JA Center seeks volunteers this month

Looking for an opportunity to support Gwinnett students and help prepare them for their future? At Gwinnett’s Junior Achievement (JA) Discovery Center, 6th and 8th grade students participate in an immersive simulation that helps them develop skills to better navigate today’s complex economic environment and discover how decisions made today can have an impact on tomorrow.

No matter your profession, your life experiences qualify you to be a successful volunteer to serve as a mentor and coach for students in these simulations:

• JA BizTown: Students interact within a simulated economy and take on the role of citizen, consumer, and employee. (6th Grade)
• JA Finance Park: Students make the connection between their education and career, career and income, and ultimately their income and future lifestyle. (8th Grade)

This month, we have the need for volunteers on Oct. 16, Oct. 17, Oct. 18, and Oct. 26. Online, find more information and register as a volunteer! Share this volunteer opportunity with friends and family or consider volunteering yourself. Questions about volunteering at the JA center? Contact Kyle Redner by email at kredner@georgia.ja.org. The JA Center on the campus of Discovery HS, located at 1333 Old Norcross Road in Lawrenceville.

Attention, Class of 2018: Apply now for a GCPS Foundation scholarship

If you’re a member of the Class of 2018, you may be working on your college applications this fall. While you’re at it, don’t forget to apply for scholarships to pay for your postsecondary studies.

Annually, the GCPS Foundation Fund awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to GCPS seniors, funded through the support of local businesses and organizations and contributions from generous staff and community members. Last year, more than 80 graduating seniors earned $115,000 in district and school-specific scholarships administered through the Foundation.

The Foundation is now accepting applications from members of the GCPS Class of 2018. Find the 2018 GCPS Foundation Scholarship Catalog online. Scholarships range in value from $300 to $6,000 and most are one-time awards.  The deadline for scholarships managed by the Foundation is Dec. 11. (All scholarship deadlines are included in the scholarship information and clearly noted on each application.) The Foundation will announce scholarship recipients in May.

GCPS boasts state STEM/STEAM-Certified Schools and Programs

So what does STEM/STEAM look like in Gwinnett schools?

“STEM and STEAM engages all types of students in integrated math and science, which prepares them for college and career opportunities,” says Bonnie Brush, GCPS’ mathematics director and part of the district’s STEM Team. She notes that this instructional approach takes students from knowledge to application to innovation, adding “By expanding STEM and STEAM learning opportunities, our schools are encouraging students at all levels to apply their learning as they creatively solve real-world problems, think in innovative ways, and engage with their community.”

With seven designations, GCPS has the largest number of state STEM/STEAM-certified schools and programs in Georgia, including:

• Gwinnett School of Science, Mathematics, and Technology (GSMST)— STEM school certification
• Center for Design and Technology (CDAT) at Lanier HS (STEM program certification)
• White Oak ES (STEM school certification)
• STEM Program for Innovation Rigor Excellence (SPIRE) at Peachtree Ridge HS (STEM program certification)
• Teamwork With Innovative Skills and Technology (TWIST) at Lanier MS (STEM program certification)
• Mason ES (STEM school certification)
• Coleman MS (STEAM school certification)

The path to STEM certification involves a partnership between the school, the district’s STEM team, and the Georgia Department of Education over the course of three years. During that time, regular site visits allow district content experts to observe and support the development of rigorous and integrated STEM instruction, ensuring that teachers have opportunities for professional development and collaborative planning with colleagues.

In addition, the school must meet specific criteria, including evidence of teacher collaboration, business and industry partnerships, high levels of math and science instruction, and an integrated, project-based STEM curriculum. The process culminates with a final visit by a team from the Georgia Department of Education to observe these instructional elements in action.

STEAM is the integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics infused with meaningful arts integration. STEAM utilizes the arts as a vehicle for demonstrating what has been learned, while increasing creativity and teaching “habits of mind” that can be applied to any subject. The STEAM Georgia certification program aligns with the STEM Georgia certification program and the two programs share a common vocabulary, timeline, and design.

The school district is a model for STEM/STEAM instruction and has a number of statewide distinctions. Here are just a few GCPS “firsts” in the area of STEM/STEAM:

• Coleman MS is the first certified STEAM middle school in the state, and just the second in Georgia to earn STEAM School Certification.
• With the certification of White Oak ES and programs at Lanier MS and Lanier HS, the Lanier Cluster has the distinction of being the first public schools with vertical STEM articulation, meaning that a student in the Lanier Cluster could participate in a STEM-certified program at every school level, K-12.

Dr. Jeff Mathews, Peachtree Ridge HS principal, is the first administrator in the state to lead two schools through the STEM Certification process. He also led GSMST’s certification bid in 2012-13.

Check out the latest episode of In5ive

Reminder… Mon., Oct. 9 is a student holiday

Don’t forget that Monday, Oct. 9, is a holiday for GCPS students. Enjoy your three-day weekend!

Don’t miss feedback opportunity on science resources

Friday, Oct. 6, is the last day for GCPS parents, staff, and community members to review and provide feedback on proposed curriculum resources. The review is for science instruction for grades 4, 5, 8, and 9-12, and is available on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. During the review, both print and digital resources can be reviewed at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center, located at 437 Old Peachtree Road NW in Suwanee.

Updated anniversary list for your calendar

If you’re a current or former student, parent, or staff member of one of these schools, join us to celebrate an upcoming milestone. 

Walnut Grove Elementary School's 25th anniversary festivities are planned for Oct. 20. Part of the annual EagleFest, the program starts at 5 p.m. RSVP online by Oct. 3.