Education
World-Class Education
IB Programme takes local schools to an international level
Several Gwinnett Public Schools in Peachtree Corners offer an innovative, challenging program to eligible students — the prestigious International Baccalaureate® (IB) Programme. The Programme is respected world-wide and has become a factor in drawing corporate interest and talent to the area.
Developed in 1968, the IB Programme was designed to establish preparatory school standards recognized by European universities and to prepare students for higher-level studies. The program has been in authorized American schools since 1980.
What’s different about the program is that it promotes inquiry and encourages students to think critically and challenge assumptions. And it’s cohesive. Courses in the IB Programme don’t stand alone; critical thinking builds between subjects and looks at the whole curriculum. This approach encourages students to consider subjects in local, national and global contexts.
Peachtree Elementary School was authorized as an IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) school in May 2010. It was one of the first public elementary schools to achieve authorization in Georgia.
Brian Ginley, IB Coordinator at Peachtree Elementary, explained that the IB Programme is a framework for organizing curriculum and instructional practices. Designed for students aged 3-12, the PYP challenges students to think for themselves and take responsibility for their learning as they investigate local and global issues.
“It’s not a specific curriculum,” he said. “Peachtree Elementary organizes the Gwinnett County Academic Knowledge and Skills in transdisciplinary units that are conceptually based. The PYP promotes the use of inquiry as an instructional tool to foster student questioning and taking ownership of their learning.”
Earning the authorization created a continuum from Peachtree Elementary to the Middle Years Programme at Pinckneyville Middle School and Norcross High School, and the Diploma Programme at Norcross High School. That means students can attend classes in the IB Programme from Kindergarten through 12th grade to earn an IB diploma, which is recognized and respected by the world’s leading universities.
Sloan Roach, Gwinnett County Public Schools Executive Director of Communication and Media Relations, said that Norcross High School began offering the IB Programme in 1999 as a means of providing additional rigor to its students.
“As a leading International Baccalaureate school, Norcross High offers the Diploma Programme and Middle Years Programme,” Roach explained. “Both Pinckneyville and Summerour middle schools participate in the Middle Years Programme and Peachtree Elementary offers the Primary Years Programme, providing a K-12 IB opportunity for students in the Norcross Cluster.” The school system also offers IB opportunities in the Shiloh Cluster, she added.
Students at Norcross High School who participate in the IB Programme throughout their school experience have an extremely high success rate when compared to the state, national and world passage rates, according to Roach. “At Norcross in May 2018, 95% of our students received a passing score on IB exams compared to 61% in Georgia, 69% in the U.S. and 78% in the world,” she said.
Norcross High Principal Will Bishop and his IB team shared their insights. They said that students who have been through the IB Programme, when they return from college, report how well prepared they are compared to their classmates, even those who are going to elite colleges.
“They believe they’re getting a top-notch education at Norcross High School,” they said. “Like the students, parents feel that their children are well prepared to perform at top-level colleges. They believe critical thinking applies to life beyond school.”
And what do the teachers think about the IB program? Teachers enjoy the inquiry approach to learning. “I make the doing easy, but the thinking hard,” said teacher Natalie Dixon.
The community at large benefits, too. As sophomores, Norcross High students have the opportunity to complete a personal project. In fact, several projects have turned into events that improve local communities, such as the Blue Devil Run.
The IB Programme PYP also encourages elementary school students to take action and make positive differences. Ginley gave an example from one of Peachtree Elementary’s first-grade classes.
“This spring, during a recess, the students observed that the storm drain was covered by debris from a recent rain. They wondered if this might have a negative effect on animals,” he said. “The students took action by clearing the debris from the storm drain. This is just one example of our students looking to make Peachtree Elementary and our world a better place for all.” ■
The 2024-2025 school year has brought exciting extracurricular additions to the International Charter Academy of Georgia (ICAGeorgia), with the launch of new cross country and track programs.
Intended for upper-elementary and middle school students in grades 4-6, the new programs were started by Coach Shawn Nix, who joined the ICAGeorgia staff this fall. She comes to the school with 17 years of teaching experience in the Gwinnett County School System and 13 years of coaching experience. She was named Gwinnett County Coach of the Year twice during her tenure there.
Nix said that her goal in creating the cross country and track programs at ICAGeorgia was to “give students an introduction to cross country, teach them the value of teamwork and cultivate the future generation of runners.”
“The parents are thrilled about the addition of the cross country program,” she added. “They’ve expressed their excitement to me, and they are at practice and meets supporting the athletes.”
Cross country
Twenty-three academy students signed up for cross country this year, excited to be part of the inaugural team.
The season began on September 3 with the school’s first meet at Legacy Park in Decatur, where students competed in the one-mile dash against 210 other athletes from Atlanta area-schools.
Three of the school’s young athlete’s placed, with one sixth grader taking third in the girls division; another sixth grade student placing 24th in the boys division and one fourth grader placing 16th in the boys division.
They recently wrapped up the season on November 13 with a meet held at Midtown High School.
