Paul Duke STEM Newsletter

Join us Friday, October 14th starting at 6:30 pm for a night of Trivia!

Let the fun begin!

Through our Teacher Wish program, you can support our teachers and staff in creating innovative learning experiences for our students.

There are opportunities for everyone to support a specific teacher or a specific school department with an array of items from the Sign Up Genius Teacher Wish List.

Thank you for your continued support of our teachers, staff and students!

Every year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the history, culture, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central, and South America.

The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon B. Johnson; it was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period beginning on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988.

September 15 is a significant date because it marks the anniversary of the independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.

This year, we will be celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month here at Paul Duke STEM High School to recognize the contributions of many Hispanic Americans in our country.

• September 19 - October 14: Learn about Hispanic culture

Keep an eye out and listen to the Fact of the Day that we will be sharing each day to learn a little bit more about the Hispanic culture and about Hispanics’ contributions to our society. You can also see these facts posted throughout the school. Pay attention! These will be used for Trivia questions.

• Wednesday, October 12:

All teachers will host traditional Hispanic/Latino games during intervention block.

Three Ways to Get Involved

1. Participating in Project Based Learning Units (this involves coming to the school and providing relevant and timely feedback to students during the process of their projects and/or attending presentations at the conclusion of their projects)
2. Hosting an Intern (every senior takes the Senior Experience and Exhibition (SEE) class. One of the options for a senior taking SEE is to find an internship. We need local businesses and organizations willing to accept a senior for an internship)
3. Providing SEE Consultancy Problems (another option for students taking SEE is to stay on campus and become a consultant for a local business/organization. We are seeking problems that your business/organization might have that a group of students could solve)

The purpose of this form is to submit your contact information and level of interest in supporting students at Paul Duke STEM High School

Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) invites GCPS families, Gwinnett County residents, students, and GCPS staff members to participate in the school district’s review of the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum September 12 - October 6, 2022. The public may review proposed standards online, offering feedback on AKS that have been developed to align the curriculum with the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) and/or Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). Click here for a list of the courses with AKS under review. To review the AKS and provide feedback, please click here to begin. Comments will be accepted through Thursday, October 6, 2022.

What: Annual AKS Public Review Opportunity

When: Now through October 6, 2022

We know this year has been hard on all of us, especially our students. In an effort to bridge the gap in misinformation about the college admissions process for Latino students, the Latin American Association returns this year with their Pathway To College virtual series. You all are cordially invited and have first row seat access (from your living room couch or outside hammock) to our 3 part virtual series that will include topics such as: The College Admissions process, which College is right for you, and how to pay for College. Whether you are an educator trying to learn how to better assist your Latino students on college, a parent who wants to learn about the resources their child has here in the US, or a student who is navigating this process all on their own…Join us as we embark on this rollercoaster that is college/ university TOGETHER.

We will offer sessions both at 11am and 6pm to fit the needs of our families so you have TWO chances to attend. The information being presented at 11am will be the same at 6pm and you are free to join us at either time. Registration is necessary and you can register at the link below. Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email with the zoom link. In an effort to simplify the process this year, we have decided to use one zoom link for the entire series. I have attached the Flyer for this years’ workshop below if you would like to share.

Register here: https://form.jotform.com/222264254809154

Sabemos que este año ha sido duro para todos nosotros, especialmente para nuestros estudiantes. En un esfuerzo por cerrar la brecha en la información errónea sobre el proceso de admisión a la universidad para estudiantes latinos, la Asociación Latinoamericana regresa este año con su serie virtual Camino a la Universidad. Todos están cordialmente invitados y tienen acceso a los asientos de la primera fila (desde el sofá de su sala de estar o desde la hamaca afuera) a nuestra serie virtual de 3 partes que incluirá temas como: El proceso de admisión a la universidad, qué universidad es adecuada para usted y cómo pagar para la Universidad. Si usted es un educador que intenta aprender cómo ayudar mejor a sus estudiantes latinos en la universidad, un padre que quiere aprender sobre los recursos que tiene su hijo aquí en los EE. UU. o un estudiante que está navegando por este proceso por su cuenta... Únase a nosotros mientras nos embarcamos en esta montaña rusa que es el colegio/universidad JUNTOS.

Ofreceremos sesiones tanto a las 11 am como a las 6 pm para satisfacer las necesidades de nuestras familias para que tenga DOS oportunidades de asistir. La información que se presenta a las 11 a. m. será la misma que a las 6 p. m. y puede unirse a nosotros en cualquier momento. Es necesario registrarse y puede registrarse en el siguiente enlace. Una vez que se haya registrado, recibirá un correo electrónico de confirmación con el enlace de zoom. En un esfuerzo por simplificar el proceso este año, hemos decidido usar un enlace de zoom para toda la serie. He adjuntado el folleto para el taller de este año a continuación si desea compartirlo.

