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GO Team Organizational Meeting

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Agenda

  1. Call to Order
  2. Roll Call; Establish Quorum
  3. Action Items
    1. Approval of Agenda
    2. Fill Open Community Member Seat
    3. Fill Open Swing Seat
    4. Approval of Previous Minutes (last meeting of 2024-2025 school year)
    5. Election of Officers and Representatives
      1. Chair
      2. Vice-Chair
      3. Secretary
      4. Cluster Representative
    6. Review and Approve Public Comment Protocol
    7. Set GO Team Meeting Calendar
    8. Review, Confirm/Update, and Adopt GO Team Meeting Norms
  4. Discussion Items
  5. Stakeholder Engagement Exercise
  6. Information Items
  7. Principal’s Update
      • APS Personal Electronic Device Policy (PED)
      • Our PED Implementation
    • APS Forward 2040 –Comprehensive Long Range Facilities Plan
  8. Announcements
  9. New GO Team Member Training and Orientation
  10. Adjournment

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Interim Secretary

Call Roll

Establish Quorum

  • GO Team will appoint an interim secretary for this meeting.

  • Interim Secretary will call roll of current GO Team members.

  • Secretary will announce if the GO Team has a quorum.

The meeting can only proceed if a majority of current members are present.

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Approve the Agenda

  1. Call to Order
  2. Roll Call; Establish Quorum
  3. Action Items
    1. Approval of Agenda
    2. Fill Open Community Member Seat
    3. Fill Open Swing Seat
    4. For High Schools: Appoint Student Representatives
    5. Approval of Previous Minutes (last meeting of 2024-2025 school year)
    6. Election of Officers and Representatives
      1. Chair
      2. Vice-Chair
      3. Secretary
      4. Cluster Representative
    7. Review and Approve Public Comment Protocol
    8. Set GO Team Meeting Calendar
    9. Review, Confirm/Update, and Adopt GO Team Meeting Norms
  4. Discussion
    • Stakeholder Engagement Exercise
  5. Information Items
  6. Principal’s Update
      • APS Personal Electronic Device Policy (PED)
      • Our PED Implementation
    • APS Forward 2040 –Comprehensive Long Range Facilities Plan
  7. Announcements
  8. New GO Team Member Training and Orientation
  9. Adjournment

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Fill Open Community Seat

  • The new Community Member for the open seat will serve for a full two-year term – until June 2027.

  • Individuals cannot be full-time APS employees.

  • Principal nominates the individual for the Community Member seat.

The GO Team votes on the nomination for the Community Member.

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Fill Open Swing Seat

  • Any GO Team member can nominate someone for the open Swing Seat.

  • Anyone except school administrators are eligible to fill the seat.

  • The new Swing Seat member will serve a full two-year term until June 2027.

The GO Team votes on the nomination(s) for the swing seat.

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Approval of the previous meeting Minutes

(last meeting of

2024-2025)

  • Review minutes from the last meeting of the 2024-205 school year.

  • GO Team will offer amendments and corrections to the minutes.

  • GO Team will then vote to approve the previous meeting’s minutes.

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Election of Officers

CHAIR

    • Works with GO Team to create the agenda

    • Leads meetings

    • Monitors GO Team compliance with Open Meeting Laws and member training

VICE-CHAIR

    • Ensures compliance with parliamentary procedure

    • Acts as Chair, if the Chair is absent

SECRETARY

    • Takes minutes at meetings

    • Ensures compliance with Open Meeting Laws by posting GO Team documents on the school’s GO Team webpage

CLUSTER REP

    • Attends Cluster Advisory Team (CAT) meetings (about 3/year)
    • Reports out at CAT about your school
    • Brings cluster report back to GO Team
    • Can hold an officer position

Find more information about officer positions in the GO Team Handbook

The GO Team Office provides additional training and resources for officers.

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CHAIR

Chair Responsibilities

The GO Team Chair is the leader of the GO Team and presides at all meetings of the GO Team.

Key Responsibilities

  • Leading GO Team Meetings
  • Working with the Principal and GO Team to develop meeting Agendas
  • Ensuring every GO Team member has an opportunity to be heard
  • Monitoring team compliance

Qualifications

  • A commitment to the school and its values and an understanding of the school’s objectives, organization, and services
  • Knowledge of, and ability to work with, the broader school community
  • Ability to understand concepts and articulate ideas
  • Willingness to learn facilitation skills and provide balanced leadership

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VICE-CHAIR

The GO Team Vice-Chair assists the GO Team Chair in providing leadership to the GO Team and presides at all meetings of the GO Team in the absence of the Chair.

