Ed Briefs

In this episode of Coffee with Calvin, Dr. Watts visits new teachers at Discovery High School and shares important information for the coming school year.

Gwinnett County Public Schools welcomes all students in all grades to the 2024-25 school year on Monday, August 5.

To help students and families prepare for the 2024-25 school year, please review GCPS’ 2024-25 Virtual Back-to-School Backpack for Families. This toolkit includes links to important information and district resources for families as we partner to support student success.

GCPS has placed cameras on buses to deter drivers from illegally passing stopped school buses. When the school bus amber or red lights are flashing, the camera automatically detects vehicles passing the stopped bus, and records the violation. The violator will receive a citation in the mail. The district has approximately 300 buses with cameras this school year.

While it is important to note that buses can sometimes be delayed on the first days of school, the Transportation Department is committed to working with parents and students to address any challenges that may arise during those first few days. For questions regarding routing, schedules, or bus stops, families are encouraged to contact the student's assigned school, the Transportation Department's customer service team, or the Transportation Supervisor assigned to the student's school before the first day.

Immediately after school dismissed for the summer, the GCPS Facilities & Operations team began tackling numerous projects that needed to be completed during the short summer break. Read more about the work completed this summer!

GCPS is deeply committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills to succeed in college and careers. GCPS is proud to introduce Our Blueprint in Action —an initiative aimed at showcasing tangible instances of Our Blueprint priorities and the Portrait of a Graduate's core competencies occurring consistently across our district.

The 2024–25 school year is the third year in the district’s five-year strategic plan. Our Blueprint for the Future, the five-year strategic plan, identifies our long-term goals, defines strategies to achieve them, and the Key Performance Indicators that measure our progress. By working with and listening to GCPS leaders, staff, students, and the community, GCPS has identified four high-impact focus areas for 2024–25 that align closely with the mission and vision of the organization and are rooted in the district’s strategic plan:

• College and Career Readiness,
• Each and Every Student,
• Literacy Proficiency, and
• Safe and Welcoming Schools.

Each month of the 2024-25 school year, we will spotlight one of our strategic focus areas through stories and videos highlighting their classrooms, notable events, community insights, achievements, community service projects, student organizations, volunteer efforts, and much more.

We invite you to not only follow along but be part of our journey this school year! In August, we will begin sharing stories and videos highlighting efforts throughout GCPS to ensure each and every student is college and career-ready! Submit your story ideas highlighting the work in your school or team to support College and Career Readiness today!

AI is rapidly changing industries and how we interact. To be prepared for the college and career opportunities of today and the future, students must be AI-Ready. AI-Readiness ensures that students can thrive, and learn to be ethical and responsible users, developers, and decision-makers of AI.

We know that AI is rapidly impacting the workforce, society, and even education. GCPS students and staff must be future-ready by understanding this technology, and using it responsibly and ethically. The GCPS Guidance for Human Centered AI Use is meant to communicate the principles we honor when making decisions around AI use and provide practical guidance and expectations as a system. As AI evolves, the guidance around its use will as well. This guidance was crafted collaboratively with a variety of partners and stakeholders, including students, teachers, school and district leaders, and trusted partners like Digital Promise and EdSAFE AI Alliance.

Please visit the GCPS Guidance for Human Centered AI Use to learn more about the use of AI tools in GCPS.

Have an amazing first day of school on August 5th!

Gwinnett County Public Schools is inviting parents and guardians, community members, and school district employees to apply for the GEMS Oversight Committee, a group of community and school system representatives charged with the annual review of the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum standards.

The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for October 29. After the review, the committee recommends revisions and additions to the Superintendent for adoption by the Gwinnett County Board of Education. Committee members serve three-year terms.

If you are interested in serving, please complete the online application no later than August 9.

The Superintendent's Student Advisory Council is a crucial avenue for middle and high school students to directly influence districtwide decisions, processes, and culture. It's an opportunity to share feedback, school experiences, and innovative ideas to address challenges with Superintendent Dr. Calvin J. Watts on a variety of issues affecting students, schools, and communities.

The application for the 2024-25 SSAC will be available in the Student Portal from August 7–

28, 2024. Two students from each middle and high school will be selected based on their completed applications. Alternate members from each school will also be identified. We will notify students selected to serve on the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council via student email on or before September 11, and we will also notify all principals at that time. A flyer to share with students is available on the Communications Database. Learn more about SSAC on our website!

At Gwinnett County Public Schools, we believe in partnering with organizations that help save lives. We also respect that while employee giving can result in improved organizational engagement and outcomes, giving is a personal choice.

The American Heart Association is a valuable partner in our efforts to create and sustain healthy living in our schools, district, and community. When you donate to the American Heart Association, you join the fight against our nation's No. 1 and No. 5 killers - heart disease and stroke. Your donation helps the American Heart Association fund lifesaving research, advocate for healthier communities, improve patient care, and work for equitable health for all people. In addition to hands-only CPR, they provide free resources for our teachers and students to use year-round.

Want to bring the Kids Heart Challenge to your school in 2024-25? Contact Holly Marbut – holly.marbut@heart.org or 678-963-8164.

As the premier source of news, information, and analysis in K-12 education, Education Week believes that an equitable—and excellent—education for all students is possible. It empowers its readers to make that goal a reality through in-depth reporting, research, and actionable insights you can put to work in classrooms immediately. Gwinnett County Public Schools offers domain-based access to all faculty, staff, and leadership within the district. Learn more about Education Week, and learn about using your profile in this video.

How to access EDWEEK

1. Go to www.edweek.org – if you’re a new user visiting the site, you will be prompted immediately to create an account. If you have an existing account, please proceed to step 2.
2. If not prompted to create an account or automatically logged in, go to the top right – “Sign In.”
3. The “Sign In” box will pop up – sign in if you’ve already created an account; if not, go to “Create Account” using the link underneath (using your authorized district email).

Don’t forget to subscribe to Education Week newsletters here.

Your safety matters to us. Kindly remember to visit the Staff Portal and verify your emergency contact information. Keeping this information current is essential to providing support during unexpected situations.

We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

988 Fast Facts

• 988 is confidential, free, and available 24/7/365, connecting those experiencing a mental health, substance use, or suicidal crisis with trained crisis counselors.
• Access is available through every landline, cell phone, and voice-over-internet device in the United States, and call services are available in Spanish, along with interpretation services in over 150 languages.
• The 988 dialing code is available for call, text, and chat.

You can learn more about 988 and access resources at 988lifeline.org.

Want to share a success story about your school or department with the entire GCPS community?

Are you looking for a way to celebrate an honor and recognize a teacher, student, or team member for their work? Do you want to share an achievement, upcoming event, or opportunity?

Do you have GCPS Good News to share? Let us know through this online form.

• Board meeting and work session (July 25)
• Ed Briefs (July 25)
• GCPS Links (July 25)
• News Releases
  
• Student Calendars

• Keep Connected with news from GCPS TV… the next episode airs August 8!
• The next regular Board meeting is August 15. (Online, find links to sign up for the public comment sections of the meeting.)
  
• Watch for the next issue of GCPS Links on August 15!