Regístrate aquí: https://form.jotform.com/222264254809154

At Paul Duke STEM High School, our mission is to ignite and foster success and creativity in all students through a challenging STEM curriculum, which connects students to their future through technology and relevant learning experiences. We do this through project-based learning, problem-based learning, integrated lessons, investigative research, and public performances.

We are excited to host Paul Duke STEM’s Student Showcase, which will happen on November 9-10 and November 15-16. This is an opportunity for our students to highlight and showcase their work and present their work to a public audience. All students at Paul Duke STEM will present one of their favorite STEM lessons in each of their seven classes.

We are cordially inviting parents, community members, and industry professionals to come and participate! You will be able to choose which classes you want to experience based on the schedule that day. During that time, we ask you to give presenters honest feedback on the content and presentation style. You can give that feedback in the moment, and we'll also have a tool you can fill out and give back to us. For more information, visit our website. We look forward to seeing you!

If you have any questions please email Carly Scholz, carly.scholz@gcpsk12.org.

Come and learn about the ESOL program, Flex Friday, Parent Portal, Access Test, Summer School, and Graduation requirements.

*Interpretation will be available

Paul Duke STEM High School’s International Night is a great opportunity to showcase your family’s background and to teach others in our community about the many cultures represented in our school. Families may display crafts, flags, currency, stamps, clothing, maps and photos. Whether you’re Irish or Italian, whether your ancestors are Chinese or Cherokee: your family has an interesting heritage to share.

Parents are encouraged to support their children's efforts to educate one another on the unique differences in their own family's culture.

Please fill out survey here

The cost is $70 and will increase to $75 on 10/1!

https://www.balfour.com/georgia/norcross/paul-duke-stem-high-school

Congratulations to ABIGAIL DONKOR! Abigail is this year's CTE Student of the Year and will represent Paul Duke STEM at the district level where she can win up to a $1500 scholarship.

Abigail has been extremely active in the AVTF program here at Paul Duke STEM and is currently a producer for PDS TV. She has also been active in TSA where she is also a State Champion in the Digital Video Production event. This year Abigail also helped launch the new PDS STEMINISM club.

Joshua Farley - co-captain #13 (senior)

Derek Main - co-captain #8 (senior)

Luca Landgrebe (senior)

Landon Shell (senior)

Tristan Kim (sophomore)

The National Merit® Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. Approximately 1.5 million high school students enter the program each year. These smart and hard-working Trailblazers scored among the top 1% of the 1.5 million students nationwide who took the PSAT/NMSQT last year as juniors. The PSAT/NMSQT is a standardized test administered by the College Board.

Congratulations to Rohan Pai and Nathan Chen, Paul Duke STEM's National Merit Semifinalists.

"She is an exceptional teacher, making us think outside the box with different perspectives by questioning and thus strengthening our viewpoints and making us realize how many sides can be seen if one looks at multiple angles. She actually tries to make it easy for us, not by lessening the workload necessarily but by thoroughly explaining her assignments as well as her thoughts, making it easy to understand her and her class. She also made me realize how important it is to write and think, which sounds strange, but said best by George Orwell, "If people cannot write well, they cannot think well, and if they cannot think well, others will do their thinking for them."

"First for the Paul Duke Field Day! What an amazing fun day. We loved it. But not only that all the things you do to brighten other people's day. The little touches that show how much you care. She is truly a loving and kind spirit, and I am so thankful she is here at Paul Duke!"

Lunch generously sponsored by the Sama Family

On Tuesday September 6th our school received the STEM certification banner from the Georgia Department of Education. Achieving Georgia DOE STEM certification, Paul Duke STEM is now.....

the LARGEST whole school STEM certified High School in Georgia
the FIRST Title I whole school STEM High School in Georgia
the FIRST majority Latino STEM High School in Georgia
the FIRST and ONLY non-criteria admission STEM High School in Georgia!

Thanks to the @gadoe_stem_steam for the support and recognition! #TeamGCPS Gwinnett Schools

This past weekend, we had some of our string players audition for the Gwinnett County Youth Symphony.

GCYS is a honor orchestra group that only accepts the best players in Gwinnett County. They play professional works from the likes of Haydn to Rimsky-Korsakov

Maxwell Trinh- 12th Grade- Viola

Hyerin Chung- 10th Grade- Viola

Khang Tran- 10th Grade- Viola

Sophia Moreira-Chauvel- 9th Grade- Violin

​Dylan Lenze- 12th Grade- Violin

Click Here to access PowerPoint

Gwinnett County has purchased a wonderful college and career planner called Naviance. Counselors will be showing students all of the features in their classrooms, but as parents, you have access to explore as well. You will need to be logged into your student's Eclass page for access.

