GCPS LINKS

As we celebrate being 100 days smarter with our t-shirts and creative decorations, let’s not forget that making it to 100 days is a milestone for all of us, because it does take a village to raise and educate children.

For some, these are the very first 100 days of their child's “school career,” and for others, these are the first 100 days of their child's senior year. Whatever stage you find yourself in today, as we celebrate all of the learning, friendships, and new experiences of these first 100 days, one thing is certain—we are all doing our very best, so let’s pat ourselves and our students on the back for being 100 days committed to learning.

We would love to see your pictures and share them on our social media! Please tag us @GwinnettSchools and use the hashtags: #GCPS100Days.

As part of our process, school district leaders wanted to make parents and caregivers aware of this survey, familiarize them with the questions students will be asked, and offer the opportunity for them to opt their child out of taking the survey. Click here to preview the survey questions. Also mark your calendars, the Family Survey is coming February 28 - March 10, 2023 links will be sent via email and available on the Parent Portal.

Stay on top of the latest news, calendar events, and emergency information by downloading our free Gwinnett County Public Schools mobile app. You can enable notifications and choose your preferred language.

Why download the app?

• Receive alerts for school closures or delays and important districtwide information.

• Check school and district events calendars.

• Access your school’s lunch menu and add money to your student's account..

• Access districtwide digital resources.

• Read the latest district news.

Search for Gwinnett County Public Schools in the App Store or Google Play to download our app for free.

Parents and caregivers are important education partners in their child’s education. With the school district’s quarterly AKS at Home initiative, families of students in grades K-5 are able to learn ways to help their children practice the key skills they are learning in language arts and math through live, grade-specific Zoom sessions, recorded sessions, and helpful tip sheets. The next round of live virtual K-5 sessions is planned for January 30 – February 1, to support learning in the 2nd semester of the year.

Music has uniquely vibrant ways of bringing people together, whether through singing in a choir, swaying in rhythm to a familiar beat, or yelling a school fight song with 70,000 other fans in a packed stadium. Oh…the power of music. It helps us to regulate our moods, feel comfort, and remember important moments.

Music and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) are closely connected. Through music, we learn to manage our emotions, celebrate diversity, and develop leadership skills. Moreover, when we listen to music together, it increases the amount of mood-enhancing chemicals in the brain, which positively impacts social bonding and trust. For example, listening to music while cooking together can make the experience more enjoyable.

Check out these tips to build togetherness and other social emotional skills through music.

• Listen to Music to Improve Your Mental Health: Be intentional about listening to music that excites you, calms you, and helps you to connect to your feelings and to the feelings of others.

• Listen to Music to Strengthen Social Bonds: Singing karaoke or singing with a choir or playing an instrument is a great way to bond, increase trust, and increase feelings of togetherness.

• Listen to Music to Celebrate Diversity: Venture outside of your favorite type of music to explore other cultures and customs.

If you’re interested in more information on how music draws us together, here is one of many resources.

Dangers around the house don’t end once our kids are in school. We may think that choking hazards, tiny batteries, outlet covers, and keeping cleaning supplies and sharp objects away are behind us once our children are school-aged. However, the reality is that as our children grow older, new dangers and potential risks around the house still exist and we must be aware of them, talk with our children about them, and remain vigilant about keeping certain things out of reach.

Access to prescription medications, alcohol, weapons, illicit drugs, and tobacco products including vaping are the new dangers parents need to youth-proof their homes for with older children. Consequently, it isn’t just our homes we need to concern ourselves with… it is all homes our kids spend time in that should be a focus of concern. Some ways to ensure we are keeping our children safe past toddlerhood are:

1. Keeping things we want out of our kids’ hands by safely locking them away.

2. Talking to them about what to do if they find or are offered these items in their friends’ homes.

3. Talking to neighbors, family, and friends to know who has weapons, alcohol, or tobacco products and how they are safely kept away from visiting children.

4. Discussing the dangers of using vapes, e-cigarettes, and other tobacco products. If you would like help quitting, text QUIT to 47848.

5. Discussing the dangers of using drugs and marijuana, and the legal ramifications they can face for even carrying these items in their possession.

6. Talking to our kids about who they can reach out to for help, and how to remove themselves from dangerous situations.

Make the pledge to keep kids safe.

Keeping our little ones warm is always a top concern when it comes to winter. Please be aware that winter coats can pose a serious safety concern in car seats. To view a video on Winter Car Seat Safety, click here.

