District leaders presented several operational and programmatic initiatives designed to support instruction and student services in the coming school year.

Chief Academic Officer Dr. Abby May said the district will kick off the year on July 25 with a districtwide, teacher‑led curriculum day featuring three one‑hour sessions. "Our theme will be 'great things grow here,'" May said; she described a focus on consistency, collaboration and calibration in professional learning and said principals will work with their teams on building-level plans.

Assistant Superintendent Chris Parker and staff highlighted school safety work, including updated emergency plans, mapping improvements funded by a safety grant, and a full-scale safety exercise scheduled at Jasper Middle School on July 24 that will include law enforcement and fire partners. Parker also described a new LiveSafe-style app being rolled out to help respond to student mental health crises and multidisciplinary team meetings for student supports.

Administrators reported a partnership with Good Sam to establish a school-based health center at the junior high that will provide primary care, mental health, dental and vision services for students and family members. The district said the center would cost the district $0 to establish under the partnership and expected delivery in late July with a target to be operational by Aug. 1 and grant reconciliation by Sept. 1.

Technology staff said a GSBA cybersecurity audit and a voluntary federal vulnerability assessment placed district cybersecurity in a positive category; administrators said they were acting on the limited items the assessments identified and had budgeted for additional camera and security upgrades.

Why it matters: Professional learning and health, safety and technology initiatives affect classroom readiness, student support and school security going into the new school year.

Details and follow-ups
- Professional learning: planned teacher-led conference-style day on July 25 with choice sessions and local facilitators.
- School-based health center: partnering with Good Sam to host an on-site clinic intended to reach students and family members lacking primary-care access; district said rollout will begin late July/early August and be tied to a grant schedule.
- Safety and drills: July 24 full safety exercise at Jasper Middle School with law enforcement and first responders; use of safety grant funds for better mapping and signage.
- Cybersecurity: GSBA assessment placed the district in the "green" quadrant, and a federal vulnerability assessment noted a few areas to strengthen that the district already plans to address.

Administrators said they will return with more communications to parents about the professional‑learning schedule, the health center, safety preparations and cybersecurity improvements.