The Grove Gazette
December Newsletter 2024
It is hard to believe we are approaching the end of the first semester for the 2024β2025 school year. I feel we have accomplished a lot, and our students are making great progress as we continue to move forward. The first semester was full of many exciting events, and we look forward to the upcoming second semester.
The month of December will be very exciting and will move by very quickly, with Friday, December 20th being the last day for students before Winter Break begins. Holiday Class Parties will take place on Friday, December 20th. You can get more information about this from your childβs teacher. If you plan on being here for your childβs class party, please help us out by coming and leaving at the appropriate time so that we have room for everyone.
We are also excited about the Holiday Shop, which will run from December 9th through December 13th! A big thank you to our amazing PTA for organizing this wonderful event for our students and families. The Holiday Shop is always a favorite tradition, giving students the opportunity to select special gifts for their loved ones while also fostering a sense of independence and generosity.
I want to take this opportunity to wish each one of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season. However you celebrate this season, I hope that itβs a great time of relaxation, joy, and connection with those you care about most. I look forward to the second half of the school year and the many exciting things that are in store for our students at Walnut Grove.
Sincerely,
Dr. Dale Pugh
Dear GCPS Families,
We are always looking for ways to make our schools safer and more secure for all students, staff, and families. Starting in January 2025, Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) will implement a clear backpack pilot program at select schools. This pilot will help us understand how a clear backpack requirement might work across the district.
You are receiving this information because your school will be part of the January 2025 Clear Backpack Pilot Program.
How the Pilot Will Work
- Who is part of the pilot program?
- 33 GCPS elementary, middle, and high schools will participate; view the full list.
- All students at these schools are expected to participate in the pilot.
- What is the school or district providing?
- Every student in your school will receive a backpack from the district at no charge.
- GCPS will provide replacement bags if they are lost or damaged during the pilot.
- Families can purchase their own clear backpack if they prefer not to use the district-provided backpack. More details are available on the website if you choose to purchase a clear backpack for your student.
- When will this happen?
- Elementary School Pilot Programs: January 13 β February 7, 2025.
- Middle and High School Pilot Programs: January 6 β January 31, 2025.
- What is required for participating schools?
- All students attending participating schools are expected to participate in the pilot.
- The data and feedback collected from participating schools will help inform if the district will move forward with clear backpacks in all schools next school year.
- Small personal items, like lunch boxes, pencil pouches, purses, laptop sleeves, instrument cases for music students, and athletic bags for athletes, are still allowed.
What Happens Next?
Your school principal will share additional details about the distribution of clear backpacks in December. Please continue to check your school website, newsletters, ParentSquare, and social media for school-specific details and reminders.
We will gather feedback and data throughout the pilot to inform our decisions moving forward. By March 3, 2025, we will decide whether to move forward with a districtwide clear backpack policy for the 2025-26 school year.
We have posted detailed information about the clear backpack pilot on our website for the entire GCPS community. This includes a list of all participating schools, pilot details, and answers to questions that you may have as a participating school. If you do not find the information you are looking for on this page or have comments you would like to share, please email clearbackpacks@gcpsk12.org.
Together, we can ensure GCPS continues to be a community where learning thrives.
Parents now have the option to be notified in the ParentVUE mobile app if their studentβs grade fall below a preset threshold. Within the app, a parent can choose to enable the notification and will select the grade threshold of when to be notified. Thresholds can be set on the studentβs class average or on assignment grades. The notifications are processed each afternoon starting at 5:30 pm. Specific directions on enabling Grade Notifications can be found here. Other ParentVUE resources are available on the ParentVUE site.
Parents, During the week of December 16th β 20th, visitors will not be allowed during student lunch time. The last week of school for 2024 is a very busy time! We have several events planned including staff activities, district testing, and the class Winter Parties on Friday, December 20th. Letβs finish the year strong! Thank you for your support! We will start back having lunch visitors on Monday, January 13, 2025.
Join us for the "See the Possibilities: Bringing VR to Walnut Grove" fundraiser hosted by Walnut Grove Elementary School! Your donations will help us bring the world to our students by funding a class set of VR glasses for our Media Center. With your support to complete the funding of the project (PTA is providing half of the funding from their Fall fundraiser), our students will be able to experience immersive learning right here at school. Your generosity will make a direct impact on their education and open up a whole new world of possibilities. Let's work together to provide them with the tools they need to succeed! Thank you for helping us make this dream a reality.
