Gwinnett County Public Schools welcomes new teachers on July 15

     Gwinnett County Public Schools’ (GCPS) newest educators will gather at a district-wide New Teacher Orientation before the start of the new school year to learn about the district’s signature culture of teaching and learning and the critical role all educators play in supporting students on their quest to success. Nearly 1,300 teachers, speech-language pathologists, counselors, psychologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists will participate in this annual two-day event.

     On Tuesday, July 15, New Teacher Orientation will commence with Convocation at Gas South Convention Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Attendees will hear from Board Chair Dr. Adrienne Simmons and Nick Masino, President and CEO of the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce. In addition, a panel of outstanding educators including 2026 Teacher of the Year Katie Lessard; Finalist and 2026 High School Teacher of the Year Nakaya Manning; 2025 Counselor of the Year finalists, April West and Shayla Thompson; 2025 Assistant Principal of the Year Contacia Cross, and 2025 Principal of the Year Angie Pacholke, will share insights and lessons learned from their first year.

     Interim Superintendent Dr. Al Taylor will provide the event’s keynote address. In keeping with its commitment to strengthening community relationships and providing resources and support to improve the educational future of all students, the GCPS Foundation will host the Welcome Expo immediately after Convocation from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Community partners and GCPS departments will be on hand to share various benefits and support to ease new hires’ transitions into the district.

    On Wednesday, July 16, new hires will spend an entire day taking part in grade-level and curriculum-specific professional learning sessions and engage in strategies to foster a supportive community for each and every student. Educators will also learn about the various instructional resources provided by the district to support their teaching and learning efforts. These sessions are part of GCPS’ work to create a continual learning community that supports staff by providing the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to be successful.