Collins Hill High School

Collins Hill High School, located in Suwanee, Georgia, held the title “largest high school in the state of Georgia” for a number of years. This outstanding characteristic of the school was achieved after five years of existence. Opening in 1994, with a student population of 1,377, the school has grown from a 50-acre site to a 70-acre site and reached a peak enrollment of 4,200 students in September 2002. High expectations for success from the faculty, students, parents, and community in academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities have shaped Collins Hill in spite of exploding growth.

Collins Hill High School primarily serves diverse middle class students from professional families. As a northeast suburb of Atlanta, 40 miles away, and four miles from Interstate-85, the Collins Hill community is considered metro-Atlanta, yet the traditional one-family home dominates.

Our 230 faculty and staff members, serving our current student body of 2,830 students, work in a facility complex comprised of three two-story buildings, 150 classrooms and labs, 14 trailer classrooms, 28 offices, a theater, two gymnasiums, 1 large 8,000 seat stadium with a turf field, 3 athletic playing fields, and 2 practice fields. In 2000, the new Collins Hill Aquatic Center, built adjacent to our campus, added an Olympic size swimming pool for use by our students. A field house was constructed in 2008. In our 26-year history, constant expansion, building additions, and then a reduction in student enrollment and staff have necessitated long-range planning, accommodating construction schedules, and yearly organizational and managerial changes.

Three principals have served our school. The first principal, Mr. Coley Krug, opened the school and laid the foundation for the school to become a high achieving school in academics, arts, and athletics. He developed a teacher and parent shared governance organizational format long before the state mandated school councils. His blueprint of vision, integrity, and strength, as displayed on our school crest, led the school through the building and rapid growth years. The school became a Georgia School of Excellence in 2001 before he retired in 2002. Mr. Glenn McFall became our second school principal. During his tenure, Mr. McFall led the school in developing and implementing a comprehensive Student Advisement Program, promoting a schoolwide writing initiative, and integrating an extensive student assessment improvement program supported by yearly school goals written and evaluated annually through our Local School Plan for Improvement. Additionally, he was instrumental in initiating a student-focused “Best Instructional Practices” teaching model for our school. Mrs. Wing, an original faculty member, stepped into the principal role in 2014 upon Mr. McFall’s retirement. She has continued to build upon Collins Hill’s strong foundation by leveraging teacher leadership with a focus on student learning through Professional Learning Communities and increasing student leadership development to assist with school improvement initiatives. Parents, teachers, students, and business partners also have collaborated to develop a state-certified STEM program open to all students.

Three of our local Teachers of the Year have become Gwinnett County Teachers of the Year: Mrs. Vickie McCrary (1998), Mr. Judson Bridges (2004), and Dr. Mai Yin Tsoi (2006). Our staff boasts of having 75% of our teachers with a master’s or higher degree. Grants and other state teacher awards, too numerous to mention, also have been earned by our dynamic faculty. Our custodial and school nutrition staffs also have won county and state awards. Principal Kerensa Wing was named Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals (GASSP) 2019 State Principal of the Year and went on to win the 2020 National Principal of the Year title.

Collins Hill students consistently rank high within Gwinnett County and other Georgia high schools in scholarships earned, SAT scores, Advanced Placement Scores, National Merit Finalists, Governor’s Honors Participants, and Science Fair Winners. Our SAT scores also exceed the national average. Our award-winning choral, orchestra, and band students have performed at state, national, and international events. During the last 20 years, CHHS has won 28 team state championships, two national championships, and two Directors Cups at the AAAAA level. We also are proud of our students who have earned individual state and national honors.

Community service and volunteerism have been major focuses of the school since its first year. The school’s program has evolved into an award-winning, staterecognized volunteer program. Annually, our students volunteer in 50 or more community activities logging more than 18,000 hours of volunteer service. Additionally, the school promotes three schoolwide projects each year—The Great Days of Service food drive, the Holiday Hope Fund Raiser for our school Care Team to assist families in need, and the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. These projects unify students, faculty, parents, and community businesses for serving others. The commitment and pride that is shown by the student body during these projects is overwhelming!

Our current student population is diverse with Caucasian (20%), African-Americans (32%), Asian (12%), Hispanic (31%), and multiracial (4%). In its 26 years, the school has embraced rapid changes in multicultural populations and physically and mentally handicapped populations. Today, five ESOL teachers (English Speakers of Other Languages) serve 266 ESOL students who speak 34 languages. The Special Education department of 27 teachers delivers services to 397 students who have special needs. All students with varying abilities and academic needs are provided the support services needed to be academically successful. Our daily teacher advisory program helps support all of our students with academic goal setting, choice reading, and peer tutoring and mentoring. Advanced Placement enrollment continues to increase each year in 26 distinct AP courses. Our gifted enrollment comprises 15% of our student body. At Collins Hill, we are committed to the achievement of every student, and we totally embrace the ideal of our graduates being College and Career Ready.

The education of the students in the Collins Hill community is promoted as a partnership that includes parents, students, and faculty. The parent group plays a vital role in the triad. An active PTSA provides financial assistance and coordinates eight parent committees who Judson Bridges, 2004 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year Dr. Mai Yin Tsoi, 2006 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year diligently work for the overall success of the school. Additionally, 15 booster clubs provide physical and financial assistance for specific team sports or school groups.

A culture of continuous improvement permeates all decisions made for the students of Collins Hill. Through a shared decision-making process parents, teachers, and students meet regularly to formulate policies and goals for each year. Through Gwinnett County’s Results-Based Evaluation System, the school conducts surveys, receives assessment data, and evaluates itself to assess strengths and pinpoint areas for improvement. Thus through a process of planning, goal setting, implementing, assessing, and evaluating, the school engages in continuous improvement. This annual cycle models our belief in Aristotle’s statement: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.” Excellence is “the wind beneath our wings”. We are the Collins Hill High School Eagles, and we are soaring as we grow leaders through scholarship, service and spirit!