PRHS Ridge News Issue #14

February 21, 2024-2025

Issue #14

February 27: Maxwell High School Open House Night

February 28: Last Day for Students to Register for S2 AP Exams on MPP

March 4: ESOL Family Night

March 12 and 13: Q3 Final Exams

March 14: DLD#4

March 18: SAT For ALL 11th grade students

March 31: Noche De Padres

GCPS Calendar

PRHS final exams are half days due to the importance of the assessments and to provide students with ample studying time. Students will arrive at school during regular hours, but they will leave at 11:40. The busses will take them home at this time. Also, we do not serve lunch on these days. Final Exams cannot be given early. Please remind your students that they need to bring their Chromebook fully charged for final exams.

Wednesday, March 12

1st Block Exams: 7:10 - 9:10

2nd Block Exams: 9:25 - 11:25

Thursday, March 13

3rd Block Exams: 7:10 - 9:10

4th Block Exams: 9:25 - 11:25

Friday, March 14

Quarter 4 Begins

Digital Learning Day

Student Course Requests for the 25-26 school year can be viewed on StudentVUE. Course requests are tentative and are subject to change. As classes are built and changes are made throughout the coming months, these changes will be reflected live on StudentVUE. If a course becomes unavailable, the student's next choice will be moved in to the Course Request. Course requests will not show teachers, periods, or semesters. Final schedules will be available at the end of July.

The 2025 senior valedictorian is Mackenzie Lee. The Salutatorian is Christina Yu. Congratulations on these seniors for their hard work and applaud their scholastic achievements!

ONLINE summer course taught by PRHS instructors. Space is limited!

SIGN UP NOW!

Cost: $500 Dates: June 2-25 No class on June 19

Sign up on MyPaymentsPlus today!

For more info, email: nina.hidalgo@gcpsk12.org

Peachtree Ridge High School will have a delayed dismissal in order to accommodate the elementary and middle schools’ early release on Wednesday and Thursday. Please plan for students to arrive home later than usual as they will be dismissed at approximately 2:30pm on Wednesday (3/5) and Thursday(3/6).

Semi-finalists and finalists have been announced in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship competition. Students selected performed among the top one percent of all U.S. high school seniors on the 2023 PSAT/NMSQT. Below are PRHS students who have achieved this great honor.

Finalists:

Esther D. Lee

Mackenzie S. Lee

Shriya Tailor

Christina J. Yu

Semifinalist:

Jacobus (Greyling) Boers

The following students passed a rigorous audition process and will be representing PRHS at the GMEA All-State Orchestra event in Athens February 27-March 1! This is the most elite accomplishment for string musicians in the state of Georgia and we could not be prouder of these students for their success.

Caroline Oh

Claire Hwang

Claire Kim

Darin Kim

Eileen Pack

Eric Shu

Gabriella Kim

Jiyu Kim

Joey Pak

Kailyn Soh

Katie Yu

Lillian Boskovic

Samuel Ross

Sujeong Chae

The following students made it through a rigorous audition process to earn spots in the Georgia All-State Chorus! They will spend the next three days in Athens rehearsing with other top students around the state directed by nationally acclaimed choral conductors. Their concert will be Saturday night at The Classic Center.

• Sarah Banh (11th grade, Senior Women's Chorus)
• Chloe Chao (9th grade, 9/10 Mixed Chorus)
• Chelsy Do (11th grade, Senior Women's Chorus)
• Shreya Gangaram (9th grade, 9/10 Mixed Chorus)
• Jacob Park (9th grade, Senior Men's Chorus)
• Asha Raina (9th grade, 9/10 Mixed Chorus)

From now until April 4, Prom tickets will be $90 on GoFan.

The details:

• Prom 2025 will be on Saturday, April 26 at Gas South Ballroom
• Juniors and Seniors are eligible to purchase Prom tickets
• Two tickets can be purchased under one PRHS student ID number

• PRHS Student ID number is the ACCESS CODE to purchase tickets

• Guests must be between 14-20 years old

• Tickets are limited, so purchase soon!

