Q&A District II Area Board and Town Hall Meeting

A well-rounded education is essential for nurturing diverse talents and preparing students for a dynamic future. This comprehensive approach includes, but is not limited to, the following:

STEM Education: Integrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Humanities: Encourage exploration of literature, history, and social sciences to develop empathy, cultural awareness, and communication skills.

Arts Programs

Visual Arts: Offer classes in drawing, painting, sculpture, and digital arts to enhance creativity and self-expression.

Performing Arts: Include music, theater, and dance programs to build confidence, teamwork, and presentation skills.

Athletic and Extra-curricular Programs

Athletic Programs/Team Sports: Promote participation in sports like soccer, basketball, and volleyball to teach teamwork, leadership, and physical fitness.

Individual Sports: Support activities like swimming, tennis, and track to develop discipline, resilience, and personal achievement.

Co-curricular and Extra-curricular Activities/Clubs and Societies: Encourage involvement in clubs such as debate, robotics, and environmental groups to foster interests and leadership skills.

Community Service: Integrate service projects to teach social responsibility and community engagement.

Career Exploration: Provide opportunities for students to explore various careers through internships, job shadowing, and career fairs.

Personalized Learning: Support individualized learning plans that cater to students' strengths and interests.

Mentorship Programs: Connect students with mentors who can guide them in their academic and career choices.

By implementing these strategies and others like them, GCPS strives to create an environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive and pursue their passions.

All students, staff, and families in GCPS were invited to participate in the town hall meetings. Unless there was profanity, all questions are accepted and answered. We appreciate the feedback and are continuously looking for ways to engage our families.

APs currently received a stipend for attending SLC. This is a part of leading at the building level and we cannot do the work without APs being involved in the planning for our upcoming school year.

As a district team, we regularly monitor students' progress to ensure both instructional practices and our identified high-quality teaching materials are effective. Additionally, each school has an MTSS infrastructure in place to identify students who may need further intervention and progress monitoring. District and school adjustments are made based on data to better meet students' needs and address any gaps in learning. We are committed to continuing our support to help teachers and administrators better meet the needs of students who are not yet showing they are at grade level.

As a district we have created a some guidance around Human Centered AI that is available on each employees GCPS portal page. Within this work we have shared guidance on the use of AI in our schools for both staff, students, and parents including a portion on Advancing Academic Integrity.

At this time, there are no plans or considerations to move to a 4-day week.

At this time, there are no plans to go to a hybrid model.

Athletic associations and county parks and recreation are funded, initiated, and established through the Gwinnett County government. As partners with the Gwinnett government, we provide support to their processes. In the interim, we have allocated use of our fields and facilities at the Seckinger cluster feeder schools to the Seckinger Athletic Association.

Concerning bi-weekly pay, the district surveyed employees in 2023 and the majority of employees did not see a benefit or did not want to change to a semi-monthly payroll.

Concerning funds to purchase property this would be Capital Project Funds that must be used for the purchase of land, construction, renovation, maintenance, technology, equipment and instructional materials.
Note: Capital Project funds are restricted and unlike general fund they cannot be used to pay teacher salaries. This means for example, it can be used to build a classroom but not to pay for the teacher to teach the class.

Results from the EES Survey have been shared with school and district leaders. Principals have been reviewing their data as this is one point of information used in their Local School Plan of Improvement. A district overview will be shared with students, families, staff, and the community through the district website and district newsletter. We anticipate this release to occur in May. 

Developing a holistic approach that balances graduation rates with genuine mastery of AKS requires collaboration, strategic planning, and ongoing communication between teachers and local leaders. A shared vision of what success looks like, including both graduation rates and mastery of academic standards, is important, as are specific, measurable goals that align with this vision. Effective utilization of district resources, which are accompanied by the appropriate professional development, is another key component of this effort. Analysis of student achievement data, both formative and summative, allows a measurement of the mastery of AKS and readiness for graduation and allows us to determine the appropriate support systems and safety nets that must be put into place to optimize student outcomes. Teachers and leaders can work together to encourage community involvement and partnership with families to enhance the student experience and positively impact mastery and grad rates. Finally, a shared mindset of continuous quality improvement and the willingness to work together to improve student outcomes must exist.

District Assessments (DAs) are aligned with the pacing guide, curriculum, and instructional materials that the district provides. The DAs are designed to assess standards that should have been covered prior to the assessment being given. The level of rigor (degree of difficulty) of the assessment items matches what students will experience on the Milestones assessment.

