Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is committed to ensuring students are college and career-ready. We do this by providing a world-class education featuring innovative approaches to classroom instruction, using cutting-edge technology in state-of-the-art facilities. 

     At the district level and in our schools and clusters, teachers and school leaders are exploring new ways to engage students in their learning. GCPS continues to offer college and career development programs at all schools, including College and Career Academies at seven high schools and other opportunities for students like the groundbreaking AI-themed Seckinger High School, Advanced Placement, and Dual Enrollment. Additionally, you will find many other creative learning opportunities in GCPS this school year. A few include: 

     Grayson Technical Education Program is opening the first Networking and Cloud Computing program in GCPS. This is a high-wage, high-skill, in-demand career pathway for the district’s computer science programs. It is open to all students in GCPS through the Grayson Technical Education Program. This new program focuses on critical skills that are needed for the future of networking and cloud computing. Cloud computing is one of the fastest-growing career opportunities and the backbone of technology. Students will have the opportunity to learn in a hands-on environment using industry tools in a new lab. Students who complete the program will be eligible to earn the CompTIA Network + certification and the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification. Fifty-seven students from around the district are currently enrolled in morning and afternoon sessions in the 2024-25 school year.

   Maxwell High School of Technology opened the only Certified Nursing Assistant program in GCPS during the 2023-24 school year. By the end of the school year, 85% of participating students obtained their Certified Nursing Assistant certification. To receive certification, students must complete a training program that includes at least 85 hours of classroom and clinical education plus 24 hours of clinical rotation in a facility supervised by a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse. Maxwell students completed their rotations at Delmar Gardens in Lawrenceville. Additionally, Maxwell High School of Technology offers the only Flight Operations program in GCPS. This program provides students with leadership development activities through the Civil Air Patrol and the Experimental Aircraft Association. Program partners include Delta Air Lines, FedEx, and Middle Georgia State University. In the 2023-24 school year, 15 students passed their Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) private pilot airplane written exam.

Theme schools go beyond the traditional high school experience

     Seckinger High School begins its third 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. 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.

Now in its sixth year, McClure Health Science High School continues to open doors into the medical field. Students at this unique high school take part in a rigorous, college-preparatory curriculum through the lens of health science, combining coursework with practical experiences in a myriad of Health Science fields. This school is focused on “Learning Well.” Its health science focus was developed with students and their futures in mind. Health science job opportunities are growing, and students can earn industry certification, preparing them for the workplace or continued postsecondary experiences. The three primary health science career areas provide a focus for students’ learning in Clinical Studies with concentrations in Patient Care and Exercise Physiology, Medical Support with concentrations in Medical Front Office and Phlebotomy, and Health IT with a concentration in Health Informatics. This year, the school will offer Sports Medicine as well. These focus areas give students the foundation to pursue various careers, such as emergency responder, radiology tech, physician, medical billing clerk, medical researcher, and nurse, to name a few. The goal is to extend learning in the health science areas and to provide students with experiences and knowledge that will help support them as they transition to college and careers.

     Paul Duke STEM High School, another Gwinnett theme school, is beginning its seventh 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.

 

Computer Science for All

     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 like FIRST LEGO® League (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 120 teachers in computer science since 2019.

 

Dual Language Immersion (DLI) expands

     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.

 

STEM and STEAM:

     In GCPS, students are provided a range of opportunities to engage in high-quality STEM education in each and every elementary, middle, and high school. Through STEM and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) learning experiences rooted in the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum, students develop empathy, increase adaptability and resourcefulness, strengthen collaborative leadership, and foster critical thinking skills, resulting in graduates who can apply their learning to solve real-world problems. From daily integration of math and science through the lens of statistical reasoning to problem and project-based learning to access to advanced STEM courses and certified STEM and STEAM programs, students in GCPS are offered a variety of ways to develop future-ready skills for college and career. 

     As we kick off the 2024-25 school year, GCPS celebrates STEM/STEAM-focused learning for students at 11 certified schools and programs across the district:

• Coleman Middle School – STEAM School Certification
• Collins Hill High School – STEM Program Certification for its Reimagining Innovation through Science and Engineering (RISE) Program
• Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology (GSMST) – STEM School Certification
• Lanier Middle School – STEM Program Certification for its Technology With Innovative Skills and Teamwork (TWIST) Program
• Lanier High School – STEM Program Certification for its Center for Design and Technology (CDAT) Program
• Lovin Elementary School – STEM School Certification
• Mason Elementary School – STEM School Certification
• Mill Creek High School – STEM Program Certification for its Experiential Project-based Innovative Collaborative & Cross-curricular (EPIC) Program
• Paul Duke STEM High School – STEM School Certification (This is the first whole school, Title I STEM-certified high school in Georgia.)
• Peachtree Ridge High School - STEM Program Certification for its STEM Program for Innovation Rigor & Excellence (SPIRE) Program
• White Oak Elementary School - STEM School Certification

Each of these schools has been awarded the certification designated by the Georgia Department of Education. Additionally, more than 70 GCPS educators across the district have earned the Georgia Professional Standards Commission-approved STEM Endorsement. The STEM Endorsement program fosters a deep understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics among educators and provides them with specialized training, enabling them to create engaging and innovative STEM learning experiences for their students.  
     Other STEM initiatives include all elementary schools offering FIRST LEGO® League robotics competitive teams and CS4All Specials classes (STEM or CS), and STEM experiences—project-based learning, coding, robotics, and enhanced science, math, and career and technical education course and program options— in classrooms across the county; extracurricular competitions are also offered in STEM such as Science Olympiad and the Gwinnett Regional Science, Engineering + Innovation Fair. Ask about STEM opportunities at your local school and learn more about how GCPS is bringing learning to life. 

Partnership with Junior Achievement (JA) going strong:

     The 2024-25 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 which 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. For students who participated in the 3DE program at these schools, their 4-year graduation rates ranged from 95.3% to 100% in the 2022-23 school year.

 

College and Career Academies: 

     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 theme 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.

 

To learn more about any of these initiatives, contact Bernard Watson, Director of Community & Media Relations, at 678-301-6020.