At its March 18, 2021, meeting, the Gwinnett County Board of Education voted 3-2 to transition the leadership of Georgia’s largest school district from CEO/Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks to a successor in preparation for the 2021-22 school year. In announcing that Mr. Wilbanks’ tenure as superintendent will end July 31, 2021, the Board provided more than the

The school district plans to return to in-person learning for the 2021-22 school year. Plans for the fall reflect the district’s commitment to safety for its students and staff, with continued mitigation efforts such as the wearing of masks, provision of PPE, and strict cleaning regimens. GCPS will continue to rely on guidance from the CDC and other health partners in developing plans for the return to in-person learning in the fall. While it is expected that most students will return to learning in classrooms next year, families have been given the option of opting out of in-person learning with their child continuing in a modified digital setting. All other students will be registered for in-person learning for the fall. The deadline to submit the opt-out form on the Parent Portal is Sun., April 4, at 11:59 p.m.

At its March meeting, the Gwinnett County Board of Education appointed Dr. Al Taylor to serve as Associate Superintendent of School Improvement and Operations, taking the role previously held by Dr. Steve Flynt, who has moved to his new post as superintendent of Columbia County Schools.

Get ready to celebrate your special Gwinnett graduate! The 2021 Graduation schedule is available online for GCPS’ 24 high schools.

Gwinnett high school students can catch up or get ahead with summer classes. 

Due to the ongoing pandemic, GCPS will suspend Gateway testing for the remainder of the 2020–21 school year and waive the test as a graduation requirement for this year’s seniors. Students must pass the district’s High School Gateway writing assessments in both science and social studies to graduate with a GCPS diploma. However, with the suspension of testing, the district will waive this graduation requirement for seniors in the Class of 2021. The waiver also has been extended to students in prior graduating classes who have met all other graduation requirements except passing the High School Gateway.

GCPS' AKS at Home initiative provides math and language arts resources to support families so that they truly are partners in their children’s learning. The last round of live virtual K-5 sessions is ongoing through April 2. Each session features tip sheets for specific grade levels in English/Language Arts and Math, with translations available in Spanish. Please visit the AKS at Home web page to learn more and to access previously recorded sessions and resources.

If your family has international travel plans for Spring Break, make sure to build in an extra week away from school to self-quarantine. Gwinnett County Public Schools follows guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding international travel.

Pari Jain, who attends Peachtree Ridge High School, is Gwinnett County Public Schools’ (GCPS) 2021 Career and Technical Education (CTE) Student of the Year. The senior—who is studying Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)—will receive a $1,500 scholarship. 

In case you missed the live event, the resources of the 2021 Virtual Transition Fair will remain available through May 26. The goal of the Virtual Transition Fair is to provide information and resources for students with disabilities about their transition to life after high school. View pre-recorded sessions about community services and resources on the website.