Though the season was short — most meets had already closed their entries by late August, and one meet was cancelled due to Hurricane Helene — the ICAGeorgia team was able to get in two good competitions and a lot of practice sessions.
Track season
According to Coach Nix, some students that were interested in cross country weren’t able to sign up for the team in time, but they’ve said they will be coming out for track in the spring. She’s expecting at least 20 students to join the team.
Track season begins in February, and the opening meet is scheduled for March 8at Lanier High School in Sugar Hill.
Upcoming track meets will feature the following events: long jump, triple jump, high jump, shot put, disc throw, 3200m, 1600m, 800m, 400m and 4×100, 400 and 800m relays.
Future plans
Following the success of the new cross country and track programs, Coach Nix shared that ICAGeorgia plans to offer more after-school sports in the near future.
“The sports we add will be gauged by an interest survey, keeping in mind the facilities we have,” she said. “But we would love to add basketball and soccer.”
For more about ICAGeorgia, visit them at internationalcharteracademy.org.
Good Samaritan Health Centers of Gwinnett (Good Samaritan Gwinnett) has received state authorization from the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC) to officially launch Access Academy, a private, certificate-granting, low-cost postsecondary education program targeting students of low-income and/or minority households who aspire to pursue careers in healthcare but may lack the financial means to attend traditional college programs.
Access Academy is designed to meet the needs of students from underserved communities, providing healthcare-specific training at a fraction of the cost, thanks to charitable donations and volunteer-based faculty support.
Access Academy will initially offer a five-month medical assistant certification program. Graduates of the program will be able to enter the workforce without the burden of student loans, directly benefiting their household income and financial well-being.
“We are thrilled to launch Access Academy and open the doors of opportunity for those who need it most,” said Shameka Allen, CEO of Good Samaritan Gwinnett. “Our mission has always been to support underserved communities, and now, with Access Academy, we can extend that impact by helping students earn their medical assistant certificates and get their start in healthcare.”
A history of mentoring and education
Good Samaritan Gwinnett has a rich history of educating undergraduate and graduate students in health sciences. Since 2012, the organization has mentored nearly 450 graduate students pursuing medical and dental professional degrees. The cost of precepting just one midlevel student for an average of 168 hours amounts to $10,038, reflecting the organization’s dedication to training and education.
Greg Lang, chief financial officer of Good Samaritan Gwinnett, spearheaded the efforts to secure state authorization and launch Access Academy.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see Access Academy come to life after months of planning and preparation,” Lang said. “Access Academy is not just providing training — it’s offering hope, opportunity and the support needed to turn dreams into reality.”
An ongoing mission
The launch of Access Academy is part of Good Samaritan Gwinnett’s ongoing mission to expand its reach and make healthcare more accessible, both by providing direct patient care and by equipping future healthcare professionals with the skills they need to succeed. Since Good Samaritan Gwinnett’s inception in 2005, more than 52,300 patients have entered the clinic more than 300,000 times.
For more information about Access Academy, visit them at goodsamgwinnett.org/access-academy or email Greg Lang at Greg.Lang@goodsamgwinnett.org.
Pinecrest Academy, a private preK3–12 Catholic school serving north metro Atlanta, has once again been named to the College Board’s Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) School Honor Roll, earning Platinum distinction.
The AP® School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while also broadening access. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit and maximizing college readiness.
“We are so honored to have received this AP Honor Roll Award, as we strive each year to provide every student with a college preparatory experience, which includes the successful completion of challenging AP courses,” commented Amy Bowman, Pinecrest Academy high school principal. “The Platinum designation from AP speaks to the excellence that our faculty strives for in delivering challenging content that prepares our students for college.”
The numbers
During the 2023-2024 school year, Pinecrest had 89% of seniors taking at least one AP exam during high school, 82% of seniors scoring a three or higher on at least one AP exam and 58% who took five or more AP exams. Twenty-one AP courses were offered, representing 30 sections taught by 12 high school teachers at the school.
“Our Class of 2024 earned a 100% acceptance into the college/university of their choice,” Bowman said. “Since the school’s first graduating class of 2007, Pinecrest’s high school has maintained a 100% graduation rate every year.”
AP Access Award
Pinecrest Academy was also awarded the AP Access Award this year. Schools on the AP School Honor Roll may earn the AP Access Award, which recognizes schools that demonstrate a clear and effective commitment to equitable access to advanced coursework.
“AP represents an opportunity for students to stand out to colleges, earn college credit and placement and potentially boost their grade point averages,” said Trevor Packer, head of the AP program. “The schools have shown that they can expand access to these college-level courses and still drive high performance — they represent the best of our AP program.”
For more information, visit pinecrestacademy.org.
For more about the Advanced Placement® Program, visit ap.collegeboard.org.
The Dec/Jan Issue of Peachtree Corners Magazine is Out Now
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Final Restaurants for New Politan Row Food Hall at The Forum Announced
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Fun for All Ages: The Neighborhood Christmas Train 2024 Experience
Life in Motion: The Gift of Organ Donation Fuels Active Lives for Recipients
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The Dec/Jan Issue of Peachtree Corners Magazine is Out Now
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