Please click on the links below for quick "how to" videos.

How to link your Common App to Naviance

Career Assessment and Exploration

Student Journey in Naviance

Student Tour and Overview

*Click the link twice in order to open*

When - 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Location - PDS Media Center (email will be sent detailing what to bring)

Audience - 12th grade students AND parents (Spanish speaking)

When - 8:00 am - 9:00 am

Location - Media Center

Audience - 10th - 12th Grade

Applying to a college who requires supplemental writing prompts? Take a look at this website!

Supplemental Essay Guide 2022-2023. Essays are listed by college with writing tips!

Love working on cars and want to make it a career? Check out Gwinnett Tech's diploma program!

The Care Team has created a wish list to help keep our "Need One, Take One" personal care supplies stocked. It's been a tough year, and some may find themselves having to pick and choose what makes it into the grocery cart each month. We have placed a bin in one of our girl's and boy's restrooms, hoping to share items in a more discrete way.

Thank you for your support of our students!

Please, click here to view our Care Team Amazon Wish List

For only a $5 donation to the Counseling Care Team!

Form found in MYPayments Plus under School Fundraisers

A Certificate of Enrollment is required to test for both driver's permit and driver's license. Students must submit a request form to receive this document. The request forms are available in the front office. The cost for this document is $3.

If you lost your ADAP certificate, you may get a replacement from the front office. ADAP certificates can be replaced for $5.

Please note there is a 48-hour turnaround for Certificate of Enrollment and replacement ADAP certificate requests.

Eligible licensed student drivers must provide proof of insurance, a valid driver's license, and a completed parking application. Click here for an application. Additionally, students must pay $70 for their parking pass. Click here to pay through MyPaymentsPlus. Students parking without a valid parking pass will be subject to disciplinary consequences including a boot on their car.

Click here for INSTRUCTIONS FOR MINORS

Are you planning on doing some community services but don't know where to start?

Contact Ms. Dobbs in the Parent Center or email at olaya.liranzo@gcpsk12.org

We need students who:

*Love their community

*Have a passion helping others

*Bilingual preferred but not required

Routine COVID-19 testing (also called surveillance testing) can quickly detect individuals who are positive with COVID-19 and trace contacts who should quarantine. The testing, which is free and will be conducted on a weekly basis at the school, uses a short Qtip-type swab to collect a sample from inside the nose. This testing will allow GCPS to test, receive test results (within 24 hours), and notify individuals of a clin­ically significant reading. By participating, students and staff members can help to minimize the spread of the virus within our schools, which benefits us all.

Although participation in surveillance testing is not required for students or staff members, it is strongly encouraged. Participation will contribute to the success of this mitigation strategy and our schools’ ability to limit the spread of COVID and keep students learning in person.

Learn more about the COVID testing being offered to Norcross Cluster students and staff by reviewing our frequently asked questions.

Parents, if you have any changes to your student's phone numbers, emergency contacts, etc. please note that these can be made by you in the Parent Portal. However, address changes need to be made at the school. Thank you."

Paul Duke STEM High School is looking for an addition to our amazing clerical team! Desirable qualities include good communication, organization and computer skills, willingness to work as part of a team and a desire to help students. Benefits include daytime work hours, 200 workday calendar and full-time GCPS employee benefits. If interested, contact Gisela Fleites at 470-323-3610.

Apply here

Students can create original works of art in any of the six categories they choose.

The theme is “Show Your Voice!”

First, second, and third place winners are chosen in each category for every grade level by professional judges.

All 1st and 2nd place winners will advance to Gwinnett County Area II Competition.

All entries are to be turned in before the last morning bell on Thursday, October 27th in the Media Center.

Late entries will not be accepted.

Please visit the PTSA website for rules, entry forms, and additional details.

Contact amintab@gmail.com for questions.

Parents, if you’re on Facebook, join the Paul Duke Stem High School (PDSHS) class groups, a virtual community hosted by the PTSA, open to all PDSHS families, we look forward to seeing you there to share information, opportunities and maybe even a laugh. Find the graduating class that corresponds to your students and stop on by

https://www.facebook.com/groups/pds.ptsa.co2024

https://www.facebook.com/groups/pds.ptsa.co2025

https://www.facebook.com/groups/pds.ptsa.co2026

We look forward to connecting, and as always thank you for your support!

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Email: olaya.liranzo@gcpsk12.org
Website: https://www.gcpsk12.org/pauldukestemhs
Location: 5850 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Norcross, GA, USA
Phone: (470) 323-3600
Facebook: facebook.com/PaulDukeSTEM
Twitter: @Paul_Duke_STEM