News

     The 2025-26 school year marks year nine for the Junior Achievement (JA) Discovery Center at Gwinnett, which provides hands-on experiences in financial literacy, career readiness, and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit for 6th and 8th-grade students. The JA Discovery Center at Gwinnett annually serves 30,000 students through the JA BizTown and JA Finance Park simulations. A survey of 96% of teachers whose students attended the JA Discovery Center said they saw students effectively developing and integrating high-order skills, including creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and innovation. In addition, the JA Discovery Center at Gwinnett involved more than 2,900 community volunteers, of whom 99% said it was a “best-in-class experience and would recommend it to friends and colleagues.” Volunteers are critical to the Center’s operations. Those interested in volunteering at the JA Discovery Center at Gwinnett should email Tamara Andrews at tandrews@georgia.ja.org.

     3DE is a JA program that connects high school students to business leaders and entrepreneurs at Norcross High School, Parkview High School, and South Gwinnett High School. In the 2023-24 school year, 1,141 students participated in 3DE across the three high schools. 3DE challenges students to think critically and engage in their learning as they prepare for a successful future. 3DE students gain real-world experience through visits to community businesses, mentoring, networking with professionals, tackling dynamic case studies, and more. Students develop business skills and experience with large corporations through networking, resume workshops, presentations, and internships. Company partners include, but are not limited to, Truist, Arby’s, Delta Air Lines, Jackson Healthcare, The Home Depot, UPS, and SPANX.

     The GCPS World Languages and Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program continues to expand and grow as the district prepares students for success in an increasingly interconnected world. At schools throughout the district, world language program offerings in elementary, middle, and high schools include American Sign Language, French, German, Korean, Latin, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, Spanish for Heritage Speakers, and Spanish for Native Speakers. These programs focus on communicative and cultural competencies, providing students with a strong competitive advantage as they advance in college and into careers.

     Now in its eleventh year, 11 GCPS elementary schools have DLI programs. Hopkins Elementary is the newest school to add a DLI Spanish program starting in Kindergarten with two cohorts this year. DLI students at Annistown, Baldwin, Bethesda, Camp Creek, Hopkins, Ivy Creek, Level Creek, Meadowcreek, and Mulberry elementary schools learn in Spanish and English, while students at Trip Elementary learn in French and English, and students at Parsons Elementary learn in Korean and English. Bay Creek Middle School offers DLI continuation in French, while Jones, North Gwinnett, Radloff, Shiloh, Summerour, Sweetwater, and Trickum middle schools offer DLI Spanish continuation programs. This year, the pioneer cohort of DLI students will begin 10th grade at Shiloh, Berkmar, and Grayson high schools.

     As computational thinking and programming become ever more pervasive in life, society, and the workforce, GCPS is committed to ensuring our students are future-ready. Increasing our computer science learning opportunities for K-12 is an integral part of our Computer Science for All (CS4All) initiative. We are celebrating 100% of our K-12 cluster schools now offering Computer Science (CS) programs. Our CS4All goals are to:

• Improve equity and access to computer science education for all students.
• Develop students as learners, users, and creators of computer science knowledge and artifacts.
• Develop students’ understanding of the role of computing in the world around them.
• Provide students with the knowledge and skills for future and current careers.

     These programs are designed to be collaborative and creative, focusing on real-world problem-solving and hands-on learning experiences that prepare students for their futures. These programs are supplemented by extracurricular robotics programs, including FIRST LEGO® League Robotics (K-8), VEX Robotics (6-12), and FIRST Robotics Competition (9-12). GCPS has continued to provide support for programs, including teacher training. The system has certified or endorsed more than 150 teachers in computer science since 2019.

