Get Georgia Reading and the Georgia Department of Education are working together to make sure all children are good readers by the 3rd grade. Parents of 4- and 5-year-olds can get a jump on literacy and preparing their child for school with a new service sponsored by the state DOE and Get Georgia Reading. Parents can opt-in to the free text-messaging service by texting GAREADY4K to 313131 to receive regular updates, facts, resources, and ideas for supporting their young learner.
Give feedback on state proposal for computer science classes
Parents, educators, and community leaders are encouraged to review and give feedback on three new computer science courses proposed by the Georgia Department of Education.
Cooper's Crew
See how a community rallied around a student and his family during his courageous battle with cancer.
Take perception survey to help schools
Parents can share their feedback by participating in the school district’s annual Perception Survey at their child’s school. In addition, access to the survey will be available— anytime, anywhere— through the Parent Portal through Dec. 11. Results of the survey help school leaders, teachers, and the district learn what is being done well at each school and what areas need improvement.
Every day is Constitution Day!
“Social Studies: What we do for the rest of our lives!” Visitors to Gwinnett schools during the week of Sept. 14-18 got to see that philosophy in action as students celebrated Constitution Week and Constitution Day (Sept. 17) at every level and across content areas.
New School Named
The Gwinnett School Board recently approved the name for the new Baldwin Elementary in the Norcross Cluster. The school will open ahead of schedule, ready to serve students in August of 2016. A longtime educator, Beauty Baldwin was the state’s first African-American woman to serve as a local school superintendent. Upon her retirement from Buford City Schools, Mrs. Baldwin continued her work supporting student achievement through her work with Hopewell Baptist Church and the North Metro Academy of Performing Arts.
Bank branch serves Meadowcreek students
BrandMortgage and Meadowcreek High School have collaborated to bring financial literacy, and a working bank branch, to this school community.
It's College Savings Month
Visit Path2College, Georgia’s 529 Plan, to explore savings options and calculate need. Find postsecondary planning resources from GCPS online as well.
Get the most out of your parent-teacher conference
Even if you listen to the play-by-play coverage during the first half of a football game, the halftime report can put it all in perspective with highlights, stats, and analysis of strengths and weaknesses. Your parent-teacher conference gives you a chance to hit such “educational” high points with your child’s teacher. Students in grades K-8 will have early release on Sept. 23-24 for parent-teacher conferences Check out these tips for getting the most out of your conference. And, remember, you can request a conference any time during the school year if you have concerns. In this episode of ParenTVision, get tips for maximizing your time together with your child's teacher.
Photo by mangostock/iStock / Getty Images
Put SAT on to-do list for Seniors!
If taking the SAT— again or for the first time— is on your senior’s to-do list, the time is NOW! The SAT has undergone a complete redesign, and the new format doesn’t look much like the SAT or PSAT that our students have taken in the past. College Board recommends that seniors take the current SAT, and Jan. 23 is the last chance to take the current SAT! Students can learn more about the SAT and remaining SAT dates for seniors with this flyer. Registration is available on the College Board website. If seniors miss their chance, there’s no going back.
GCPS honors local Teachers of the Year
GCPS can, and does, boast of its talented and dedicated teaching corps. This year, these stellar educators have selected 134 of their own to represent them as local school Teachers of the Year (TOTYs).
September is Library Card Sign Up Month!
Like Snoopy, reading is cool. Of course, your child has access to the media center at school, but your neighborhood library also is a great resource for the whole family. Apply for a library card online, or visit a Gwinnett County Public Library branch to get your card (and a card for your child) and check out resources for making the library a regular stop for your family. Out-of-county staff members qualify for a free card with a GCPS ID. Library patrons also can borrow a free pass to enjoy nearby arts, culture, and parks, or check out an energy-efficiency test kit.
September is National Preparedness Month
Be Prepared, Have a Plan, Stay Informed… When disaster strikes, there’s no time to prepare. The folks at Ready Georgia help Georgians prepare for the unexpected and want you to be ready with a Ready Kit, a communications plan to connect with family and friends in an emergency, and pertinent preparedness information. Add the Ready Georgia app to your smartphone to be Ready,Georgia!