If you have any questions, please email Elaine Vernon at elaine.vernon@gcpsk12.org

During the Peachtree Ridge Cluster STEM Vertical Team meeting, high school Science Fair students in AP Biology and AP Physics C showcased their projects before moving to the regional competition on Feb 27th. Vertical STEM team teachers sharing out the various AI instructional resources used in their classrooms this semester.

Gwinnett County Government is seeking applications for their Empower Gwinnett Internship Program. Gain valuable, real-world experience through a four-week paid summer internship with Empower Gwinnett Government Internship Program! The application deadline is March 17. This is a four-week paid internship opportunity for ages 15-21.

Internship benefits:

• Get paid $15 an hour for two workshops and the four-week internship program
• Engage and network with various County government leaders and employees
• Explore careers at Gwinnett County Government
• Develop leadership skills, team building skills, financial literacy skills, and more

SCHOOL PLUS is an after-school online supplementary class for students to recover core academic courses needed for graduation. Courses are offered through Imagine Learning. Registration is February 10 - March 7. Registration is on MyPaymentsPlus.

You are invited to attend Peachtree Ridge High School's first ESOL Family Night on March 4th from 5:30-8:00 PM! This event is open to all ESOL students and their families. Join us for an ESOL program presentation, a college & resource fair, a technology help station, informational booths on clubs & sports, and more! We can't wait to see you there! For questions, please email Terrence.Stover@gcpsk12.org

Flyers in multiple languages (Scroll to other pages)
English RSVP (other languages linked on the flyer)

Registration is open January 6- February 28th on MyPaymentsPlus for AP classes that are only scheduled for second semester. THIS IS THE LAST WEEK TO REGISTER.

Yearbooks can be ordered at yearbookordercenter.com #25659. Order by April 27th to be guaranteed a copy.

www.scholasticimages.com

Please visit the Scholastic Images website for your custom Class Rings, Letter Jackets, Senior Packages, and Personalized Announcement orders!

Scholastic Images will be on campus throughout the year during lunches. The next date is Monday, March 10th.

Be sure to check out the PRHS Counseling Office eCLASS page. It is students' 24/7/365 resource for all things academic, career, and social/emotional related!

Career and Technical Education in GCPS

Application Available starting January 10th in the Student Portal

Open Houses

Maxwell High School of Technology

Feb 27th, 5-7 PM

Sports tickets can only be purchased via GoFan with a credit or debit card to home sporting events. To purchase a home ticket for games please click on PRHS GOFAN. Many other schools are also going touch-less for tickets as well. If they are using GoFan, those tickets will also be available under Peachtree Ridge.

January

Natalia Amescua - Swimming

Gideon Kamuelyu- Basketball

Coach Collins - Basketball

Use this Rank One Link to see all sport schedules.

After finishing first in the region, the boys basketball team will play at home on Saturday (2/22) in a Sweet 16 matchup in the GHSA State Playoffs. We will face Newton County at 5pm.

GHSA AAAAAA Playoff Brackets

Natalia Amescua is the AAAAAA 200m Individual Medley State Champion. She also placed 2nd in the 100m backstroke. Hannah Sakaris finshed 8th in the 500 freestyle. They led the team to 11th place at the State Meet.

The girls’ team made an incredible impact, with first-year wrestlers Isis Alston-Bey (130) and Nina Avery (235) both punching their tickets to State in their inaugural seasons. Their hard work and determination are a testament to the growing talent on the girls' side of the program.

On the boys' side, Nathan Sanchez (113), Andres Diaz (138), Ryan Nelson (175), and Payton Banks (165) also made it to state, with Payton being a first-year wrestler as well. All these athletes are now among the top 16 wrestlers in their respective weight classes in the state. Notably, both Andres and Payton reached the top 12 in their divisions—impressive feats that signal a promising future for Peachtree Ridge Wrestling.

As we look ahead, the future of Peachtree Ridge Wrestling is indeed promising, and this season was just the beginning of what’s sure to be a continued climb back towards excellence. Congratulations to all our athletes, coaches, and supporters on a successful season!

Peachtree Ridge Varsity winterguard team placed first at their February 8 competition! They are undefeated this season.

Please see the links below to keep up to date on all important senior dates, events, and announcements. There will be a monthly Senior Newsletter as well as the senior website and the senior google classroom.