District assessments are aligned with the pacing guide, curriculum and instructional materials that the district provides. Teaching & Learning (Curriculum Office) develops the pacing guides and order of AKS covered in the classroom. The assessment team then develops the DAs based on those inputs from Teaching & Learning, with the Assessment Leadership Team (ALT) which is made up of teacher leaders who help review the data and feedback from the DAs to help improve them and strengthen alignment.

District assessments are aligned with the pacing guide, curriculum and instructional materials that the district provides. Teaching & Learning (Curriculum Office) develops the pacing guides and order of AKS covered in the classroom. The assessment team then develops the DAs based on those inputs form Teaching & Learning.

GCPS currently hosts ITC locations at Berkmar HS, Central Gwinnett HS, Discovery HS, Duluth HS, Meadowcreek HS, and Norcross HS. These schools and locations provide support for some of our highest ML and SLIFE populations in the district. For schools not hosting ITCs, our ML office provides training on effective strategies to help teachers support success for SLIFE students at all schools in GCPS. Please reach out to the ML department for further support.  

District assessments are aligned with the pacing guide, curriculum and instructional materials that the district provides. The DAs are designed to assess standards that should have been covered prior to the assessment being given. The level of rigor (degree of difficulty) of the assessment items matches what students will experience on the Milestones assessment.

Each year, to help improve our schools, Gwinnett County Public Schools collects feedback from our staff members about their school experience. In the fall, the school district administers the Gallup Q12 Survey, helping our schools measure and improve the level of staff engagement in their buildings. Additionally, the school district gives the Educational Effectiveness Surveys (EES) to get feedback on nine characteristics of high-performing schools. Each school also has a teacher who serves on the Teacher Advisory Council (TAC). TAC representatives serve as a liaison for school faculties and staff and district staff.

GCPS is currently developing its five-year Capital Plan, which includes evaluating existing capacity and identifying needs for new construction or additions based on projected enrollment. As part of this process, redistricting may be considered to address overcrowding. If pursued, the district will share information early and provide opportunities for community input.

GCPS is currently evaluating redistricting  as a potential alternative through a districtwide review to address enrollment and capacity needs. While no decisions have been made specific to the Mill Creek cluster, all areas of the district are being assessed as part of this broader planning process.

GCPS is preparing the five-year Capital Plan focused on assessing current capacity and forecasting future construction or expansion needs based on enrollment projections. Planned construction including additions are prioritized based on greatest impact to overcrowding and taking into consideration future projections, and financial and operational constraints.

GCPS recognizes that a connected student is an engaged student, and it places immense value on ensuring a high level of accessibility to its athletics programs for all students. Gwinnett County has long been a leader in its support of its student athletes. GCPS’ student athletes graduate from our schools at high levels, are consistently recognized for their efforts, and are frequent recipients of well-deserved athletic and academic scholarships at the collegiate level. Additionally, across the spectrum of professional sports, Gwinnett County Public School graduates are well-represented. GCPS continues to grow its athletic opportunities for its students and has expanded its sports program into its middle schools. This year, our middle school students had the opportunity to take part in school basketball, cheerleading, track and field, volleyball, and soccer. 

GCPS schools inventory and order science equipment and materials to teach the Science AKS. Funds are allocated in July for each school and for the FY25 budget, middle schools received $5.02/pupil. The GCPS Science Office provides high-quality tier I lessons, activities, and labs on pacing guides which includes a materials list. If items are backordered, adaptable activities are available on the COMM center. The Science Office can assist schools with sourcing or adapting instruction. Contact them for support with equipment or lab spaces.

Gwinnett County Public Schools partners with the Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia, to host its graduations. The schedule developed for GCPS' graduations is driven largely by the Arena's schedule and availability.

Gwinnett County Public Schools partners with the Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia, to host its graduations. The schedule developed for GCPS' graduations is driven largely by the Arena's schedule and availability.

Gwinnett Writes is outlined in Board policy. As staff we build our assessment program to provide information for schools about student mastery of AKS and the underlying skills a student needs to master AKS.

Gwinnett Writes is outlined in Board policy. As staff we build our assessment program to provide information for schools about student mastery of AKS and the underlying skills a student needs to master AKS.

HR does not have expectations of teachers to work outside of their contract hours. When there are occasions for the need, teachers are paid a supplement or stipend for working outside of contracted hours.

If the question is asking for the count or number of staff FTE % comparison of schools vs central office it is 9.3% vs 90.7 at the schools. If this was not your question, please reach out for clarity - you can email Budgets.Department@gcpsk12.org.

