Accolades & Recognitions

Two-Time Broad Prize Winner

GCPS has been a finalist for the prestigious Broad Prize three times (2009, 2010, and 2014) and is now a two-time winner (2010 and 2014). GCPS was the only previous winner to be named a finalist in its first year of eligibility. The system's combined Broad Prize winnings total $1.75 million in college scholarships for GCPS students.

Great District Award

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) named Gwinnett County Public Schools a winner in its first-ever Great Districts for Great Teachers (GDGT) initiative. NCTQ chose eight winning districts after a rigorous 18-month evaluation of data, policies, and teacher input. The winners excelled with criteria that research suggests connect to effective teaching.

AP District of the Year

GCPS was named District of the Year among large school districts - serving 50,000 or more students - in expanding access to Advanced Placement Program ® (AP®) courses while also improving AP Exam performance. GCPS was one of 433 school districts placed on this year's AP District Honor Roll.

Georgia's Outstanding Educator

Geri Flanary of Duluth High School was named the 2016 Gwen Hutcheson Outstanding Educator by the Georgia Council for the Social Studies. The council advocates, supports, and celebrates the advancement of quality social studies teaching while preparing Georgia students to be knowledgeable, effective decision makers and engaged citizens.

Georgia Principal of the Year

Dr. Tommy Welch of Meadowcreek High School was named Georgia’s 2018 Principal of the Year, the state’s highest honor for school leaders from the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals. Dr. Welch took one of Georgia’s largest, lowest performing schools and raised the graduation rate.

Forbes' Best Employers for Women List

Georgia’s largest school district is the best employer for women in the state of Georgia and one of the best in the nation according to Forbes Magazine. GCPS ranks 19th.

Forbes’ Best Employers List

Georgia’s largest school district is one of a handful of K-12 school districts to make the 2018 Forbes “Best Employer” list.  GCPS has more than 23,000 employees, making it the largest employer in Gwinnett County and one of the largest employers in Georgia. GCPS made the Forbes’ list with a ranking of 178 out of the 500 employers.

Georgia's #1 High School

Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology is ranked 1st (tie) in the 2017 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools Georgia rankings and 35th (tie) in the National rankings but also earned a gold medal. Schools are ranked based on their performance on state-required tests and how well they prepare students for college.

Literacy Leadership Award

CEO/Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks was the winner of the Excellence in Literacy Leadership Award from the Reading Recovery Teacher Leaders. This prestigious national award is given to individuals not trained in Reading Recovery who have displayed a strong commitment to expand and maintain its high standards beyond the local level.

School Auto Shop Award

Maxwell High School of Technology won the 2015 Quaker State Best in Class Challenge competition. After six weeks of intense competition involving five high school auto shop classes, the Maxwell Navigators won the Grand Prize and was awarded a $2,000 AutoZone gift card along with a custom advertorial in the February 2016 issue of Popular Mechanics.

NCAC Exemplary Educator

Dr. Reuben Gresham, Principal of Lanier HS, was awarded the Henk Koning Exemplary Educator Award by the National Career Academies Coalition (NCAC). Dr. Gresham’s leadership allowed the school’s four academies - the Center of Design and Technology (STEM), Life and Health Sciences, Global Business and Leadership, and Multimedia and Fine Arts - to thrive.

Aerospace Education Award

Capt. Kenneth Phelps of Maxwell High School of Technology has been named the A. Scott Crossfield Aerospace Education Teacher of the Year. The award is presented annually by the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton Ohio to current classroom teachers in grades K-12 who teach Aerospace as a core subject matter. 

National Blue Ribbon School

Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology was named the 2016 National Blue Ribbon School. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap. 

GaDOE Honors 87 Schools

The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) recognized 87 Gwinnett schools as a 2016 Beating the Odds School for performing better than statistically expected on the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) for the 2015-16 school year. Of the 87, a group of 36 schools were honored for beating the odds for five straight years (2012-2016).

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees

Many of our student athletes have excelled in sports within the district, state and around the world. Each year, former GCPS student athletes and sports personnel are inducted into the Gwinnett County Sport Hall of Fame for their significant sports achievement.The induction ceremony is presented by the GCPS Foundation.