Gwinnett Seniors Gain Ground in Recently Released Graduation Rates

The Georgia Department of Education released the 2012 graduation rates on May 21, 2013. Gwinnett County Public Schools's rate increased more than three percentage points.

Gwinnett County's graduation rate increased more than three percentage points -- from 67.56 in 2011 to 70.98 percent in 2012, according to data released this week from the state Department of Education. In comparison, state averages increased from 67.44 percent in 2011 to 69.72 percent in 2012. In both years, Gwinnett County beat the state average. -- See the chart below for graduation rates for individual high schools in Gwinnett County. -- This marks the second year that Georgia has used an adjusted cohort rate to determine graduation rates. Currently, the state uses a four-year method, which tracks the number of students who graduate in that time frame.  It also includes adjustments for student transfers. The calculation is based on …

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Are You and Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?

Registration for kindergarten is May 2. Make sure you are prepared for the big day.

The countdown to kindergarten registration has begun. In Gwinnett County Public Schools, parents may register their rising kindergarteners on May 2. Registration times may vary, so be sure to call the local school before arriving. (Click here for numbers to all elementary schools.) Here's a quick rundown of what parents need to know: 1. What is the cutoff date for children to be elgible for kindergarten? Children must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2013. This is a state law. 2. Who can register children? Only parents and guardians can register children for kindergarten. 3. Where should parents register children? Registration must take place at the school the child will attend. To learn which school that is, parents may call the …

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Mountain View HS Wins First Place in Science Competition at UGA

The Lawrenceville, Ga. high school took home the top prize in the 2013 Tests of Engineering, Aptitude, Mathematics and Science competition at the University of Georgia.

Lawrenceville Students Named to GSU's President's List

Sixteen students from Lawrenceville, Ga. received Georgia Southern's academic honor this past semester.

Georgia Southern University recently recognized 1,107 students for excellence in academics on the 2012 fall semester President's List. To be eligible, a student must have at least a 4.0 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. The following students from Lawrenceville, GA achieved this accomplishment: Patrick Bradley , majoring in Pre-Business from Lawrenceville, GA Steven Gilland , majoring in Mechanical Engineering from Lawrenceville, GA Gerrod Gracia , majoring in Pre-Nursing/Nursing from Lawrenceville, GA Branden Green , majoring in International Trade from Lawrenceville, GA Ashley Hamilton , majoring in Pre-Business from Lawrenceville, GA Shelby Hickman , majoring in Marketing from Lawrenceville, GA Kaylee…

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Will Gwinnett Schools Be Closed for Weather on Friday?

Snow, sleet and black ice are possible. Like others, GCPS officials are monitoring the situation.

Suwanee and Gwinnett parents, be forewarned. It could be a last-minute decision early Friday (January 18) before Gwinnett County school officials decide whether to cancel classes for that day. As of now, classes are still on for Friday, according to Gwinnett Schools' spokesperson Jorge Quintana. He added that the policy for the system, which has more than 160,000 students, is to wait as late as 6 am on the given day before deciding whether to postpone classes for that day. And given the nature of the current weather forecasts, it likely will be a last-minute decision. The National Weather service has talked of the possibility of snow and black ice late Thursday and into early Friday. Black ice is roadway ice from residual moisture, not …

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Gwinnett School Board Meets Monthly, Open to the Public

The five-member board, along with the superintendent, hold public meetings the third Thursday of each month.

Gwinnett County's Board of Education is made up of five members who, along with the superintendent, hold monthly meetings. Meetings are held the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Board room at the Gwinnett County's headquarters, located at 437 Old Peachtree Road in Suwanee. All meetings, with the exception of executive sessions, are open to the public. The agendas are prepared in advance and are available online at noon on the Monday the week of the meeting. Citizens, staff and board members may suggest items for the agenda. Citizens are encouraged to attend and anyone wishing to speak at the meeting should contact the Superintendent's Office in writing by noon on the Monday prior to the Board meeting. There are three ways …

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Summer Registration Opens for Gwinnett Online Campus

Gwinnett County students have until June 21 to register for the summer period.

Gwinnett County Public Schools is offering a summer registration period for its new online charter school, Gwinnett Online Campus. According to a press release, this registration period will allow any student who missed the previous registration deadline an opportunity to enroll for the fall. Beginning this August, the charter school expands its services to include the middle school level. Registration is open to Gwinnett County residents who are entering sixth through 12th grade. This summer registration period closes Thursday, June 21. In order to register during this extended registration period, students and their parents must come to Gwinnett County Online Campus, located at 2595 Beaver Ruin Road in Norcross. Registration takes place …

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Nearly 10,000 GCPS Students to Graduate This Week

The 2012 graduating class is the largest ever in Gwinnett County.

In Gwinnett County, 9,843 students are expected to graduate from the county's 21 public high schools. This year's graduating class, described as the largest ever according to Gwinnett County Public Schools, was also an accomplished according to CEO/Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks. “As a community, we can be proud of these students and what they have achieved during their academic careers," Wilbanks said in a released statement. "We are especially pleased with the number of Gwinnett graduates who earned their place among the country’s most prestigious academic ranks, including 10 National Merit Scholars (and there may be more), 15 National Achievement Scholars, and 26 Georgia Scholars. Full-tuition grants were awarded to 11 Gates …

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GCPS Approves $1.7 Billion Budget

The Gwinnett County school board made it official Thursday. Teachers will not receive raises and there will be two furlough days.

The Gwinnett school board formally adopted its fiscal year 2013 budget on Thursday, after holding a second public hearing. The events took place at the May board meeting at the Instructional Support Center in Suwanee. -- What are your thoughts on the GCPS budget? Tell us in the comments below. The spending blueprint totals $1.7 billion, virtually unchanged from the current fiscal year. However, the operating budget is down 4.8 percent, largely because of expenses to handle continued growth, and also from the declining tax digest in Gwinnett County, which affects property tax revenue. Also, no federal stimulus funds were available for FY 2013. The state's largest school system (163,000 for 2013) had to overcome an $89 million revenue …

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Register Kindergartners on May 3

Bring the student, your photo ID and their documents to your Lawrenceville school.

  Parent or guardians of children who will be five years old by Sept. 1, 2012, and want to register them for kindergarten in Gwinnett County Public Schools, need to visit their school in Lawrenceville on Thursday, May 3. This is annual kindergarten registration day for Gwinnett County Public Schools. Kindergarten registration for the new school year takes place before the summer to provide time to organize classes and to allow students to participate in readinesss activities. School starts Aug. 6. Parents and guardians should call their local elementary school for registration times or visit the “2012 Countdown for Kindergarten” section on the GCPS web site (www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us) for more information and school telephone numbers. Here’s …

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