Key Responsibilities

  • Ensuring the GO Team follows parliamentary procedure
  • Working with the Principal and Chair to develop meeting Agendas
  • Acting as Chair, if the Chair is not present.

Qualifications

  • A commitment to the school and its values and an understanding of the school’s objectives, organization, and services
  • Knowledge of, and ability to work with, the broader school community
  • Ability to understand concepts and articulate ideas
  • Willingness to learn facilitation skills and provide balanced leadership

Vice-Chair Responsibilities

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SECRETARY

The GO Team Secretary is responsible for communication regarding GO Team meetings and documenting the work and decisions of the GO Team.

Key Responsibilities

  • Posting GO Team documents (agendas, summaries, and minutes) to the website
  • Taking minutes at GO Team meetings
  • Ensuring the GO Team is in compliance with Georgia Open Meeting Laws

Qualifications

  • A commitment to the school and its values and an understanding of the school’s objectives, organization, and services.
  • Knowledge of, and ability to work with, the broader school community
  • Willingness to learn about and ensure GO Team compliance with Robert’s Rules of Order and Georgia’s Open Meetings and Records laws
  • Organization skills and an ability to adhere to deadlines

Secretary Responsibilities

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CLUSTER REP

The CAT Representative serves as the voice of their school’s GO Team within the Cluster Advisory Team. The CAT Rep may also be the Chair, Vice-Chair, or Secretary.

Key Responsibilities

  • Attend all Cluster Advisory Team Meetings
  • Represent your school at the CAT Meetings
  • Bring relevant information and reports back to your GO Team

Qualifications

  • Willingness to collaborate with schools, principals, and community partners
  • Interest in supporting continuous improvement and equity across schools
  • Knowledge of, and ability to work with, the broader cluster community

Cluster Advisory Team Representative Responsibilities

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Public Comment Protocol

  • Opportunities for public comment shall be provided at least four (4) times in a school/fiscal year and noted on the GO Team’s webpage and meeting agenda;
  • GO Team members will not provide responses or engage in direct conversation during public comment;
  • Each GO Team will determine a consistent method for receiving public comments and for parents and other citizens to sign up to address the team;
  • At least 20 minutes of time will be allotted for the public to make comments at meetings where public comment is permitted; and
  • The public will receive at least 2 business days’ notice of the Public Comment Protocol.

Requirements

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Public Comment Protocol

  • The agenda will be posted one week in advance of a GO Team meeting.
  • If someone wishes to make a public comment, they must sign up at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting to do so.
  • Each speaker will get 2 minutes unless approved for more time by the GO Team chair.
  • A Google Form will be created for sign-up and posted prior to the meetings.

Proposed Process

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Public Comment Protocol Tips

  • Public Comment Is Not Mandatory at Every Meeting: GO Teams are not required to include a Public Comment period at every meeting, but should be scheduled for meetings involving major action items needing community input.
  • Plan and Structure Public Comment Thoughtfully: When included, Public Comment should be scheduled at a specific time (e.g., a 20-minute segment with 2 minutes per speaker) and aligned with the school community’s availability to encourage participation.
  • Establish a Clear and Transparent Process: Provide clear instructions for how individuals can sign up to speak. During the Public Comment period, GO Team members should listen without responding, using the input to inform decisions.
  • Encourage Ongoing Community Engagement: Remind stakeholders that Public Comment during meetings is just one way to share input. Emails to GO Team members and special sessions can also serve as valuable channels for community feedback.

The GO Team votes on its

Public Comment Protocol

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Meeting

Calendar

  • Hold at least six (6) business meetings this school year (this meeting plus at least 6 more);
  • At least four (4) of the meetings must permit time for Public Comment;
  • Meetings cannot be held during the instructional school day;
  • Meetings must be live-streamed and recorded; and
  • Meeting locations for hybrid meetings must be places which can accommodate the public (i.e. – not a conference room).

