Education

Beginning Aug 12, Gwinnett Schools Moves to All-Digital Learning

Published

4 years ago

July 20, 2020

On July 20, 2020, CEO/Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks announced that Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) will open the 2020-21 school year on August 12 with all students receiving digital instruction. Although the district had planned to begin with both in-person and digital instruction, the current COVID-19 situation required a change in those plans.

“There is no replacement for face-to-face instruction, and that was our preferred model for starting the school year,” said Superintendent Wilbanks. “With that in mind, we offered parents an option between in-person and digital instruction in order to be responsive to their wishes for their children. However, out of an abundance of concern for our students, families, and employees, we made a very difficult decision based on the increasing number of COVID-19 cases we are seeing in our county, as well as the concerns that have been expressed by our teachers, parents, and others in the community.”

GCPS leaders will continue to gather information from health officials and monitor the still-fluid COVID-19 situation in Gwinnett County. That information will help determine when the district can safely open for in-person instruction.

During the spring and summer, school system staff have worked diligently to improve the digital learning experience for students. Summer staff development has focused primarily on effective teaching in a digital environment. Content specialists created digital lessons and provided instructional resources to help teachers better serve students.

Digital instruction this fall will look very different than it did in the spring. Expectations for teachers and students will be consistent with those for in-person instruction. The digital school day will follow a daily schedule. School attendance will be expected and documented. And, students will receive grades and will take assessments to measure their learning.

Teachers will report to their schools to deliver their digital lessons, participate in staff development, and collaborate with their fellow teachers to make digital instruction more effective for their students. For some employees, reporting to school may be difficult for a number of reasons. Principals will work with the staff members at their school to address individual concerns and make accommodations where possible. Those who are allowed to work from home will be expected to come to the school periodically to work with other school staff and leaders.

With the move to 100% digital learning, GCPS leaders continue to address the challenges that we know exist in terms of student access to devices and reliable internet connections. The district will check out Chromebooks and internet hotspots to students, based on need, to ensure equitable access to quality digital learning.

“This is not the beginning of the school year we had hoped for; however, it was a possibility we planned for, knowing that keeping students and staff safe had to be a priority,” said Mr. Wilbanks. “We are confident we can do digital learning well, thanks to the quality teachers and leaders we have in this district, the comprehensive preparation over the last four months, and our steadfast commitment to do what’s best for Gwinnett students.”

Details for the 2020-21 school year will continue to be shared on the district website and in SchoolMessenger updates, including plans for a return to in-school instruction once that is possible. Click here for more on digital learning in the fall.

Related Topics:COVID-19 distance learning Featured Gwinnett County Schools

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Peachtree Corners Magazine staff

Doing Good

Good Samaritan Gwinnett Receives State Authorization to Launch Access Academy

Published

2 weeks ago

November 4, 2024

Peachtree Corners Magazine staff

Professional woman standing in front of Good Samaritan Health Center signage

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.

Healthcare worker sterilizing dentistry instruments — photo courtesy of Good Samaritan Gwinnett

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.

Two female healthcare workers standing at their computers — photo courtesy of Good Samaritan Gwinnett

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.

Education

Pinecrest Academy Named to 2024 AP School Honor Roll

Published

1 month ago

October 8, 2024

Peachtree Corners Magazine staff

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.

Education

Nine Wesleyan School Seniors Recognized by National Merit Scholarship Corporation

Published

2 months ago

September 30, 2024

Peachtree Corners Magazine staff

individual senior photos of nine students

Wesleyan School recently announced that the National Merit Scholarship Corporation has recognized nine of the school’s seniors.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an annual academic competition that recognizes exceptional academic promise demonstrated by a student’s outstanding performance on their junior year PSAT.

Seniors Will Jamieson, Thomas Markley, Sara Marie Miller, Tecson Wu, and Caroline Yates were named National Merit Semifinalists, an honor that only 1 percent of seniors (approximately 16,000 total) nationwide receive based on their PSAT scores. These seniors will submit essays in the hopes of becoming finalists to earn scholarship money from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Finalists will be announced in February.

Additionally, seniors Landon Clement, Audrey Cornell, Rachel Oh, and Ellie Simmons were named National Merit Commended students. Approximately 2 percent of seniors nationwide receive this recognition.

About Wesleyan

Wesleyan School is a Christian, independent K-12 college preparatory school located in Peachtree Corners. At the start of the 2022-2023 school year, Wesleyan enrolled 1,207 students from throughout the metropolitan Atlanta area.

To learn more about the school, visit wesleyanschool.org.

For more information about the National Merit Scholarship, visit nationalmerit.org.

Photos

From top left: Landon Clement, Thomas Markley, Ellie Simmons, Audrey Cornell, Sara Marie Miller, Tecson Wu, Will Jamieson, Rachel Oh and Caroline Yates

Photos courtesy of Wesleyan School; photo credit: Rebekah Smith