Parsons Elementary School

     Parsons Elementary School, named for Calvin and Kate Parsons, longtime residents of Gwinnett County, opened its doors in August of 2003 with 93 staff members and 776 students. Melinda Sepmeyer was named the first principal of Parsons Elementary. The Parsons Elementary attendance zone pulled students from Chattahoochee Elementary, Suwanee Elementary, and Riverside Elementary. The school is located at 1615 Old Peachtree Road in Suwanee, Georgia.

     Staff, students, and parents came to consensus early on that Parsons would focus on three main beliefs: a belief that every child can learn and succeed, a belief in using quality teamwork to achieve high student achievement, and a belief in using data and welcoming a climate of continuous improvement and innovation. That first year all staff were trained extensively in using teams to achieve results (John Maxwell) and the AKS/CQI model. The next two years the school professional learning focused on Professional Learning Communities and Whole Faculty Study Groups to improve on basic teamwork concepts.

     Parsons has continued to grow, and opened the 2005– 06 school year with 111 staff members and 960 students. In the spring of 2015, the school’s enrollment was just over 840 students. Since that first year, the school’s focus on teaching and learning has resulted in staff and students experiencing success at many levels. Parsons has been recognized at the local and state level for outstanding student achievement scores.