• February 2025
• January 2025
• December 2024
• November 2024
• October 2024
• September 2024
• August 2024
• July 2024

Understanding AI

GCPS has 7 guiding principles for AI use within education.

• Student and Staff Agency

• Equitable and Inclusive

• Safe and Secure

• Continuous Evaluation

• Humans Enhanced by Machines

• Transparent and Informed:While many AI systems may be complex to understand at a technical level, students and staff should be AI literate by understanding (at a general level) how AI works and why it produces the results that it does. AI products should be clear about how their tools are developed and how outputs are generated.

• Advancing Academic Integrity

Learn more about GCPS AI Position

Follow the GCPS Student Tech Tips Playlist for Tech Tips for more information about student Chromebooks.

Go to PTSA Store to purchase a membership for $10. This is a new PTSA webstore.

Parents, students, and teachers aren't the only ones that can join the PTSA. Did you know grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and even business owners can join the PTSA as well. There is no limit to how many family members, friends, or business owners can join. Active involvement in the PTSA allows you to stay informed about the school polices and initiatives, ensuring your voice is heard. Please consider joining today.

📅 Date: 02/27/2025
⏰ Time: 6:00pm - 7:00pm
📍 Location: Room E110

At this meeting, we’ll discuss exciting upcoming events, fundraising ideas, and new ways to support our students and teachers. It's a great opportunity to connect, contribute, and collaborate with other parents and staff.

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855.CommunitySchool@gcpsk12.org

Driver's Education?

SAT/ACT Prep Classes?

Defensive Driving?

ESOL?

Summer PE/Health?

Credit Recovery?

End Zone after-school tutoring?

Facility Rental?

Contact the Community School

The Suwanee Youth Leaders program is open to rising 10th and 11th grade PRHS students. The 1-year program provides hands on leadership opportunities with the City of Suwannee and their partners. Applications open on February 7th, 2025. For additional information check out: https://www.suwanee.com/engage/suwanee-youth-leaders/

Peachtree Ridge Community School has five different sessions of Driver's Ed schedule for the 24-25 school year.

When does class meet?

Session 3 - Mar 17-Apr 2 - Mondays and Wednesdays, 3-8 PM in B206

3/17, 3/19, 3/24, 3/26, 3/31, 4/2

Session 4 - June 2-5- Monday-Wednesday, 8AM-4PM, Thursday, 8AM-2PM, in B206

Session 5 - July 14-17 Monday-Wednesday, 8AM-4PM, Thursday, 8AM-2PM, in B206

Do I need to attend every class to earn credit for Driver's Ed?

YES! You must be present at ALL classes to earn credit.

What should I bring to class?

You will need to bring a pencil, water bottle, and dinner or a snack.

What is the deadline to register?

Please see MPP for each session’s deadlines.

When do I get to practice driving?

Students must complete 30-hours of classroom learning, log 20 hours of driving time with a parent, and be comfortable behind the wheel, BEFORE driving time can be scheduled. Driving times are based on instructor and student availability and are scheduled on a first-response basis. We strive to complete driving with students within 120 days from course completion.

What does the class cost?

$450 - in-person class plus 6 hours driving, $385 - 6 hours driving ONLY Additional driving time may be scheduled for $65/hour.

What if I have additional questions?

Contact nina.hidalgo@gcpsk12.org or visit www.gcpsk12.org/Page/26555.

We have a variety of shelf-stable pantry items and some hygiene products available for families in need.

Families are welcome to come shop our CARE closet, or we can prepare bags for them. Our office is happy to have these ready for pick-up or drop-off at a family's residence or a discrete location.

Click here to request food or hygiene items.

If you would like to learn more about the CARE Closet that was started by a former PRHS family, please visit their website: https://carecloset.org/

The End Zone offers after school study space and peer tutoring. You can learn more about the End Zone on the PRHS website. The End Zone will be open Monday-Thursday, 2:30-4:30pm. We also have our End Zone Weightlifting program in the Lions' Den.

Need tutoring? Use this link to sign up for tutoring in the End Zone.

Check out the homepage of the Peachtree Ridge Website for more information from the front office at www.PeachtreeRidge.org about certificates of enrollment, drivers license documents, and transcript requests.