Laptops are used as an accelerator for learning. They allow teachers to provide personalized curricular/instructional paths to students and enable teachers to make timely, targeted feedback on student assignments. In addition, students have access to digital resources and information that support their learning 24/7, expanding learning beyond the classroom walls and school day. This model also allows students to learn digital skills that will prepare them for college and careers.

T&L: In GCPS, we have specific Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) for both spelling and writing, and our curriculum provides an explicit and systematic approach to ensure that students build a strong foundation in these essential areas.

For spelling, we begin with simple spelling rules in the early grades and progressively introduce more complex rules as students advance. Instruction includes a variety of activities designed to help students thoroughly understand these rules. Spelling is modeled and practiced daily, providing ample opportunities for students to master and apply what they have learned. This structured approach ensures a solid foundation in spelling. For students in upper grades who experience challenges with spelling, we offer targeted intervention resources to support their continued development.

Similarly, we teach writing in a clear and systematic way, with a step-by-step approach that builds students’ writing skills over time. Students have consistent opportunities to practice writing throughout the day. They start with foundational skills such as letter formation and sentence construction, and progress to more complex tasks like writing paragraphs and essays. This approach continues through 12th grade, ensuring students can create high-quality written work at every grade level.

Mr. Knudsen responded at the event, listen and watch here.

Mr. Knudsen responded at the event, listen and watch here.

Our GCPS AKS are aligned to Georgia Department of Education Standards of Excellence whenever state standards are available. When developing standards for new or updated courses, we utilize our Gwinnett Educational Management (GEMS) process to engage community members, content experts, and teachers to develop and revise curriculum.

Redistricting may be considered as part of the district’s long-range planning to address enrollment and capacity needs. Any future redistricting efforts would be communicated in advance and include opportunities for public input.

The Business and Finance division will be working to support HR in a salary study. Based on results of the study information will be presented for recommendation.

The Cluster Superintendents (CSTs) supervise all local school principals in implementing a performance culture and attaining desired results through the Results-Based Evaluation System (RBES), as well as maintaining safe and orderly day-to-day school operations. CSTs make regular visits to schools to monitor the climate, culture, and instructional programming in the building, and utilizes the information gathered in these visits to inform their role as principal supervisors. Faculty and staff in our buildings are encouraged to share their input and/or concerns with their CSTs. Additionally, schools should have processes in them that encourage and capture the input of teachers.

The majority of assessments on the district calendar are required by state/federal law or are district policy. Gwinnett Writes is outlined in Board policy. Milestones are required by federal law. i-Ready is one of five state approved assessments that meet the requirement for universal screener and traits of dyslexia screening laws. As staff we build our assessment program to provide information for schools about student mastery of AKS and the underlying skills a student needs to master AKS.

The majority of assessments on the district calendar are required by state/federal law or district policy. Gwinnett Writes is outlined in Board policy. Milestones are required by federal law. i-Ready is one of five state approved assessments that meet the requirement for universal screener and traits of dyslexia screening laws. As staff we build our assessment program to provide information for schools about student mastery of AKS and the underlying skills a student needs to master AKS.

The Teacher Retirement System (TRS) of GA only allows for TRS retirees to substitute as classroom teachers. Working in any other capacity could result in suspension or reduction of the retiree's retirement benefits. To ensure there is no impact to a retiree's benefits, we must adhere to TRS's guidelines for retirees working after retirement.

The Teaching and Learning Division continuously improves our instructional programs by:

• Using evidence-based practices and research-backed resources
• Regularly collecting feedback from students, teachers, and leaders
• Analyzing data to enhance our support systems

While feedback has been largely positive, we recognize there's always room to grow. If you have specific concerns, please contact your curriculum director directly and they will provide appropriate support regarding your concern.

The well-being of our students, faculty, and staff is our most important responsibility. This responsibility underscores our commitment to ensuring that our schools are as safe and secure as they can be. Therefore, we take a proactive approach to working towards the safety of students, staff, faculty, and visitors to our schools. We partner with safety personnel from the national, state, and local levels, to include police, fire, emergency medical services, emergency management agencies, and public health. We train our staffs to work with our students, readying and preparing them for emergency situations that may arise. School safety is an inclusive process; we seek to communicate and partner with our families and community members on the preparations we make for emergency situations. An example of our work with our parents and our community exists in the School Safety Advisory Council (SSAC). The SSAC is an opportunity for Gwinnett County students, parents, community, staff, and Board of Education members to collaborate with district and school leaders regarding the status of school safety. It meets four times a year; its final meeting this year will be held on May 6.

To address increasing cybersecurity threats in K-12 education and the recurring compromises of student accounts, Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) has implemented a comprehensive information security program to protect the personal and sensitive information entrusted to it by its students, families, and employees, while also ensuring the safety of its technology resources from unauthorized access and cybercrime.

