Twin Rivers Middle School

Twin Rivers Middle School opened its doors to students for the first time on August 10, 2009. The school, which serves as the only middle school for the Mountain View Cluster, provided relief for schools in the Mill Creek, Collins Hill, and Dacula clusters. The school’s name was suggested by the community and focuses on geographic features— two rivers— located near the school site. The specific rivers cited by the school naming committee were the Apalachee and the Alcovy rivers.

The school held its official dedication on Sunday, September 20, 2009. It was a festive celebration featuring school and PTA leaders, as well as inspiration from students. The school’s slogan “Expect Excellence in Everything” still rings true today. Under the leadership of Principal Linda Boyd, the school has developed and implemented an instructional framework that focuses on the “big rocks”— literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking.

In 2016, Gwinnett County Public Schools underwent a redistricting process which included Patrick Elementary joining the Mountain View Cluster resulting in an increase in enrollment from 1,604 at the end of the 2015-16 school year to 1,986 students for the 2016-17 school year. In anticipation of this growth, a new addition was built on the campus.

Twin Rivers students consistently excel on statewide academic assessments as well as district and state competitions for Fine Arts and STEM. In addition to numerous staff and student awards, the school has earned state recognition from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement in 2010 (Bronze Award for Highest Performance) and 2011 (Silver Award for Highest Performance). Under the new Single Statewide Accountability System, the school garnered state awards from the Georgia Department of Education which include:

• Platinum Award for Greatest Gains – 2015, 2016, 2018
• Gold Award for Greatest Gains – 2017
• Silver Award for Highest Performance – 2015, 2016
• Bronze Award for Highest Performance – 2017, 2018

In addition, Twin Rivers Middle School has earned district-level recognition on the Weighted School Assessment, placing in the top 20-percent of GCPS middle schools for 10 consecutive years.

The high academic performance of students at Twin Rivers is a direct result of the high level of commitment to excellence by the outstanding teachers and staff. Teacher and staff collaboration is an integral part of the teaching and learning process and serves as a catalyst for consistent, pervasive implementation of the school’s “20 Mile March Instructional Framework” as well as the “Culture of Excellence Framework.” Teachers continually focus on meaningful integration of technology within these frameworks. This integration includes opportunities for students to engage in high-quality, innovative instruction through cross-curricular content extensions. Students and teachers utilize devices and software applications to link learning activities to the world beyond the traditional instructional setting.

In 2016, Twin Rivers began a STEM Program that focuses on inquiry-based learning through real-world problem solving to foster students’ interest in STEM-related fields. Following an application process, selected students use technology on a daily basis, engage in the science and engineering design process, and make interdisciplinary connections. Computer programming also is integrated through the projects students choose. Students access tools such as Raspberry Pis, Micro:bits and sensors, and 3-D printers to create prototypes for their projects. In addition, high levels of teacher collaboration exist among the STEM teachers and extend beyond the school to include community partners and mentors (Jackson EMC, Gwinnett Environmental Heritage Center, and NASA). Furthermore, a select group of STEM students has the opportunity to participate in high school Biology and Introduction to Digital Technology as preparation for accelerated coursework in high school (AP Biology and AP Computer Science).  

Twin Rivers Middle School is a proud member of the Mountain View Cluster and works diligently to prepare its students for the next stage of their education. As a result, TRMS creates a community of lifelong learners, inspiring students to reach their maximum potential. The tradition that began in 2009 to foster a safe, successful learning environment with a focus on high academic achievement continues today and is woven into the fabric of the Mountain View Cluster community.