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South Forsyth Middle leaders and students present program to boost connection and attendance
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Summary
South Forsyth Middle School leaders and students told the Forsyth County school board how athletics, clubs and staff relationships helped more than 85% of students feel connected, while the school noted a slight attendance decline the district plans to address.
South Forsyth Middle School principals and students presented a sustained effort to build student connection and belonging to the Forsyth County Board of Education on April 21.
Principal Liz Tuck and her assistant principals described programs and practices intended to make school “a place they want to be,” citing CCRPI data and a range of extracurricular and classroom activities. “Our three key words are embrace, empower, and educate,” Tuck said, and staff highlighted peer‑support programs, expanded arts and competitive teams such as VEX robotics and DECA as drivers of student engagement.
Student speakers described how those efforts affect daily life. “I am not just attending this school. I am this school,” Mika Freeman told the board; another student said the school feels “like a second home” and credited coaches and clubs for building that sense of belonging. Assistant principals reported that more than 85% of students told district surveys they feel connected to at least one adult in the building, a metric administrators called evidence that relationship-building is working even as they monitor a small drop in attendance.
School leaders emphasized programs targeted at students who are less connected and outlined classroom initiatives and clubs meant to draw them in, including leadership organizations, arts performances staged for peers with special needs, and interdisciplinary project-based learning tied to community service. The principal invited board members to visit the campus to see the practices in action.
The presentation closed with board praise for the staff’s approach and a reminder that the data will continue to guide local efforts to reverse the recent attendance decline. The board moved on to the business portion of the agenda after the spotlight.