Requirements

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  • August 19, 2025 – Initial Meeting
  • September 16, 2025 – Public Comment
  • October 7, 2025 – Public Comment
  • November 11, 2025 – Public Comment
  • January 27, 2026 –Allocation Meeting
  • February 10, 2026 – Feedback Meeting (PC)
  • March 10, 2026 – Finalization Meeting

24-25 Meeting Dates

25-26 Proposed Meeting Dates

  • August 13, 2024 – Initial Meeting
  • September 10, 2024 – Public Comment
  • October 1, 2024 – Public Comment
  • November 12, 2024 – Public Comment
  • January 28, 2025 – Allocation Meeting
  • February 11, 2025 – Feedback Meeting (PC)
  • March 11, 2025 – Finalization Meeting

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Meeting Calendar Considerations

  • Hold at least 3 business meetings per semester: This will ensure your GO Team has sufficient time to complete its business
  • Fall Semester 2025: Your GO Team will be developing its 2025-2030 Strategic Plan to align with the District’s new strategic plan; allow enough time to complete this work
  • Budget Meetings:
    • Allocation Meeting: Late January
    • Draft Feedback Meeting: Early February – before February break
    • Finalization Meeting: Early March – after staffing conferences
  • Public Comment: Select at least four (4) of meetings that will allow time for public comment.

The GO Team votes on its

Meeting Calendar

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Meeting

Norms

The GO Team may change these norms.

  • This is a meeting of the GO Team. Only members of the team may participate in the discussion. Any members of the public present are here to quietly observe.
  • We will be fully present.
  • We will follow the agenda as noticed to the public and stay on task.
  • We will be respectful of each other at all times.
  • We will be open-minded.
  • We invite and welcome contributions of every member and listen to each other.
  • We will respect all ideas and assume good intentions.
  • We will approach differences of opinion with curiosity.

Initial Norms

The GO Team votes on its meeting norms.

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Discussion Items

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Stakeholder

Engagement

Exercise

Why We’re Here

GO Teams play a vital role in decision-making that impacts the school’s direction, priorities, and overall success.

  • Stakeholder engagement ensures that the decisions we make reflect the real needs and voices of the people our schools serve.
  • We’re stronger when we bring others into the work—when we listen, learn, and co-create with families, students, staff, and community members.

Today our GO Team will: Brainstorm ways to involve our school’s key stakeholders in our work.

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Stakeholder

Engagement

Exercise

Here’s the challenge:

We’re going to look at four groups—Families, Students, Staff, and Community.

For each group, we’ll ask and answer three questions:

  1. INFORM – What’s a fun or unexpected way to keep them in the loop?
  2. INPUT – What’s a meaningful way to get their ideas or feedback?
  3. INVITE – How can we bring them into the work, not just the audience?

Let’s get creative, specific, and push past the usual answers.

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FAMILIES

STUDENTS

STAFF

COMMUNITY

INFORM

What’s a fun, unexpected way to keep them in the loop?

INPUT

What’s a meaningful way to gather their ideas or feedback?

INVITE

How can we bring them into the work, not just the audience?

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Information Items

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Principal’s

Update

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APS

Personal Electronic Device

Policy

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APS

PED

Policy

  • Starting this school year (2025–2026), students will be asked to keep their phones “up and away” during the school day.
  • Our Personal Electronic Device policy is a long-standing Board policy designed to support a focused, respectful, and distraction-free learning environment for everyone.
  • Additionally, next school year (2026–2027), in line with a new state law (HB340), this will expand to include other personal devices like smartwatches, tablets, and headphones.

APS Board Policy

APS PED Regulation

Click the boxes below for the:

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PEDs

in our

School

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Comprehensive Long Range Facilities Plan

APS Forward 2040:

Reshaping the Future of Education

Taskforce Meetings

May 8, 2025 - Presentation

August 5, 2025- Presentation

Upcoming Public Meetings

  • August 25
  • October 20
  • November 10

Virtual – at Noon

In-person at 6PM at CLL (130 Trinity Ave)

atlantapublicschools.us/APS2040

UPDATE

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Announcements

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SAVE THE DATE

Saturday

September 27

8:30 AM – 2:30 PM

Come learn more about:

  • Your school’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • APS Forward 2040

…and much more

Bring the full GO Team

Come ready to collaborate, contribute, and create the future!

G3 Summit

Go.Grow.Govern.

IN-PERSON

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GO Team Members

Remember to complete your training.

As outlined in Section 2.14 of the GO Team Handbook, GO Team members are required to complete orientation within one year of joining the team and must be renewed every four years.

Failure to complete this training will result in removal from the GO Team

Contact the GO Team Office if you have any questions.

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THANK YOU

We’re looking forward to a great year!