Bethesda Elementary School
Principal: Katrina Larmond
525 Bethesda School Road, Lawrenceville, GA 30044
School Highlights
The following school highlights showcase how Bethesda 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.
- In its 12th year during the 2025–26 school year, Bethesda Elementary's Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program served students in grades Kindergarten through fifth grade. Through the DLI program, students learned academic content in both English and Spanish. In addition, all students participated in Spanish Specials, providing opportunities to develop language skills and cultural understanding.
- Bethesda celebrated diversity and fostered a strong sense of community through schoolwide celebrations recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, and International Night. Bethesda’s Drama Club delighted the community with an outstanding performance of Seussical the Musical, which was widely celebrated by students, families, and community members. The Cardinal Flyers, Bethesda’s Drone Club, hosted the first Berkmar Cluster Drone Invitational, showcasing students’ innovation and teamwork.
- To support school readiness, Bethesda offered Play 2 Learn throughout the school year. During these weekly sessions, families with children ages three to five worked alongside a certified teacher to help prepare their children for success in school.
- Bethesda’s Parent Center provided instructional resources and opportunities to promote student achievement. Through parent workshops and evening programs, families learned strategies to support reading, mathematics, science, social studies, writing, and test-taking skills. The Parent Center also offered English classes for multilingual families, cooking classes, home-buying courses, and partnered with the University of Georgia (UGA) to provide parenting and wellness classes.
- Bethesda’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) sponsored numerous events, including Harvest Fest, International Night, school dances, and fundraising activities, all aimed at strengthening family engagement and building school community.
- Students had access to more than 15 extracurricular clubs, including Chorus, Programming, STEM, Color Guard, Dance, and Robotics. Bethesda also provided leadership opportunities through organizations such as Jr. Beta Club, Young Lady Patriots, Peer Leaders, and Student Ambassadors.
- During Bethesda’s annual College Week, college students participated in panel discussions that gave students firsthand insight into the college experience. Career Day and Careers on Wheels provided additional opportunities for students to explore a variety of professions as community volunteers shared information about their careers, workplaces, and the education and skills necessary for success.
- Bethesda is a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) school. PBIS promotes positive behaviors by recognizing students who demonstrate appropriate school conduct and character. Through PBIS, Bethesda also hosted Bethesda’s Got Talent, providing students with an opportunity to showcase their creativity and talents while engaging families and community stakeholders.
- Bethesda implemented a schoolwide intervention block to ensure that all students received targeted, tiered academic support based on individual learning needs.
- Bethesda continued its commitment to Social Emotional Learning (SEL) through schoolwide Monday Meetings, focused SEL lessons, and special events designed to foster students’ social, emotional, and academic growth.