Blueprint In Action Fall 2024 Insert

In July 2022, our board introduced our first strategic plan, a roadmap for our future. This plan is Our Blueprint for the Future.
As we start the 2024-25 school year, we’re entering the third year of our 5-year strategic plan. This summer, we worked with our Board of Education to refresh our strategy, showing our dedication to ongoing improvement in Gwinnett County Public Schools.
This year, we’re focusing on four key areas to move forward with our plan. At GCPS, we’re dedicated to preparing each and every student for the college and careers of their choice, offering opportunities for everyone, no matter their background or challenges. We believe that strong literacy skills—reading, writing, and communicating—are essential for success, and that safe and welcoming schools are crucial for learning.
We’re excited to share some of our county’s programs and initiatives in these focus areas this year. These efforts show how our strategic plan is actively supporting student success. This is Our Blueprint in Action.

This year, our focus remains on preparing students for college and careers, as outlined in Our Blueprint for the Future. Here are some highlights of what we’re doing for 2024–25 to support college and career readiness:

• New Math Resources: We’re rolling out updated math materials for Kindergarten through Grade 2 and Grades 6–12. These resources follow new state standards and will help students with problem-solving and teamwork. Teachers will receive professional development to use these resources effectively.
• Science and STEM: We’re adding the Design Thinking process to K–5 Science and STEM, which helps students tackle real-world problems and build critical skills. STEM-certified schools like Mason Elementary and Lovin Elementary already use this process to create quality STEM experiences.
• Cloud Computing: Grayson High School is launching the first Networking and Cloud Computing program in GCPS. This program prepares students for high-demand tech careers with hands-on experience using industry tools.
• AI Guidance: We’ve updated our policies on artificial intelligence (AI), this initiative builds on the successful AI-Ready pilot launched in 2019 in the Seckinger cluster. Our goal is to ensure students and staff understand and use AI responsibly. The GCPS Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Guidance is available on our website.

Our Blueprint for the Future calls for GCPS to ensure every student has what they need to succeed, no matter their background. Here are some highlights of what we’re doing for 2024–25 to support our diverse and growing student population:

• Personalized Learning: We’re working to understand each student’s strengths and needs to help them excel. We’re also improving ways to identify students who might be eligible for gifted programs and making sure our teaching quality remains high across all schools.
• Support for Multilingual Learners: 27% of our students are Multilingual Learners, to support our students we are expanding resources to help them improve their English skills. New programs will support students who are new to the U.S. and provide extra help in reading, writing, and speaking.
• Student Voice: We’ve launched a new toolkit developed by students to help schools elevate student voice. This toolkit guides schools in creating a supportive and inclusive environment from the student perspective.
• Early Learning: All Play 2 Learn and Pre-K students will now take part in classroom science fair projects, thanks to a successful pilot program. GCPS remains committed to providing quality early learning despite limited state funding.
• School Nutrition: Our award-winning School Nutrition Program provides tasty, nutritious meals to students at an economical price. This year, we’ve added new meals and snacks, including vegetarian options, and we continue to offer Halal meal options.

Our strategic plan focuses on creating a support system to help students succeed academically and personally. An essential part of this work is providing a strong literacy foundation so students can read, write, and communicate effectively. Here are some highlights of what we’re doing for 2024–25 to support literacy proficiency:

• High-Quality Instruction: This year, we’re ensuring that all students at every grade level receive consistent, high-quality teaching. Our focus is on early literacy and following the Science of Reading.
• Dyslexia Screening: We’re using iReady, a state approved tool, to screen K–3 students for dyslexia as required by state law. iReady helps us identify students who need extra help with reading and create plans to support them.
• Teacher Training: Our K-3 teachers will complete state-approved training in structured literacy based on the Science of Reading. This builds on the training they’ve been receiving since 2022. Middle and high school teachers will also get ongoing training in the latest literacy practices.
• Bookmobiles: We’ve added a new van to our fleet of mobile libraries. These bookmobiles visit various locations, providing books to students who might not have easy access to libraries. We also offer meals and snacks at the stops.
• Milestones Assessment: Our students’ scores on the Georgia Milestones assessments show that they are making progress. GCPS students scored better than the state average in 11 out of 13 subjects and better than the regional average in 9 out of 13 subjects. We’re proud of these achievements but know there’s still work to be done to help every student reach their reading goals.

Teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning, is our core business in GCPS. Of course, learning cannot happen unless we provide safe and welcoming schools for every student. Here are some highlights of what we’re doing for 2024–25 to support safe and welcoming schools:

• Athletic Safety: GCPS is leading the way in sports safety. We’re the first district to provide Guardian caps for all high school football players to help prevent head injuries.

• Weapons Detection: We’re installing weapons detectors at our high school football stadiums. These detectors will screen for weapons quickly and efficiently, similar to what you see at major sports venues. We continue to discuss how similar devices could be used in our school buildings.
• Discipline Update: About 97% of GCPS students did not get any office discipline referrals last year. Although discipline issues were up from the previous year, they’re lower than in 2021-22. We’re continuing to focus on reducing these issues, supporting students with counseling and small group sessions, and holding students accountable for their actions.
• Improving Attendance: Chronic absenteeism is defined as students missing 10% or more of school days. We’re working to make our schools safe and welcoming and to educate families about the importance of regular attendance. To help improve attendance, we’ll share information and resources on our website, newsletters, and social media throughout the school year.