Town Center CID to hold online open house

Students for 2020-21 classes down about 3.8% from prior year.

Fulton County Schools reported its largest enrollment drop on record this year, a decrease the district attributed to the pandemic.

The system enrolled 90,376 students for the 2020-21 school year, down 3,572 students, or roughly 3.8%, from the prior year, according to a report

Breaking news for North Fulton, Cherokee, Forsyth and others on Twitter: @nfultonnews presented at Tuesday’s school board meeting.

District documents noted the decline was below enroll- ment projections, and it sig- naled “the largest population decline on record.”

“This substantial drop in enrollment can be attributed to implications caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic,” the report stated. “Projec- tions were developed preCOVID which did not include assumptions for social distance and enrollment anxieties and fears associated with the pandemic.”

Public school systems across the state saw student numbers fall by about 2.2% this year, according to the Georgia Department of Edu- cation. Reasons cited include fewer kindergarten students. Kindergarten is not required in Georgia. Many districts began the year online only, a format that’s more chal- lenging for younger students.

Yngrid Huff, the Fulton district’s executive director of operational planning, told board members that “many parents have grappled with decisions on when and where to enroll their children” this year.

She said many parents enrolled students in home school programs or study pods.

District officials expect enrollment to bounce back a bit next school year. They currently project numbers will increase by about 1.7% to a total of 91,946 students.

“Hopefully this last year was the only year of this anomaly, and we will start approach- ing back to what our expecta- tions are for the future,” said board President Julia Bernath.

Powder Springs, Marietta and more can get the latest on Twitter: @cobbnewsnow

During an online open house, Cobb County residents are being asked to share their input on the Bells Ferry Road Operational Study at noon Tuesday.

Town Center Comm u nity Improvement District staff is hosting this event.

This study will identify opportunities to improve efficiency and safety for all modes of transportation along Bells Ferry Road between Chastain Road/new Chastain Road and Barrett Parkway/piedmont Road, according to a TCCID statement.

Safe access for all roadway users, supporting local land uses and the unique natural context set by Noonday Creek will be considered.

For more information on the project, visit Towncentercid. com/vision/studies/bells-ferryroad-lci-study.

During this online open house, participants will learn about goals of the study and existing conditions and trends.

They also will be able to share their experiences along the corridor and ideas for improvement.

Register: us02web. zoom. us/webinar/register/wn_pwdMU_6TSEGCM7TPHQA5EG

FOR THE AJC

OK Contractors recently began chipping away at the pavement on Smithsonia Drive officially kicking off the city of Tucker’s 2021 road resurfacing campaign, according to a news release.

The $4 million project will see 62 of the city’s most poorly conditioned roads get repaved between now and the fall. Tucker’s mayor and City Council voted unanimously Monday night to approve the resurfacing contract with Pittman Construction.

“This is another huge step toward creating a better quality of life for our residents,” said City Engineer Ken Hildebrandt. “You’ll see construction crews working on roads across the city for the next several months. We’ll do our very best to provide advance notice to those who will be impacted. There will be some temporary inconveniences, but we promise that in the long run it’ll be worthwhile.”

The majority of the resurfacing project will be funded through SPLOST revenue. More than $2.1 million will be generated by the penny tax, which was approved overwhelmingly by Dekalb County voters in 2017. The tax will continue to be collected through 2024. An additional $360,000 for the road resurfacings will come from the Georgia Department of Transportation, while the mayor and City Council allocated $1 million in general fund money.

View the list: tuckerga.gov/document_center/splost/2021-resurfacing-list.pdf