News You Can Use
Five Gwinnett County elementary schools earn prestigious 2022-2023 Gardening Awards from University of Georgia
Five Gwinnett County elementary schools are recipients of the 2022-2023 Master Gardener for Teachers and School Garden Awards. Presented by the University of Georgia Master Gardener College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Cooperative Extension, the awards honor schools and educators for making gardens engaging classrooms. Barbara Geier of Berkeley Lake Elementary School and Marilyn Whitmer of Peachtree Elementary School are recipients of the School Garden Champions Award for their dedication to creating exceptional learning environments in their school gardens, conducting educational classes and events, and securing grants and donated materials for garden improvements. Peachtree Elementary School and White Oak Elementary School are recipients of the Most Engaging School Garden Award. White Oak Elementary has also been named the Most Sustainable School Garden award winner for its commitment to environmental stewardship, ongoing parent and staff involvement, and comprehensive seasonal planning. Norcross Elementary is the recipient of the Most Innovative School Garden award for its inventive use of recycled materials in creating vertical gardens, containers, and other garden features, alongside implementing innovative teaching methods.
For more details about each school’s programs: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/t6rugbjobtgvswuv7v32l/2022-2023-Master-Gardener-for-Teachers-School-Garden-Awards.pdf?rlkey=021odr8r19rbsi7oazhxkg4d4&dl=0
Archer High student chosen as a Jackson EMC delegate for 2023 Washington Youth Tour
Orit Endalk, an Archer High School student, is one of only four students in Georgia selected by Jackson EMC to attend the 2023 Washington Youth Tour. The all-expense paid trip is sponsored by Georgia’s electric cooperatives and organized by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The weeklong conference featuring high school students from around the U.S. focuses on developing leadership and team-building skills.
Ms. Endalk enjoyed the experience. “The most important lesson the tour taught me is that I can do anything I put my mind to,” Endalk shares. “The tour allowed me to meet other amazing kids my age from across America interested in many different things. Along with a speech from Congressman Buddy Carter, it made me realize one thing: We all became delegates because of the hard work and determination we had. With this hard work and determination, we can, in the Congressman’s words, ‘become the future leaders of America.’”
Delegates are selected based on academics, community service, oral and written communication skills, letters of recommendation, and a personal interview.
Image rights: Jackson EMC
Oakland Meadow School's Pals program fosters strong student-staff connections
Students at the Oakland Meadow School will have additional support this year. Each student has been assigned an adult pal or mentor who connects with them weekly and participates in special Pals parties throughout the year. The Pals program was initiated in the fall of 2020 to rebuild the school community following the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this in-house program, the staff at Oakland Meadow volunteer their time to connect with students on social, physical, and academic levels.
Amy Lazic, Principal at Oakland Meadow School, is proud of the program. “Sometimes, it is as simple as a high five in the hallway; other times, it is supporting students by attending awards ceremonies and lunch visits,” Ms. Lazic shares. “The Pals Program looks different for each partnership, but the foundation is always a connection. It allows them to make mistakes and learn from them while knowing an adult in the building loves and respects them just as they are. When students feel safe and loved for who they are, they want to learn. They want to come to school. And they want to be the best they can be.”
Baggett Elementary 4th graders nurture trout ecosystem with Small Fry to Go project
Baggett Elementary School's 4th graders are gaining firsthand knowledge about the rainbow trout's life cycle, habitat, and ecosystem thanks to the Small Fry to Go project, sponsored by the National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning. The program's primary objective is to teach students the importance of caring for the environment and its local habitats. The students were provided more than 2,000 small fry trout eggs and tasked with caring for them in their habitat. This includes monitoring water temperature, chemical balance, water purity, and the overall health and well-being of the fish. The young scholars take on the primary responsibility of nurturing the trout eggs until they develop into small fry trout. On October 4, these students will help release the trout in the Chattahoochee River.
Image: Baggett Elementary 4th graders participating in a grade-level, collaborative, hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) activity, estimating the number of eggs received using math and science skills.
GCPS Counselors and Administrator advocate for Student Mental Health with U.S. Officials
Six Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) counselors and Executive Director of Student Services, Dr. Tinisha Parker, met with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and U.S. Congresswoman Lucy McBath at the American School Counselor Association's Annual Conference in Atlanta. Dr. Parker and the district's counselors discussed the state of school counseling in Georgia’s 7th district, including the mental health needs of students, the need for additional counselors, and support from lawmakers to make improvements.
Image: Left to right: Dr. Tawonda Hunter, Kim Tepker, Robin Zorn, Taylor Brost
Standing right: back row, 2nd person from the right: Dr. Erin Kilpatrick
Richards Middle School breaks summer reading records
SAVE THE DATE: McClure Health Science High School facilitates Medical Day for Special Olympics student athletes
GCPS Special Olympics Coordinator Lynnette Swanson, Oakland Meadow School Adapted PE teachers, and McClure Health Science High School (MHSHS) will be hosting and helping to facilitate a Medical Day for GCPS Special Olympics students on September 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at McClure Health Science High’s Campus. MHSHS health science students, under the direction of their teacher, Dr. Mitchell, will complete the athletes’ physicals to help GCPS special education students attend the Special Olympics events throughout the school year.
This event is for special education students who cannot obtain their physical exams from their local physicians. GCPS' special education transportation will transport students from their local schools to MHSHS.
Baggett Elementary School receives the Project Learning Garden - Captain Planet Foundation Grant
