The latest news from Gwinnett County Public Schools

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September 2019, Vol. 18, No. 3

GCPS Scenes from...

Chicken collaboration in Archer Cluster

In a collaborative project, Archer High School's engineering students designed and constructed a large chicken coop for their younger peers at Lovin Elementary School. The chicken "lessons" at Lovin tie into multiple science, math, and social studies standards across grade levels. Caring for the chickens also teaches students about responsibility... a great "eggs"ample of STEM-education in action in the Archer Cluster! Clockwise from bottom left, the photos above show construction of Lovin's chicken coop from start to finish.

School Board appoints new leaders

At its September Board meeting, the Gwinnett County Board of Education made the following appointments:

Dr. Brett C. Savage, Principal, Crews Middle School
Gabe Zaragoza, Principal, Hopkins Elementary School
Dr. Kevin R. Wood, Principal, Meadowcreek High School

Enrollment count tops forecast

GCPS' post-Labor Day enrollment count of 180,324 on Sept. 3 was 0.07% above projection... over by just 120 students. That's just a fraction above the expected 180,204 count! Since the district's first count on Aug. 6, GCPS enrollment has grown by 7,800 students. Student enrollment typically fluctuates throughout the year. The official October enrollment count will be taken Oct. 2. The districts largest schools, by level, are Cooper Elementary School, McConnell Middle School, and Mill Creek High School. With 13,475 students, Meadowcreek is our largest cluster. Our newest school, McClure Health Science High School, opened with 609 students.

GCPS congratulates its local Teachers of the Year and semifinalists

The first steps of the district's search for its 2019-20 Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) Teacher of the Year (TOTY) are complete. A group of 139 local school Teachers of the Year have been designated as tops in their schools, with 25 semifinalists moving on to the next level of competition.

"Our Teachers of the Year exemplify the high expectations that our Gwinnett parents and community have for every teacher in every classroom. They are selected by their peers because of the great things they do for students every day, and they are models of excellence for their colleagues as well. We are grateful to have the opportunity to celebrate their passion and their dedication to their students and their profession ."

-- Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Support Dr. Jonathan Patterson

GCPS honored nationally for fifth consecutive year

For the fifth year in a row, GCPS' Department of Purchasing and Property Management has been recognized as one of the best in the nation. The National Procurement Institute (NPI), a non-profit organization that focuses on leading excellence in public procurement, has named the GCPS Department of Purchasing and Property Management as a 2019 Achievement of Excellence in Procurement (AEP) Award winner. GCPS is one of only 12 agencies in Georgia and one of only 23 school districts in the United States to receive the award.

School resource officer honored by Georgia Peace Officers

Last October, Gwinnett School Resource Officer Nicolette McLeod-Pinnock responded to an urgent classroom situation at Trickum Middle School. Officer McLeod-Pinnock's quick action and appropriate response de-escalated the situation. She was honored for that response by her peers, winning the Peace Officers Association of Georgia's (POAG) Officer of the Year Award for Valor.

Please participate... your input is needed!

Through Oct. 4, GCPS invites the public to participate in a review of instructional resources. The review, which includes proposed student and teacher resources for Language Arts and Social Studies, is happening at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center (ISC).
The annual review of the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum runs through Oct. 15. This review is addressing AKS for career and technical education, foreign language, Health and PE, and core academic courses. Input on these courses will be given via an online survey.

Kudos to our staff!

Help us give a round of applause to the following staff members:

Carrie Settles Livers of Brookwood High School, honored with the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Nury Crawford, director of GCPS' Community-Based Mentoring Program for Hispanic students, named one of the 50 Most Influential Latinos in Georgia by the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Jennifer Johnson, former North Gwinnett Middle School Assistant Principal and current Grace Snell Middle School Assistant Principal, recognized as the 2019 Georgia Assistant Principal of the Year by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals (GASSP)

Last chance to nominate educators, school leaders for Teach On Project award

Is there a talented teacher or phenomenal educational leader in your school community who deserves a round of applause? The Teach On Project Awards (formerly the Atlanta Families' Awards for Excellence in Education) will close for nominations on Sept. 30. Visit www.teachonproject.org and submit your favorite educator!

GCPS seeks exhibitors for Career Connections 2019

Planning for a career is a critical decision for young people, and their high school years are the perfect time to explore opportunities and nurture interests that could lead to a career. That's where you come in! GCPS is seeking exhibitors for its annual Career Connections event, set for Tues., Oct. 22. This district initiative promotes career awareness for students attending a 9th Grade Academy at one of the district's seven College and Career Academy high schools: Berkmar, Central Gwinnett, Discovery, Lanier, Meadowcreek, Shiloh, and South Gwinnett. More than 5,000 Academy students will head to the Infinite Energy Center Exhibit Hall for the event, and prospective exhibitors are needed. Questions? Contact Dr. Kyle Jones or Debra Menchaca by email, or call the Office of Academies and Career and Technical Education at 678-301-7050.

JA Discovery Center needs volunteers

Junior Achievement (JA) Discovery Center at Gwinnett hosts 6th and 8th graders for day-long simulations to explore the work world and personal finance, respectively. JA is looking for volunteers to help create a more authentic simulation for our students. No matter someone's profession or background, their life experiences qualify them to be successful volunteers! Volunteers receive training during their shift, which typically runs 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Potential volunteers can check the Volunteer Hub for available dates. Note that dates marked "Gwin" are for the GCPS center located on the campus of Discovery High School in Lawrenceville. Share this opportunity with friends and family or consider volunteering yourself. Questions about volunteering at the JA Center? Send an email to [email protected].

Mark your calendar for GCPS' Oct. 16 job fair for substitutes

Interested in becoming a substitute teacher and gaining valuable teaching experience? GCPS' Substitute Teaching Job Fair is set for Wed., Oct. 16, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Meadowcreek HS, located at 4455 Steve Reynolds Blvd. in Norcross. 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.

Drive your way to a new and rewarding career!

Our drivers enjoy competitive wages starting at $15.73 per hour, excellent benefits, paid training, and a great work schedule. They work the student calendar year and enjoy the benefit of time off on student holidays and summer vacation! Applicants are required to be 21 or older, have a good driving record, and have a high school diploma or GED. Prospective drivers can apply at GCPSjobs.org . For more information, call 678-225-7670.

Take note of these dates...

Thurs., Oct. 10, through Fri., Oct. 11, is Fall Break for GCPS students.
Mon., Oct. 14 is a school-based professional development day for teachers and staff and a day off for students.
The Gwinnett County Board of Education will hold its next monthly meeting on Thurs., Oct. 17, at 7 p.m., at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center.
Find the 2019-20 calendar online.

Keeping up with GCPS

GCPS Honors and News- Check out the latest headlines about GCPS' award-winning educators, honored leaders, impressive student scholars, recent graduates, and more.
Gwinnett County Board of Education- Read summaries of Board of Education meetings.

Stay Connected to GCPS with social media

Follow @GwinnettSchools on Facebook, Twitter, and new this year, Instagram, and coming soon, Pinterest! With Instagram, we'll go behind-the-scenes with photos, videos, and stories about our schools, students, and staff. And, coming later this fall, we'll be "pinning" information and resources on Pinterest boards you'll want to follow. For now, we'll put a "pin" in that announcement, but we'll let you know when GCPS' Pinterest account is live!