Fundraiser tees off Oct. 12
Once again, mentors and community leaders are hitting the links at the Château Élan Golf Club to benefit GCPS’ Community-Based Mentoring Program. The 6th annual golf tournament is set for Oct. 12. The GCPS Foundation Fund is still looking for golfers and sponsors at all levels for the event so pass the word. The deadline to enter is Oct. 2. Find registration on the GCPS Foundation website. For more information about the tournament or the mentoring program, check out the Mentoring Program web page, e-mail the program’s director, James Rayford at james_rayford@gwinnett.k12.ga.us, or call 770-277-4485.
Exhibitors needed for Oct. 16 Career Connections event
To better prepare our students for a smoother transition from high school to college and career, GCPS will conduct a Career Connections Exhibition for the district’s Career Academy 8th graders on Oct. 16. The event will bring together more than 200 exhibitors from across the career spectrum for “show and tell” interviews and activities. GCPS is seeking business people who can provide engaging presentations about what they do and what it takes to pursue a successful career in their field. If you know of potential exhibitors, point them to information about the event and an exhibitor registration form online. Nearly 5,000 middle schoolers will participate. The students feed into our seven College and Career Academy high schools: Berkmar, Central Gwinnett, Discovery, Lanier, Meadowcreek, Shiloh, and South Gwinnett. Questions? Contact Dr. Savela Pappas in the Office of Academies and Career and Technical Education at 678-301-6085, or e-mail savela_pappas@gwinnett.k12.ga.us.
Math whizzes take the stairs!
Students at Alcova Elementary School are learning math both inside and outside the classroom. The school has turned a stairwell into “multiplication stairs.” Multiplication tables are painted on the steps, reinforcing what students have learned in the classroom.
ATL Family Awards honor GCPS educators
Three GCPS educators have earned kudos for their work with Gwinnett students. See how their recognition will benefit children at Chesney Elementary School, Partee Elementary School, and Couch Middle School.
Start the school year right with great tips for parents
As a parent, you are your child's first and most important teacher, and the learning you do together doesn't stop when your student heads off to school for the first day of kindergarten, right through graduation. On the Parent tab on the district website, check out tips for ways you can support your student’s learning at home. As we go back to school, try these teacher-tested tips for supporting young children and how to stay involved with older students. Check the Bulletin Board frequently for more timely tips for families.
Juniors can ‘test drive’ revamped SAT with Oct. 14 PSAT
The SAT and the PSAT have undergone a complete redesign. The new format for the popular college-admissions test— with more skills-based questions and document analysis— doesn’t look much like the PSAT our 10th graders took last fall or the current version of the SAT. That’s why it’s worth $15 to take a ‘test drive’ of the new SAT.Before they take the new exam in the spring, juniors can get a preview with the Oct.14 administration of the redesigned PSAT. The deadline for juniors to register is Sept. 15. (Sophomores also take the PSAT at no charge.)
The new SAT has a sharper focus on what research shows matters most for college and career readiness and success, and is much more closely aligned to the instruction that students see every day in the classroom. The test will be composed of three sections— evidence-based reading and writing, mathematics, and an optional essay. The new SAT will be administered March 5, May 7, and June 4.
Because the two versions of the SAT aren’t comparable, this year’s seniors should take the “old” SAT. Students taking the “old” version of the SAT can register through Sept. 22 for the Oct. 3 administration (late fee applies). Other testing dates include Nov. 7, Dec. 5, and Jan. 23 (the last administration for that version).
Learn more about the changes on College Board’s website on the redesign.
In addition to getting an SAT preview, taking the PSAT in October gives juniors two other benefits:
- A chance to qualify for scholarships: A strong PSAT score could help a student pay for college. More organizations are joining the National Merit Scholarship Foundation and using PSAT scores to select scholarship recipients, including American Indian Graduate Center, Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, and United Negro College Fund.
- A free, personalized plan for anytime, anywhere SAT practice: Based on individual results, Khan Academy will develop a personalized plan to help students do their best on the SAT and stay on top of important SAT dates.
Back to School with School Nutrition
GCPS’ School Nutrition team shares some of the new healthy choices our students will have at lunchtime.