to the Environmental Health Department.
Additionally, public health will be focusing on preventing mosquito-transmitted infections by spraying, applying larvicide, mosquito trapping and surveillance in targeted areas and will be initiating a door-to-door educational campaign in some surrounding neighborhoods.
Remember, the most effective way to avoid West Nile virus is to prevent mosquito bites: protect yourself by avoiding mosquitos and using the Tip-N-Toss principles.
Our goal is to help keep students and the school communities healthy by sharing important health information. To learn more about West Nile virus, visit the Centers for Disease Control Prevention website on West Nile virus: https://www.cdc.gov/westnile/index.html.
Resources:
Centers for Disease Control Prevention: West Nile Virus Update
Fulton County Board of Health – West Nile Update
Fulton County Schools – Student Health Services
Mosquito Control Tips: http://www.fultonschools.org/en/divisions/ops/security/Pages/Student-Health-Services.aspx
Fulton County Schools Services for Exceptional Children Department
SB-10 In-District Transfer Application Process
Georgia Milestones
Parent information and Video explaining Georgia Milestones:
http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Georgia-Milestones-Assessment-System.aspx
House Bill 91 Information (Former Students' Waiver of Georgia High School Graduation Test)
The new SAT rolled out in the Spring of 2016. Get the details here.
Again this school year, students will have the opportunity to "test out" of any courses for which there is an associated End-of–Course (EOC) test and earn credit for that course. For more information, click here and see your counselor for details.
Graduate Early? Yes You Can! Independence offers you that opportunity.
For information on applying to Independence HS, please review the requirements.
No matter what grade your high schooler is in, it's never too early to start planning for college. Even ninth graders can get a head start on this process. Keep you and your teenager on tract by following the College Preparation Timeline.
Visit a New College Search Resource: Online College Database Prospective students searching for college and university information for schools in the United States can find tuition, enrollment, university type, location based information with integrated Google Maps for usability, and various rankings information to see how the schools they are considering compare against others.
Four Quick Tips to Help You Help Your Teen Succeed
Visit our Partners in Education page to learn more about the community organizations that support and encourage our students.
Job and Scholarship Opportunities for Students: See Announcements
Federal Student Aid: A Georgia Department of Education website for Federal financial aid for college.
Work-Based Learning (WBL)
Work-Based Learning (WBL) provides opportunities for students to learn a variety of skills through rigorous academic preparation with hands-on career development experiences. Under the guidance of adult mentors, students learn to work in teams, solve problems, and meet employers' expectations. Additionally, WBL gives students the opportunity to learn a variety of skills by expanding the walls of classroom learning to include the community. By narrowing the gap between theory and practice, Work-Based Learning creates meaning for students.
Work-Based Learning programs are structured experiences that connect the student's career goal and classroom learning with a productive work environment. WBL includes student placement that may be paid or unpaid positions.