GCPS retirees invited to free TRS seminar on Sept. 21

GCPS retirees are invited to an upcoming seminar sponsored by the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRS). The free event will be held at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Professional speakers will present on the following topics:

• Estate Planning

• Psychological Aspects of Retirement

• Elder Care Law.

Registration is required and seating is limited so hurry to register. Questions? Log on to the TRS website to register or call TRS at 404-352-6500 for assistance.

Find go-to bus info on website

During the school year, you may have some questions about transportation services.

How are bus stops determined? Who should I call if my child’s bus is late? Can my student ride the bus to his sitter’s house after school?

To get answers to these, and other questions, go to FAQs for Regular Education Transportation and FAQs for Special Education Transportation.

Find additional contact numbers for Regular Education Transportation and Special Education Transportation on the GCPS website.

GCPS News for Week of Aug. 12, 2019

Take a few minutes to catch up on your district news in In5ive for the week of Aug. 5. In this episode… find a welcome to our families and staff, yummy menu news from Café Gwinnett, an exciting DLI update, Football Media Day, and staff and district honors. Watch these stories and more in this episode of In5ive.

Register by Aug. 23 to serve on curriculum committee

Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is inviting parents, community members, and school district employees to apply for the GEMS Oversight Committee, a group of community and school system representatives charged with the annual review of the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum. The next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 7, 2019. After the review, the committee recommends revisions and additions to CEO/Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks for adoption by the Gwinnett County Board of Education. Committee members serve three-year terms. Completed applications should be returned by Aug. 23, 2019, to the Office of Instructional Resources and Support at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center, located at 437 Old Peachtree Rd. NW in Suwanee. The downloadable application can be found on the GCPS website. On the home page, go to the pull-down menu and select “I want to apply for…”

Mark your calendar for GCPS’ Aug. 19 job fair for substitutes

Interested in becoming a substitute teacher and gaining valuable teaching experience? GCPS’ Substitute Teaching Job Fair is set for Mon., Aug. 19, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center-Building 200 (437 Old Peachtree Rd NW in Suwanee). At the event, learn more about being a Gwinnett substitute and complete an online application. All applicants are required to have at least 60 semester or 90 quarter hours of college credit from an accredited institution, but teacher certification is not required for substitutes. Compensation ranges from $93 a day up to $103 per day for long-term subs (10 or more consecutive days in the same classroom). Apply today at www.GCPSjobs.org. Follow us on Twitter @gcpshr.

Share feedback on state standards for math, language arts

The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) is asking for feedback on the Georgia Standards of Excellence for Mathematics and English Language Arts. The GaDOE hopes to receive feedback from all stakeholders, including educators, parents, students, and representatives from business and industry and higher education. The survey is available through Friday, Sept. 6, until 5 p.m. Online, find a brief survey on Mathematics standards and on English Language Arts standards.

GCPS calendar at your fingertips

Find the important dates during the school year on the 2019-20 Student Calendar, available on the GCPS website.

GCPS News for Week of Aug. 5, 2019

Take a few minutes to catch up on your district news in In5ive for the week of Aug. 5. In this episode… find a welcome to our families and staff, yummy menu news from Café Gwinnett, an exciting DLI update, Football Media Day, and staff and district honors. Watch these stories and more in this episode of In5ive.

Board approves slightly lower millage rate

Perhaps you missed this budget news during the summer… At a special called meeting on July 9, the Gwinnett County Board of Education (BOE) adopted a slightly lower millage rate to support the Fiscal Year 2020 Budget. During the budget-setting process, the Board indicated that the adopted budget would not require an increase in the millage rate. In light of projected growth in the property tax digest, the Gwinnett BOE approved a slight decrease in the millage rate, resulting in maintenance and operations (M&O) and debt-service millage rates of 19.70 and 1.90, respectively. This is down from last year's rates of 19.80 and 1.95.

GCPS goes back to school: Bus safety tips for families

Riding the school bus is an exciting experience, especially for young, first-time riders. As the new school year begins, take a moment to review bus stop safety with your student and follow these tips:

• Find the location of your child’s bus stop. (Check with the school on meet-the-teacher day). Before school starts, walk with your child to the stop. Show your child where to wait, a safe distance from the roadway. Remind your child that the bus stop is not the place to run and play.

• Drive your child around the area near the bus stop, ensuring familiarity with the route and recognition of where to get off the bus.  Point out landmarks that are easily recognized so your child will know which stop is theirs. (Note: On afternoon routes, students are not let off a bus on cul-de-sac streets until the bus has completely turned around and is on its way out of the cul-de-sac.)

• Make sure your child understands that if she is uncertain about a stop, she should not get off the bus and should tell the driver she isn’t sure. The school bus driver will take the student back to the school and contact the parents. This is particularly important for younger students (grades K-2) who are more likely to follow the crowd off the bus. 

• Set your child’s routine from the very first morning. If you have decided your student will ride the school bus for the school year, go ahead and let your child ride the bus that first morning rather than driving him to school. Following the routine from the first day helps the student and the driver become familiar with each other and the bus route.

• Plan with a group of other parents and adults to have an adult present each morning and afternoon at the bus stop. When students recognize the adult "on duty" during the afternoon route, it gives them a sense of reassurance that they have gotten to the correct stop.

Bus rules keep kids safe at the bus stop, during loading and unloading, and on the bus. Learn more with these FAQs for riders of regular education buses and this guide for riders with special needs. And share this GCPS TV video featuring bus safety tips and instructions with your student before the school year begins.

Schools welcome new leaders for 2019-20

As GCPS students and teachers start the new year, some will find a new principal leading them to success. The following educational leaders were appointed this past spring and during the summer to lead schools for the 2019–20 school year:

Cortina Harris– Alcova ES

Martina Luna-Liranzo– Beaver Ridge ES

Katrina Larmond– Bethesda ES

Karen Lillard– Brookwood ES

Kono Smith– Graves ES

Jonathan Day– Harmony ES

Dr. Mandy Yearby– Mulberry ES

Laura Clark– Parsons ES

Tamara Perkins– Simonton ES

Darlene Brown– Grace Snell MS

Dr. Natalie Looney– Summerour MS

Durrant Williams– Berkmar HS

Nicole Mosley– McClure Health Science HS (New School)

Jadd Jarusinski– Peachtree Ridge HS

Niki Ross– Phoenix HS

Dorothy Jarrett– South Gwinnett HS

Dr. Brandon Bell– GIVE Center East