     Seven Gwinnett high schools—Berkmar, Central Gwinnett, Discovery, Lanier, Meadowcreek, Shiloh, and South Gwinnett—continue to build their college and career academies. The academies give students a preview of potential careers as they learn core subjects through an academic or career-themed lens. Through job shadowing, internships, and project-based learning, students not only learn from experience and collaborate with peers but also have the opportunity to earn money. In fact, during the 2023-24 school year, over 700 students contributed 192,677 intern hours, earning a total of $2,225,861 through career, technical, and agricultural education work-based learning opportunities.

     Maxwell High School’s career and technical education programs achieved exceptional results this past year. At the SkillsUSA Georgia State Conference, 80 Maxwell students competed, with 47 placing in their contests, including 13 first-place finishes, sending 15 state champions to the national championships. The district’s Future Health Professionals (HOSA) team earned second place at the state competition for the third consecutive year, while Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) members collected more than 800 food items for the Quinn House, and 440 diapers for Helping Mamas. Maxwell High School of Technology Culinary Arts student Dayla Brown was named ProStart Student of the Year, and Chef Belinda Delvasto received Georgia’s 2025 ProStart Teacher of the Year honors. Maxwell’s automotive programs set a record with students earning 899 Automotive Service Excellence certifications, while the Flight Operations team placed third at the state aviation challenge and Architecture students finished in the top three across multiple design competitions. These achievements demonstrate Maxwell’s commitment to preparing students for successful careers through hands-on learning and real-world experiences.

     Seckinger High School begins its fourth year preparing students for an AI-infused future. AI-Ready learning includes both discrete and embedded AI learning experiences to build literacy and technical skills related to AI. Students at Seckinger High can participate in the three-course discrete AI pathway, which dives beyond literacy to rigorous technical learning for those interested in an AI developer career path. Students can also participate in pathways such as Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Science, Marketing, Audio Video Technology and Film, and International Business. All students in the school focus on developing the skills needed to be responsible and ethical users, decision-makers, and problem-solvers with AI. The Seckinger cluster continues to be a nationally recognized model for innovative and future-ready K-12 education.

     Paul Duke STEM High School is beginning its eighth year and growing its technology offerings to students. All students at Paul Duke STEM High start with introductory courses in computer science, engineering, mechatronics, graphic design, or film, which launches their STEM-focused career exploration. Students can earn industry certification, preparing them to enter the workforce to pursue postsecondary opportunities in high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand STEM career fields, including growing areas in computer science. One of these areas is Cybersecurity, a rapidly growing career area. At Paul Duke STEM High, students have multiple cybersecurity options. About 50 students complete the on-campus cybersecurity pathway each year, while others earn college credit towards an associate degree through dual enrollment with Gwinnett Technical College. Additionally, approximately 25 juniors and seniors from Paul Duke STEM High School have the opportunity to participate in a cybersecurity experience with the FBI’s Atlanta Office and take two dual-enrollment courses at Mercer University’s Atlanta campus.

     At McClure Health Science High School, the mission is to awaken the wonder and spark curiosity, purpose, and passion in each and every student as they explore the world of healthcare. Now in its sixth year, McClure offers a dynamic, college-preparatory experience that blends rigorous academics with real-world exposure to the medical field. Through a specialized curriculum focused on health science, students dive deep into industry-relevant knowledge while developing the skills and certifications necessary for success in both postsecondary education and healthcare careers.  McClure Health Science High offers five distinct healthcare-focused career pathways, and each pathway is designed to connect classroom learning with practical application, preparing students for a wide range of healthcare roles from nursing and medical technology to therapy, administration, and beyond. By combining hands-on experiences, strong partnerships, and a focus on student-centered growth, we inspire students to lead, serve, and thrive in the ever-evolving world of health and medicine.

     Maxwell High School of Technology will open the Artificial Intelligence (AI) pathway in the 2025-26 school year, increasing access to this innovative learning opportunity to students across the district. The program focuses on deepening students’ understanding of how AI works, the ethical implications of technology, creative problem-solving, and developing AI technologies to solve real-world problems. Students will develop strong programming and data science skills through the industry-aligned learning experiences of the program.