Today, Dec. 21, is the first day of Winter Break for our schools. Have a safe and relaxing Winter Break for your family and friends! We’ll see our students back in the classroom on Thursday, Jan. 4.
A Q & A with Dr. Doug Doblar, 2018 GCPS Teacher of the Year
Dr. Doug Doblar, who teaches science to Head ES 4th and 5th graders, was named GCPS’ top teacher on Nov. 9.
Celebrate Bill of Rights Day!
Dec. 15 is Bill of Rights Day, celebrating one of the founding documents for America’s form of government. You can see the Bill of Rights in Washington, D.C., where the Charters of Freedom—the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights— are on permanent display in the Rotunda of the National Archives. You’ll find replicas of these documents on display at schools and offices around Gwinnett County. And classroom lessons about the Bill of Rights and the country’s other key documents are embedded in GCPS’ Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum throughout the year and in all grades.
If you’d like to refresh your memory about the document that gave us many of the rights and personal freedoms that Americans enjoy today, look for cool resources from the Bill of Rights Institute, the National Constitution Center, and in the National Archives. There’s a video in the “Constitution Hall Pass” series that explores the origin of our Constitution’s first 10 amendments. And check out historical documents that inspired the amendments, part of the Interactive Constitution site.
KaBOOM!
Thanks to KaBOOM! and a donation from Newell Brands, students from Beaver Ridge ES now have a new space where they can play, have fun, and thrive!
Checking list twice? How about technology?
How about a personal device that your student could use in the classroom to enhance learning?
GCPS-Simon partnership to provide school/work option in non-traditional setting
Phoenix HS at Sugarloaf Mills will open its doors in August of 2018.
BRANCH OUT to the library during Winter Break
If wintry weather keeps your child indoors during the break… Remember, there’s something for everyone at the library! With BRANCH OUT!, a partnership between GCPS and the Gwinnett County Public Library (GCPL) a student's school ID doubles as a GCPL library card, giving access to the county's extensive collection of digital and print resources and a range of activities for students who opt into the program. Even better, overdue library fines are a thing of the past for Branch Out participants. If parents are unsure if their student has an account or if a student is new to GCPS, it’s easy to opt in on the Parent Portal (edit preferences on the Student Information screen) or complete a form to return to the school. To access library resources, participating students need their GCPS ID number and a PIN (preset for birth month and day as MMDD). Students may change their PIN anytime via the GCPL website or by calling or visiting any library branch. So, happy reading (playing, surfing, building, listening, and learning) during the Winter Break!
Don’t miss important dates on your calendar
If you have a student at your house, you probably know what Wednesday, Dec. 20 is… the last day of school before Winter Break, of course! High school students will be released from school early on the last three days of the semester—Dec. 18, 19, and 20— as they take final exams. Elementary and middle school students will follow their regular school schedule those days.
While schools will be closed, the district’s central office locations will remain open on Thursday, Dec. 21. (The Gwinnett County Board of Education meets that evening at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center at 7 p.m.)
All schools and offices will be closed from Dec. 22 through Jan. 1. Students return to school on Jan. 4, but their teachers report back to work the day before for professional development and district offices reopen on Jan. 2.
artSTAGE: Hundreds raise their voices in song
GCPS TV’s fine arts series, artSTAGE, is your ticket to the wonderful world of artistic performances in Gwinnett County Public Schools.
Watch for Essentials newsletter!
Coming soon to your elementary student's backpack or your mailbox… The most recent issue of Essentials will bring you a look at how innovation is transforming our classrooms, a profile of the district's top teacher for 2017-18, the latest on calendars, our rapid notification system, assessment results, jobs for bus drivers, volunteer opportunities, honors, and more! You'll also find a special insert that takes you into schools in two clusters as we explore the Promise of Innovation.
GCPS Book Mobile: Give the gift of reading
Perhaps you’ve seen the GCPS Book Mobile around… driving neighborhood routes over the summer or parked in front of a Gwinnett school this fall.
Community leaders serve as ‘Principal for a Day’
American Education Week brought 135 members of Gwinnett’s business community into local schools to serve as “Principal for a Day”.
artSTAGE: ‘Banding’ together to make music
Hours and hours of practice result in those spectacular halftime shows that fans see during Friday night football games. In this episode of artSTAGE, GCPS’ fine arts program, catch a glimpse of your favorite band as we capture highlights from each performance at this fall’s Marching Band Exhibition. You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at all the preparation and support that goes into making these bands shine!
Get a free pass! Plan your trip! Hit the road!
If you have a 4th grader at home, here’s a nice holiday gift to keep the family entertained (and learning) during the upcoming Winter Break… free access to our nation’s natural and historical treasures that make up the national parks system! From sea to shining sea, our country is home to inspiring landscapes, vibrant waterways, and living history that all Americans can enjoy. And, with the “Every Kid in a Park” program, America’s 4th graders can visit our federal lands and waters for FREE! All 4th graders in the U.S. are eligible to receive a free Interagency Annual Pass and can bring their families with them! A number of sites are in the metro Atlanta area, and dozens more are within a few hours by car. With the free pass (good for their 4th grade year), kids can see protected animals, visit the woods or water, explore a park or recreational area, learn about our heritage at historical sites, and take an American outdoor adventure. Just follow these three easy steps: 1.) Fill out a short Adventure Diary on the Every Kid in a Park website. 2) Download and print your personalized voucher. (You can exchange your paper pass for a plastic pass at some locations.) 3) Plan your trip and go!
Charter schools, special programs and schools announce registration plans for 2018–19 year
Gwinnett charter schools and other special schools and programs have scheduled information sessions and registration dates for interested students.
Plan to attend Special Education Teacher Job Fair on Jan. 27
Are you a certified (or soon-to-be certified) special education teacher interested in teaching in Gwinnett? Join our award-winning Special Education team!
You're invited to register to attend the school district's Special Education Teacher Job Fair on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 8 a.m. to noon at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center in Suwanee.
The fair is by invitation only for those who have a pre-scheduled interview. Registration to attend the fair will close on Jan. 22, or when all interview times have been filled.
Candidates eligible to attend must be certified (or will be by July of 2018) in any field of Special Education. GCPS will be offering contracts for the 2018-19 school year at the event, so make plans to secure your teaching position early for the 2018-19 school year!.
Questions? Contact us at gcpsteach@gwinnett.k12.ga.us.
Take an hour, learn to code!
This week, students across the county are taking part in the Hour of Code, a worldwide initiative to introduce students to computer science and computer programming.
Paul Duke STEM HS to open 2018–19, first of theme schools to offer crowding relief
Paul Duke STEM HS is a theme high school, opening in Norcross in August of 2018.
Help fill the Gwinnett County Story Vault
You can help commemorate the county’s bicentennial by sharing your story.
GCPS Moments in History: A leader with a legacy
In November of 1972, Louise Radloff was elected to public office.