At GCPS, information security remains a top strategic priority, backed by clear policies and ongoing investments from the Superintendent and the Board of Education.

The school system’s information security program strategy is comprehensive and multifaceted, combining leadership directives, formal operating standards, and procedures with advanced technical safeguards. These safeguards include multifactor authentication to protect user identities, encrypted password vaults to secure high-risk credentials, and data encryption to ensure the confidentiality of sensitive information. This approach reflects GCPS’ commitment to maintaining the trust of its students, families, and employees while safeguarding its digital resources.

Through ongoing awareness training, continuous security assessments, and 24/7 monitoring by trusted partners such as Microsoft and Google Mandiant, GCPS works diligently to detect threats early, respond quickly, and ensure that its information and technology resources remain secure and accessible only to individuals with a validated educational interest or an authorized operational need.

We are working to strengthen alignment among levels with the district-created resources. Instructional materials are selected through a process that includes input from many stakeholders, and we can better ensure that these stakeholders are aware of the materials being used at each of the levels.  

We understand many teachers want to design and deliver instruction based on their areas of interest and expertise. Teaching and Learning aims to provide materials aligned to the AKS and support teachers with the challenges of planning high-quality Tier 1 instruction that meets the unique needs of our students and to provide a quality learning experience for our students. Our teachers’ strengths in planning and delivering high-quality Tier 1 instruction are critical to our students’ success.  

Weapon detection systems will be installed in our middle schools and high schools during the first semester of the 2025-26 school year. These systems will be leveraged to ensure that when students or visitors arrive at the school, they do not have weapons on their person. To maximize the effectiveness of these weapon detection systems, we must partner with people and ensure that they work within our processes. For example, staff and students must help us ensure that doors that could allow entry into the building stay shut and locked throughout the course of the day and are not opened for anyone.

When making investments in supportive community measures and programming such as PBIS, GCPS analyzes data from a variety of sources. When considering the effectiveness of PBIS in any setting, a review of discipline data is considered. The effectiveness of PBIS in a decrease of negative outcomes for students, such as discipline referrals and exclusionary discipline, is noted in extensive research.

While we have had some discussions at a high-level regarding budgeting and funding, there has not been an in-depth training on QBE. That may be a topic that we could explore in a future training. With regards to the SWSS contract, we have received several presentations and have engaged, as a Board, in numerous conversations regarding its efficacy.

Yes. GCPS anticipates funding from the Governor's budget, once adopted, for FY26 safety and security initiatives. This is included in the total budget.

Yes. GCPS created and maintained an instructional materials adoption schedule for over a decade. This schedule outlines the resources scheduled to be adopted based on license or contract expiration - not by cost or the gaps in resources being made available for all of our instructional programs. During the 2021-2022 school year, the adoption schedule was changed and as a system, we proposed more resources than ever before. As a result, we would max out the funding dedicated for instructional materials at the end of the 2025-2026 school year (with one year remaining in our current allocated budget). Each scheduled adoption requires significant financial investments to pilot prior to a full adoption and annual costs for growth and replacement. Over the last decade, GCPS has piloted multiple resources and did not move forward with adoption. Each time, this pulls funding from our overall budget.

The reason for the influx of adoptions was directly in response to specific call outs in Our Blueprint for the Future with a focus on adopting and implementing high quality instructional materials to better meet the needs of each and every learner. One significant investment was the adoption of our K-5 ELA resources in preparation for and response to current legislative requirements for literacy. As a result, we restructured our adoption schedule to reprioritize instructional resources based on our remaining budget. We have continued to work with our Business and Finance team to ensure we have the appropriate funding to support any future adoptions or other supports for our instructional program.

You can always reach out to HR, your Teacher of The Year also shares the voice of local teachers in the TAC meetings.

There are times when the best course of action is "strategic abandonment", which means reducing the number of things or priorities we have. This is an important strategy in general, but even more so when there may be budgetary constraints.

Teacher planning periods are critical if meaningful, successful teaching is to occur. These periods allow teachers to ready their lessons, access necessary resources and materials, and examine student achievement data. Common planning time is the most effective professional development that a school can provide its teachers, as it allows them the opportunity to lesson plan, look at student work, and ensure that best practices are used across classrooms.

Scheduling of classes and the roles and responsibilities expected of faculty and staff fall into the purview of the local school principal.

The 4-day concept developed for Paul Duke was a model designed specifically for that school. While the 4-day week is an idea that merits more research, there are currently no plans to expand this model beyond Paul Duke.