Forsyth County Schools: Back-to-school guide for 2017-18 academic year

Forsyth County’s Chestatee Elementary School teacher Joy Hall helps fourth-grader Raine Wilson with a writing assignment during class in this AJC file photo.

Forsyth County’s Chestatee Elementary School teacher Joy Hall helps fourth-grader Raine Wilson with a writing assignment during class in this AJC file photo.

As of May 2017, the Forsyth County school district had more than 46,555 students and 5,072 staff members in 37 schools and one center, making it the seventh-largest in Georgia.

With school set to return Aug. 3, students and parents can find below a complete guide to the Forsyth County system.

  • First day of school: Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017
  • Fall Break: Sept. 25-29
  • Thanksgiving: Nov. 20-24
  • Holiday Break: Dec. 22-Jan. 5
  • Spring Break: Apr. 2-6
  • Last day of school: Friday, May 25, 2018
  • Early release dates: Aug. 30, Oct. 18-19, March 9

Enrollment information: First-year students have until July 28 to register for the 2017-18 school year. Parents must schedule an appointment.

Bus routes: As of July 20, bus routes are still being modified. The final routes will be posted on the school's transportation page.

Facts and figures 

  • Number of elementary schools: 21
  • Number of middle schools: 10
  • Number of high schools: 6
  • Number of virtual 6-12 centers: 1
  • Number of students as of May 2017: 46,555
  • Number of employees as of May 2017: 5,072

Student Demographics (May 2017)

  • White 65.22%
  • Asian 15.21%
  • Hispanic 12.94%
  • Black 3.39%
  • Multi-Racial 2.79%
  • American Indian
  • Pacific

Graduation rate: 92.7 percent based on the 2016 four-year cohort graduation rate

Budget and school tax millage rate:  The school district operates on a nearly $408 million budget, with 48.85 percent coming from local funds and 51.15 percent from state and federal funds, according to the district. The millage rate for 2017 is 17.3 mils.

School menus: Full menus for Forsyth County Schools can be found on the food and nutrition services page with prices listed below.

Forsyth County School leadership

The Forsyth County Board of Education consists of five members, who serve staggered, four-year terms and Superintendent Dr. Jeff Bearden.

Dr. Bearden became Forsyth's superintendent on Sept. 2, 2014. He previously held the same position with Rome City Schools and Fayette County Schools, according to his bio.

Board meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at Forsyth County Board of Education and Professional Development Center. The center is located at 1120 Dahlonega Highway in Cumming.

The meetings can be viewed live on TV Forsyth or on the district's YouTube page.

You can find information about your school, such as test scores, graduation rates and school climate rating at the Ultimate Atlanta School Guide.