This time next week, Fannin students will be back in the classroom.  FetchYourNews caught up with Fannin County School Superintendent Mark Henson to find out the upcoming goals for the school year, any new policies parents need to be aware of, and how Fannin schools will deal with transgender bathrooms.

Mr. Henson said that a goal for the entire school system is to build the skills of the School Governance Teams.  School Governance Teams are individual to each school.  They consist of faculty, parents and community members. The teams act like a mini-school board for each individual school.  Their responsibility is to set up procedures and programs that uniquely fit their school.   The benefit of these teams is that they provide very local control of the schools.

This will be the second full year of the School Governance Teams.  These were set up because Fannin County School System is a charter-school system.  As such, the system as a whole has more authority from the state to make decisions that are specific to Fannin school.  Also, charter schools must have School Governance teams that make decisions specific to their individual schools.

Another program that Mr. Henson wants to continue expanding are the STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics) program choices that Fannin students have.  STEM classes revolve around students exploring the basic ideas of science and technology through hands-on experience.  STEM is a major curriculum in all American schools so that America’s children will be prepared for the technology jobs that are the workplaces of their futures.

Because of the importance of STEM classes, the system spent the summer renovating seven science classrooms in Fannin County High School so that the supplies and physical space of the classrooms will make it easier for STEM classes.  Also, in late October, the system will begin building the new Agriculture Barn.  It will open in Fall 2017.  The facility will improve the types of classes Career, Technical and Agriculture Education classes that middle and high school students can take.

Another program Mr. Henson is looking toward growing is “Move On When Ready.”  These classes let high school juniors and seniors take college courses for free and receive college and high school credits for the class.  Since the University of North Georgia has a campus right in Blue Ridge, Fannin County has the opportunity to build a strong “Move on When Ready” program.

Fannin County School’s bathroom proceduces has not changed from what was stated in Mr. Henson’s letter to parents at the close of the 2016 school year.  The letter states, “Fannin County will maintain restrooms and locker rooms for the 2016-2017 school year which are based on birth sex rather than gender identity.  Alternate restrooms will be provided for any transgender students we may have enrolled next year.”  This is the same guideline that State School Superintendent Richard Woods gave Georgia schools last May.  Mr. Henson says that as far as he knows, other school systems in north Georgia will be following the policy as well. (read Mr. Henson’s letter sent to parents at the end of the 2015-2016 school year.)

Fannin Schools begin bright and early on Thursday, August 4^th.  Open Houses will be a various times on Tuesday, August 2^nd and Wednesday, August 3^rd.  New student registration was on Tuesday, July 26^th.  (Click here to view Open House schedule).