Congrats to Brookwood High School's Cindy Quinlan who was named National Teacher of the Year by the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE).
GCPS releases calendars for 2016-17, 2017-18
You can mark your calendars and circle some important dates for the next two school years… Aug. 8 will be the first day of the 2016-17 school year with the last day scheduled for May 24. The calendar includes a week-long Thanksgiving Break and a Winter Break for students from Dec. 22 to Jan. 4. Spring Break falls in the first full week of April. The calendar also includes a handful of other student holidays and scheduled inclement weather make-up days. If you're looking ahead to 2017-18, Aug. 7 will kick-off the school year. Find calendars for both 2016-17 and 2017-18 on the GCPS website.
Last chance to vote for Maxwell auto restoration team
Auto shop students from Maxwell High School of Technology are nearing the finish line in this year’s Quaker State Best in Class Challenge. Since mid-October, the students have participated in a national competition to restore, tune, and customize a pre-owned car into a showroom-ready, creative representation of their school. One of the five competing teams will win a custom spread in "Popular Mechanics," the opportunity to attend and participate in the world's largest collector car auction, a professional mechanics toolkit, and prize money for programs at the school. See how the students have put their skills to the test as the Challenge nears the end. And help the Maxwell Navigators earn up to 5 points toward the final score with online voting, open through 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 22.
Help Radloff Middle School win ‘dream science lab’
You can help Radloff Middle School win the science lab that students are dreaming of by voting for the school online in the Fab School Labs makeover contest on November 19. Radloff is one of 20 semifinalists for the $100,000 grant.
Gwinnett students outperform state peers on new Georgia Milestones
A first look at new expectations: Gwinnett students outperform state peers on new Georgia Milestones
Congratulations to state’s top school business official!
GCPS Chief Financial Officer Rick Cost received his profession’s highest honor from the Georgia Association of School Business Officials (GASBO).
ParenTVision: Family Meals Matter
ParenTVision Moments give you insight into guiding kids toward healthy choices and future success. In this episode, see how the benefits of sharing family meals together go far beyond the dinner table.
Connect the Dots and THRIVE!
National School Psychology Awareness Week (Nov. 9-13) highlights the importance of connecting students to the academic and social-emotional skills they need to promote personal achievement, growth, and resilience, as well as a sense of belonging and well-being. Please contact your school and a Gwinnett County school psychologist for more information on activities designed to help students and schools thrive!
Harbins ES' Trisha Connor named 2016 Gwinnett TOTY
Congratulations to Trisha Connor, a STEM teacher from Harbins Elementary School and 2016 Gwinnett County teacher of the Year! Mrs. Connor previously was named a level winner along with Middle School Teacher of the Year Jennifer W. Sevier of Dacula Middle School and High School Teacher of the Year Alix McHardy of Norcross High School.
GCPS’ 4-year grad rate climbs, contributes to state increase
Gwinnett County Public Schools’ focus on providing rigor in the classroom and ensuring students are learning the district’s AKS curriculum is resulting in continued improvement in the graduation rate. This year’s rate of 78.1 percent represents a 3.1 percentage point increase over last year and a 10.5 percentage point increase over the last five years.
Honoring our veterans, telling their stories
On Nov. 11, across the county, Gwinnett schools and offices honored our veterans with patriotic displays and special events. Here are photos from just a few Veterans Day activities in the Archer, Brookwood, Discovery, Mill Creek, and North Gwinnett clusters.
Please thank our veterans for their service, but, also take a moment to honor them with the gift of listening, particularly our older veterans. The Veterans History Project (a project of the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress) "collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war." As you gather with family and friends over the next few months for holiday celebrations, consider how you can help your loved ones tell their stories.
Career Connections 2015: Connecting students to the future
Have you ever felt the energy of almost 5,000 8th graders on a mission? At this year’s Career Connections exhibition, held Oct. 16 at the Infinite Energy Center, more than 400 adults representing 196 businesses were first-hand witnesses.
When it comes to bus safety, know and obey laws of the road
Safety is a priority when it comes to transporting students, and we all play a role in keeping kids safe. With the start of the school year, refresh your memory on the rules that drivers must follow when they encounter a school bus on the roadway. (Some of our buses are armed with stop-arm cameras to record violations that could result in a ticket.) You’ll also find good safety tips to review with your own bus rider.
Shiloh Cluster 'grudge match' pits elementary staffers in roundball action
It's Annistown Elementary School versus Shiloh Elementary School in the 4th annual Staff Basketball Game (with a handful of student players), sponsored by the PTA. More than 1,000 spectators packed the gym at Shiloh Elementary for the Nov. 5 "grudge match" between the two schools.
Celebrate Parent Engagement Month!
Parents are a child's first and most important teacher, and the learning parent and child do together doesn't stop when children head off to school, or even when they get ready to leave home for college. GCPS encourages parents to be involved in their children’s education.
Every Kid in A Park gives 4th graders free access to national parks and historic sites
Thanks to the new "Every Kid in a Park" initiative, 4th graders across the United States have the opportunity to explore America's nature wonders and historic sites for FREE. This pass provides free access to national parks, national forests, national wildlife refuges, and more for 4th graders and their families! They can stay close to home or travel somewhere new for an unforgettable outing. The Every Kid in a Park pass is good for the 2015-16 school year, through Aug. 31, 2016. (Next year's 4th graders will be able to get their pass starting Sept. 1, 2016!) The Every Kid in a Park is a program of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
E-SPLOST passed by wide margin in Nov. 3 election
In unofficial results, with 100% of 156 precincts counted, the E-SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Education) was passed by a wide margin of 74.69% to 25.31% in the countywide election on Nov. 3, 2015. The measure will continue the penny tax that has been in place since first approved by voters in 1997.
Students design ‘epic’ wheelchair costumes
She’s a Swan Princess ballerina and he’s a Pokémon Charizard, and this was the best Halloween ever! Two Dacula Elementary School students had “epic” costumes this year, thanks to the hard work and creativity of a group of Central Gwinnett High School students and Magic Wheelchair.
Remember to vote on Tuesday
Among the civic responsibilities of American citizens is participation in the electoral process. The next opportunity to vote will be Nov. 3, when Gwinnett voters will have the chance to weigh in on the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Education (E-SPLOST). Go to the GCPS website to learn more about the E-SPLOST question on the ballot.
Share your feedback with GCPS, state perception surveys
Parents, please share your feedback by participating in two important surveys. GCPS’ annual Perception Survey is available at your child’s school and through the Parent Portal.