The Bulloch County Schools five-year accreditation review, now underway with the AdvancED organization, will be one focus of Thursday's annual Speak Up for Education event, starting at 6 p.m. at Statesboro High School.

Expected to last two hours, Speak Up for Education is a public forum for the entire school system and its 15 schools. All parents and interested community members are invited. The forum serves as an annual joint meeting of the elected Bulloch County Board of Education with the appointed school councils.

AdvancED is the trademark of the organization that includes the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement. The Bulloch County Schools remain what was traditionally called SACS-accredited and are subject to a five-year quality assurance review to maintain the accreditation.

So, this year, Speak Up becomes an information session on the AdvancED process, as well as a forum for public input on school improvement, officials have said.

After the 6 p.m. sign-in time, Superintendent of Schools Charles Wilson is slated to give a welcome and overview beginning at 6:15 p.m. School breakout sessions, with parents and the public able to talk with principals and faculty leaders from each of the schools in separate classrooms, will make up the longest part of the meeting, from 6:45 p.m. until the 8 p.m. adjournment.

Free on-site childcare is available for children from infancy up to 12 years old. So are translation services. Visit www.bullochschools.org/speakupforeducation or call (912) 212-8512 for more information.