Updated FCS School Policies – Attendance, Lanyards, Devices
July 25, 2025 2025-11-26 8:33Updated FCS School Policies – Attendance, Lanyards, Devices
Personal Electronic Device Usage:
Fulton County Schools has a new Electronics Communication policy (IFBGA) for all students. This policy reflects new statewide guidance from Georgia.
See below for important information for our high school families:
- All personal electronic devices must be turned off and stored away during instructional time.
- Instructional time is defined as the period of time in a K-12 school during which students receive instruction from teachers or engage in learning activities aligned with the curriculum. This includes and is not limited to classroom lessons, guided practice, discussions, and independent work time. Teachers will not be asking for students to use their cell phones during their classes this year.
- Personal Electronic Device is defined as any personal portable electronic device capable of transmitting, receiving, or accessing communications, data, or media, including but not limited to personal laptops, smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, smart glasses, e-readers, headphones, and other devices with functionalities such as wireless communication, internet access, messaging, video recording, gaming, social media access, or data transmission
- Devices should be placed in a backpack or a classroom designated storage location. They should not be in pockets, hands, or worn during instructional time.
- Students should not access personal electronic devices on the bus.
- Students may use their phones, earbuds, and smartwatches during transitions, lunch, and breakfast.
- If you need to reach your child during the school day, please contact the front office — we are always happy to help.
- These prohibitions do not apply to a student whose Individualized Education Plan (IEP), Section 504 plan, or medical plan explicitly mandates the use of a personal electronic device for medical or educational purposes, as long as the student’s use of the personal electronic device is to fulfill the requirements of the IEP, Section 504 plan, or medical plan. Our student support will be in touch to discuss what this will mean and look like for your student.
How can you help at home?
- Talk with your student about the importance of staying present and focused during class.
- Encourage students to store devices before their first class and use only at the designated times to check messages.
- Reassure students that they can always reach you through a school phone if needed — and that our staff is here to support them.
We believe this is a meaningful shift that will help our students stay focused, reduce distractions, and support their overall well-being. Thank you for your continued support!
Attendance:
As a part of our FCS Innovation Academy magnet requirements per FCBOE, students must maintain a 90% attendance rate (excused or unexcused). Students also can not have more an 10 late arrivals or early dismissals (excused or unexcused). A break of enrollment for any reason means a student would have to re-apply to our school through the COSA committee, and we currently have a waitlist. Our full magnet requirements are here: https://fcsinnovationacademy.fultonschools.org/counseling-academics/magnet-school-requirements
To ensure you know all policies and procedures with the attendance office, read through all attendance office information here: https://tinyurl.com/yts5ejja
We want to ensure all students are #allinonday1 for the first day of school on August 4th. As a reminder, all students who are not in attendance on the first day of school will be marked as a No Show and withdrawn from Innovation Academy per FCS policy.
Safety: Lanyard Use
As a reminder it is expected for your student to wear their Student ID every day. This protocol has been implemented in order to improve security in our school building and increase organization. All students will be given one ID and lanyard free of charge.
Freshman: You will receive your ID on Information Day inside your information folder.
10th-12th Graders: If you lost your old ID we will have replacement available on Information Day.
While we want students to support this willingly, understanding it helps with building safety, but we must have all students following this policy for it to be effective, therefore, we will implement disciplinary actions for students not following the Student ID Requirement. Please support us in ensuring we are able to quickly and effectively identify all students and staff in our building through the use of our lanyards.
