Education

GCPS transitions to digital learning Jan. 19-22

Published

4 years ago

January 14, 2021

Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) announced that it will temporarily transition all in-person learners to digital instruction beginning Tuesday, January 19. (Monday, January 18, is a school holiday.) District leaders will monitor the COVID situation and its effects on staffing to determine its ability to resume in-person instruction on Monday, January 25.

In making this decision, CEO/Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks said “As students returned to in-person and digital instruction this semester, we acknowledged the need to monitor the impact the rising COVID numbers within our community might have on our schools. The reality is that our school system—like our community and the state— is feeling the results of the holidays and winter break. We are experiencing higher numbers of cases, suspected cases, and close contacts among our in-person students and staff. The move to 100% digital learning for the coming week will allow us to effectively serve students while also doing what is best for our students and staff given the current situation.

“The decision to shift to digital is not one that is made lightly,” he said. “However, it is a possibility we have planned for, knowing that the safety of students and staff and our ability to effectively serve students are priorities. While we fully intend to honor the choices our families made for their children in regard to receiving instruction in-person or digitally, the bottomline is that we must have the staff on hand in order to be able to do so.”

Mr. Wilbanks noted that the post-break impact on the district’s ability to effectively staff schools and serve students is a concern. On January 12, GCPS experienced 125 new reports involving employees who tested positive, were suspected of having COVID and were being tested, or had been identified as close contacts. These new cases brought the district’s total number of staff out of school or work to 785, with 460 of those being teachers. This issue is compounded by the shortage of substitutes available, an issue that school districts across the nation are experiencing.

The shift to digital learning next week for all students, coupled with the observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, January 18), will provide the time needed for many of our employees who are currently quarantined to return to work. “We understand that the move to 100 percent digital may create hardships for families. That said, we do feel that this is a necessary measure that will provide time for ill employees to get well and for those who are quarantined to be cleared for return to school and work,” Mr. Wilbanks said.

Students will be expected to complete their lessons digitally each day and attendance will be documented. Teachers will report to their schools to deliver their digital lessons. As was done last spring, teachers who have school-aged children will be allowed to bring them to school.

GCPS will offer meal service during this transition to digital learning (Jan. 19-22). Meals will be available for curbside pick-up at schools, and, the district will deliver meals along all bus routes countywide during this time. Families should expect buses to run their routes from approximately 10:45 a.m. to noon, beginning at the first stops on the route.

Updates regarding the return to in-person learning on Monday, January 25, will be shared on the district website and through SchoolMessenger messages.

Source: GCPS release

Related Topics:Featured gwinnett county public schools

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Peachtree Corners Magazine staff

Doing Good

Good Samaritan Gwinnett Receives State Authorization to Launch Access Academy

Published

12 hours 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

4 weeks 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

1 month 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