This guide maps some of the most common apps available and highlights those that might create risky situations for children, such as unintentionally revealing personal information, stranger danger, and generating large bills through in-app purchasing. It also features advice on apps that can be used to improve children's learning and wellbeing to help them get the best experience out of the online world.

Open your camera app through the app launcher, select scan, and then select QR code.

All GCPS families with students in middle and high school can register now for the Winter 2023 session of Operation Graduation. On Tuesday, January 24, from 5:30-6:30, take part in a Zoom session to learn more about Assessment and Accountability, including information on SAT for All, Gateway transition, and GCPS assessments.

Friday, February 3 is a scheduled Digital Learning Day (DLD) for all students. On scheduled Digital Learning Days, all GCPS students access lessons in eCLASS but do not have virtual class time with their teachers. To ensure that students have a nutritious breakfast and lunch to fuel their learning, our bus drivers will be on the road and at every bus stop to deliver meals prepared by the School Nutrition Program staff. Families should expect buses to run their routes from approximately 10:45 a.m. to noon, beginning at the first stops on the route. These delivered meals are provided at no cost to families and are provided to anyone 18 years old and under.

For more information about student meals, applying for free or reduced meals, our school calendar, and more, please continue to check your email regularly and visit our website, www.gcpsk12.org often.

Grayson Technical Education Program is a state-of-the-art technical education facility that offers 12 career pathway programs to Juniors and Seniors from all Gwinnett County public high schools (including Gwinnett Online Campus) to explore. Programs at Grayson Tech currently include Commercial Photography, Culinary Arts, Cybersecurity, Entrepreneurship, Exercise Physiology, Graphic Design, Information Support Services and Game Design, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, Music Technology, Sports Medicine, TV and Video Production, and Veterinary Science. Apply Early! Your home school counselor will work with you to determine if Grayson Tech education programs will work with your graduation plan and class schedule. Please reach out to one of our Grayson Tech counselors (Reta Elder, 770-554-7097, or Simone Sheppard, 770-554-7095) if you have any questions about the registration process or our programs.

2023-2024 Registration Dates

• February 7 - Open House

• The application site closes February 27-28. It reopens on March 1 for programs with available space.

Maxwell High School of Technology, a system charter school, offers 18 cutting-edge programs. The school’s state-of-the-art technology, equipment, and facilities go beyond what is available in a traditional high school. Students from all GCPS high schools (and Gwinnett Online Campus) may enroll in these programs to explore industries in depth and gain real-world experience before entering college or joining the workforce. Maxwell holds open house events prior to class registration. Students may register through local school registration. GCPS provides transportation to and from local high schools.

2023-2024 Registration Dates

• January 10 - Application is open

• February 9 - Open House

• March 1 - Lottery. Application site will be closed February 27-28, and will reopen for programs with available space.

Peach State Federal Credit Union is excited to announce that they are now accepting applications for their 2023 Scholarship Program! They will be awarding more than $225,000 in scholarships and educational grants to professionals seeking career advancement and graduating seniors in high school.

Visit their website to view eligibility criteria and submit your application. Applications and supporting documents must be received by the credit union by Friday, February 24 to be considered. Apply Today!

On Thursday, January 19, the Gwinnett County Board of Education (BOE) held its regularly scheduled work session and business meeting.

The Lanier Cluster was the featured cluster during the January 19 BOE meeting. Click here to enjoy Lanier High’s Chamber Orchestra performance prior to the meeting.

In other Board News…

During the BOE work session, the Board also heard a presentation from the Alma Advisory Group (CEO of Alma, Monica Santana Rosen and Sylvia Flowers of Alma pictured on the right). This work is being done to support the transformational work of our human resources function into a strategic talent management organization that supports educators and staff to achieve district goals.

The Board heard a presentation centered on accountability, and updates to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) tied to the District’s Blueprint for the Future. In April, the KPI dashboard will be available on the district’s website allowing the public to see how the district is progressing toward meeting its goals.

During the BOE’s regularly scheduled Board meeting, the board approved the appointment of Capucina “Cappy” Douglass as the new principal at Couch Middle School, Dr. James “Jimmy” Lovett as the new principal at Harbins Elementary School, and Tawanda Sanks as the new principal at Taylor Elementary School. In addition, the board also approved the appointment of Patrick Burke as Executive Director of Facilities and Operations.

• Connected (January 13)

• News Releases
• Student Calendars
• News You Can Use
And much more at www.gcpsk12.org!

• Keep Connected with news from GCPS TV… the next episode airs on January 27!
• Watch for the next issue of GCPS Links on February 17!
  
• The next regular Board meeting is February 23. (Online, find links to sign up for the public comment sections of the meeting.)