Brian Vanderhoff's North Fulton Real Estate Blog: September 2014

Northfulton.com


by Candy Waylockwrite the author

Education
State denies FSA charter
2014-Sep-10
Redistricting for area schools to begin in October
2014-Sep-03
Common Core divides school superintendent candidates
2014-Sep-03
Area superintendent for Northwest Learning Center to depart for Virginia school system
2014-Sep-01
Common Core divides school superintendent candidates
2014-Aug-26
More...
September 09, 2014
NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Parents would be wise to stay aware of school attendance zone changes in the coming months.

The redistricting process for all schools throughout North Fulton will begin in October, with the goal to have the changes approved by February and in place next school year, according to officials with the Fulton County School System (FCSS).

"The scope of the North Fulton redistricting will include all schools and all levels," said Yngrid Huff, chief planner for the FCSS. "Capacity is being added at the elementary and middle school levels, which requires a holistic look at all attendance boundaries."

A new elementary school off Highway 9 in Roswell is set to open in August 2015, along with additions at three North Fulton middle schools – Hopewell, Autrey Mill and Taylor Road. A planned addition at Crabapple Middle was shelved until after 2018 while planners consider a complete rebuild of the school.

This increased classroom space provides an opportunity for the FCSS to adjust attendance lines based on enrollment, as well as remedy some of the quirky feeder patters from elementary to middle to high school.

The last North Fulton rezoning was in 2011 with the opening of Cambridge High School. Huff said it is time to revisit the lines to ensure capacity is balanced across the region.

"We've had some changes since the last redistricting, so we want to make sure everything is aligned," said Huff. "When you look at the entire region, you are able to jiggle all the puzzle pieces at once, and you can better align [the zones]."

Huff said the process will also focus on cleaning up feeder patterns, primarily from middle to high school. While it is impossible to have a 100 percent middle school feed into a high school because of space issues, planners will work on reducing small groups of kids who veer off from their classmates to a new school.

"The feeder pattern needs to be considered," said Fulton Board member Linda McCain, who represents Johns Creek. "In my area, it's the middle to high school feed my community is most concerned about. The kids are on feeder teams and other clubs, and it gets [complicated]."

Board member Katie Reeves of Alpharetta concurred with the need to clean up feeder lines. She pointed out there is not a new high school planned in North Fulton in the near future so this redistricting provides the opportunity to "tweak" the feeder patterns.

Although feeder patterns are considered a "secondary criteria" for modifications, there was consensus on the board to weigh it more heavily in some instances.

The redistricting process will start in October through a series of community meetings. Feedback and information will be gathered from the community and used to develop maps based on criteria approved by the Fulton County Board of Education.

"The first meeting serves as a means to gather specific feedback, which will then allow staff to generate alternative maps for the second and third meetings," explained Huff. "No assumptions should be made on who or what communities will be involved. All residents are invited and encouraged to attend."

She noted the meetings will be held in the October through December time frame, with recommendations presented to the board in January for approval in February. Changes will go into effect for the 2015-2016 school year.

All meetings will be held at Alpharetta High School, although dates and times have not been finalized.

Labels: Alpharetta, cambridge, Crabapple, northwestern, Roswell, School Redistricting

By Leora ArnowitzPublished September 04, 2014

FoxNews


NEW YORK – As Joan Rivers lies in a private room at New York City’s Mount Sinai Hospital “resting comfortably” and presumably still on life support, the clinic that Rivers’ was visiting when she went into cardiac arrest is being investigated by the New York State Department of Health.

FOX411 has learned that Yorkville Endoscopy, where the 81-year-old comedian went for a minor procedure on Aug. 28, has attracted the attention of state health officials, who are looking into what went wrong.

“The state department of health is investigating the matter,” a Department of Health official told us. “It’s a full investigation of the matter… Since it’s an ongoing investigation I can’t comment on what we’re looking at.”

Rivers was rushed away from the clinic at 201 E. 93rd Street by emergency medical personally when she stopped breathing during a throat procedure. She has been in serious condition ever since, and though her daughter, Melissa, revealed she was moved out of the intensive care unit on Wednesday, there have been no updates about her condition. Her daughter said she was on life support on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, filming has been suspended on Rivers’ fan-favorite chat show “Fashion Police,” which usually broadcasts special episodes from Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York City. Fashion Week begins on Thursday, but E! has planned two “E! From Fashion Week” specials to replace the “Fashion Police” coverage Rivers’ usually spearheads.

Mount Sinai Hospital said they had no updates about Rivers' condition as of Thursday morning.

A rep for Joan Rivers did not immediately return FOX411’s request for comment on her condition. When contacted by FOX411 for comment, Yorkville Endoscopy repeatedly hung up the phone. Our emails to the clinic have not been returned.

Melissa Rivers has said her mother would be touched by the continuing outpouring of kindness.

“Thank you for your continued support,” Melissa Rivers said on Wednesday.

Labels: Joan Rivers Life Support

THE ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has taken the internet by storm, with more and more celebrities jumping on the bandwagon to raise awareness of motor neuron disease.

Click Here

Labels: ALS, icebucketchallenge