Arcado Elementary School
Principal: Dr. Paula Thompson
5150 Arcado Road, Lilburn, GA, 30047
Board District IV
School Highlights
The following school highlights showcase how Arcado Elementary School is fulfilling Gwinnett County Public School's four strategic priorities of Empathy, Equity, Effectiveness, and Excellence. Visit the School Profile Dashboard to find more detailed data on our school.
- Arcado Elementary School is a 2025 Title I Reward School, one of 138 Georgia schools that earned the designation. Title I Reward Schools are among the greatest-improving 5% of Title I Schoolwide and Title I Targeted Assistance schools when comparing the content mastery scores from the most recent two years of statewide assessments.
- Arcado was identified by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) for its high academic performance and growth through the Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS). Arcado Elementary School was recognized with a 2026 SSAS Greatest Gains Gold Award.
- Arcado was named the 2026 ASCA Student Council Schools of Excellence Award. NAESP honors the exemplary elementary and middle-level schools and their student councils for their outstanding commitment to the four pillars of ASCA: community service, student leadership, citizenship, and school spirit.
- Arcado features a robust student leadership program that provides a variety of engaging roles, including Student Council, Peer Leaders, Student Ambassadors, No Place For Hate, and School Store Customer Service Representatives. These opportunities are crucial in fostering a welcoming, inclusive environment where every student feels valued and supported. Through impactful school-wide events and field trips, our student leaders are actively immersed in inspiring and supporting their peers.
- According to Niche.com, Arcado is the 4th most diverse public elementary school in Georgia out of 1,327 schools. We belong to a diverse cluster anchored by Parkview High School, identified as the most diverse High School in Georgia. Our multicultural community includes families from 25 countries with over 37 spoken languages. Arcado's students and staff are curious about one another's cultures and strive to create a sense of belonging for everyone who enters our doors. Each year, we host an Empathy Panel for our 5th-grade students, where students can engage in a peer panel discussion to ask questions centered around culture, religion, traditions, and family norms and expectations.
- Arcado works to create future-ready students while exposing them to future-ready initiatives. Students produce a Podcast, regularly participate in STEM-embedded activities, and learn the elements of coding and AI. Students also visited the State Capital this year and participated in the GCPS School Leadership Retreat.
- Arcado hosts clubs allowing students to express themselves and engage in new experiences. Arcado sponsored two Odyssey of the Mind Clubs, one advancing to the National Competition in Iowa. Several clubs offered include Percussion, Photography, Art, Yearbook, Chess, Coding, Readers Rally, Science Club, Strong Girls, Girl Scouts, Dance/Step Team, Lego League, Little Legos, and Chorus.
- Arcado's WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) is a volunteer program designed to encourage fathers and father figures to engage with our school and provide positive male role models for our students. Volunteers select one or more days to participate. Upon arrival, they receive a detailed schedule that includes patrolling the campus, assisting with daily procedures, working in classrooms, and engaging with students. Watch D.O.G.S. also participate in school-wide events. This year, we are proud to introduce M.O.M.S. (Moms of Marvelous Students), a new program for mothers to volunteer and support our community. Both programs are vital to our mission and student success.
- Class Meetings are embedded into Arcado's daily schedule, allowing students and teachers to build strong, supportive relationships. Each morning, all grade levels participate in Joyful Learning upon entering the classroom. This dedicated time allows students to connect, build peer relationships, and establish a sense of belonging that helps them embrace the traditions and experiences of Arcado's diverse community.
- At Arcado, we are dedicated to building strong relationships with our families and community. We welcome parents to visit our Parent Center, where they can check out educational materials to support their children at home or find resources to help navigate community services. To further strengthen our school-home partnership, we host several English classes for parents and have expanded our Play to Learn (P2L) program for families with children from birth to five years old. We also continue to host community events in Spanish and Vietnamese to ensure all families feel connected. Don't miss Arcado’s International Night, our biggest event of the year, where families proudly showcase their cultures and celebrate our diverse community!