Ideas and Initiatives Supporting the Vision, Mission, and Goals of Gwinnett County Public SchoolsTORCHTORCH

Gwinnett County Public Schools • 437 Old Peachtree Road NW, Suwanee, GA 30024 • 678-301-6000 • www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us

J. Alvin Wilbanks

GCPS CEO/Superintendent

VOLUME 3, NUMBER 5 MAY 2011

CEO/Superintendent’s Message:

GCPS school year draws to close on proud noteThe 2010–11 school year is drawing to a close on a proud note for all

that we have accomplished this year in Gwinnett County Public Schools. We began the year with the opening of eight new facilities, including a high school that became the nucleus for the new Lanier Cluster, and a permanent home for Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology. We’re delighted to be able to provide attractive, well-equipped, and comfortable facilities for our students and staff.

In the interest of improved communication districtwide, we expanded use of the parent portal and made school district information available on Facebook and Twitter. We also unveiled our Strategic Priorities for 2010–2020, which communicate the direction in which the school district is moving over the next five to 10 years.

October was an especially exciting time as the school district was named the 2010 winner of The Broad Prize for Urban Education, and, with it, $1 million in scholarships awarded to 51 seniors just last week. Being recognized as a finalist in 2009, and as the winner of this prestigious national award in 2010, sets Gwinnett County Public Schools apart as one of the best school districts in the nation.

I congratulate our entire community and every employee in the district for the role you played in this achievement. But one group deserves special recognition— our teachers, the professionals who, despite the challenges of severe budgetary cutbacks and increased expectations, remained committed to providing a quality education for their students. Their commitment resulted in a banner year of local, state, and national awards for our students, staff, and schools, including the outstanding accomplishments of the Class of 2011.

Gwinnett County Public Schools has an ongoing commitment to excellence, both instructionally and operationally. As we close the books on another successful school year, we know that it is but one more milestone in our journey toward becoming a system of world-class schools. By working together— the school, the home, and the community— we are preparing our students to take their place as leaders and successful citizens in the 21st century.

On behalf of the Gwinnett County Board of Education, I thank you for making 2010–11 another great school year, and I wish you all the best for a safe, restful, and enjoyable summer.

W This symbol is used throughout Torch to show that more information is available on the GCPS website or through a link from the GCPS site (for instance, the Ga. Dept. of Education web site).

IN THIS ISSUE…Year-end message A message from CEO/Superintendent

J. Alvin Wilbanks

(pg. 1)

Around GCPSCharter decision, 2011–12 work schedules, Class of 2011 report, state testing results, appointments, Strategic Priorities, HOPE news (pgs. 2–4)

News on the SideFinancial notes, 2011–12 calendar, summer news, employee portal, summer schedule (pgs. 2 & 3)

Ga. Supreme Court strikes down charter school lawWith its May 16 rulingW, the Georgia Supreme Court declared the state’s Charter

Schools Commission Act unconstitutional, making it unlawful for the commission to create charter schools and direct local dollars to their operation. The majority rul-ing favored the seven school districts (including Gwinnett County Public Schools) that brought the lawsuit in 2009. GCPS and the other districts cited local control in opposing the act, which established a state commission and gave it the authority to establish charter schools and fund commission-approved schools with local money.

“While some tried to paint this lawsuit as an anti-charter school case, nothing could be further from the truth,” said CEO/Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks of the case. “At its heart, this was a constitutional question, one that has been answered once and for all.” He said that Gwinnett’s participation in the lawsuit wasn’t a stand against charter schools, but “rather against the establishment of a state commission that sought to usurp the jurisdiction and resources of a duly elected local board of education.”

The state commission had established 17 commission charter schools around Georgia that previously had not been approved by their local boards of education, including Ivy Preparatory Academy in Norcross. Dr. John Barge, state school superin-tendent, says the Department of Education will give flexibility to the affected charter schools, as needed, to support students.

To date, Gwinnett has approved one community charter school—New Life Academy of Excellence—with two campuses, as well as three system charter schools—Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology (GSMST), which graduates its first class this month; Maxwell HS of Technology; and Gwinnett Online Campus, opening a full-time high school in 2011–12. These locally approved charters are not affected.

Class of 2011 closes the book on K–12 careersGraduationW is only the beginning for nearly 9,000 Gwinnett seniors as

they leave high school, prepared for college, work, and life in the 21st cen-tury. As they look back at memories from their K–12 careers, members of GCPS’ Class of 2011 also have much to which they can look forward. Graduation exercises, for one. CeremoniesW for Gwinnett’s 20 high schools are scheduled at both local school stadiums and the Gwinnett Center, starting with the Phoenix HS graduation on May 23, and concluding when that last North Gwinnett HS grad crosses the stage on the evening of May 30.

It’s no surprise that a high percentage of seniors— 88%— are headed to universi-ties, colleges, and postsecondary schools in Georgia and around the country next fall, with more than a third of graduates offered at least one scholarship. As of April, graduating seniors had been offered more than $108 million in academic, athletic, and military scholarships. And that dollar figure does not include a number of pres-tigious scholarships, including awards for National Merit and National Achievement Scholars, full-tuition scholarships for GCPS’ seven Gates Millennium Scholars, and $1 million awarded to the district’s 51 Broad Scholars.

Nearly 70% of the scholarship amount— $75 million— comes from academic schol-arships, not including awards under the HOPE Scholarship Program. Student athletes earned nearly $27 million in scholarship offers. In addition, Gwinnett grads earned 15 appointments to one of the country’s military service academies— six to the U.S. Air Force Academy, three to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and six to the U.S. Naval Academy— accounting for more than $6 million in scholarships.

And when we say these graduates are prepared for the future, look no further than their stellar academics. The Class of 2011 includes 1,905 Honor Graduates, finish-ing with an average of 90 or better. More than half of seniors, 53.2%, took Advanced

(continued)

Financial Notes for FY2012• FY2012 budget approved… At

its May 19 meeting, the Board of

Education adopted the Fiscal Year 2012

budgetW in the amount of $1.7 billion.

After tentatively adopting the budget

on April 19, the Board held two public

hearings May 12 and May 19.

• Millage rate expected to hold steady… The next step in

the budget process comes in June with the scheduled adoption of the

proposed millage rate— 19.25 mills for

maintenance and operations and 1.30 mills

for debt service— to support the FY12

budget. This marks the seventh straight

year that GCPS was able to balance the

budget without increasing local taxes.

Finalized 2011–12 calendar now available onlineGCPS’ finalized 2011–12 calendar dates

for staff designate planned furlough days

and include minor changes to schedules

for early-release dates in the fall and

spring. The district has designated

two furlough days for most employee

groups. For most school-based

personnel, the planned days are Oct. 10 and March 12, though these

days may be restored as planning/staff

development days if funding sources

allow. The planned furlough days for

12-month employees are Dec. 19 and

20. (174-, 175-, 180-, 181-, and 185-day

staff— school nutrition and transportation

employees and stellar subs— will not have

furlough days.) Principals and school staff

requested the changes in early release

days for ES and MS students. Holding

conferences earlier in October and later in

February will allow parents and teachers to

address classroom concerns toward the end

of the first and the third nine-week grading

periods. Employees can find work calendars

by employee group on the school system

websiteW. The traditional student/staff

calendar and employee booklet calendar will

be available online later this summer, and

will be distributed in print form for the start

of the school year.

Placement (AP) courses this school year, taking a total of 13,089 college-level AP courses, an increase of nearly 1,800 courses. In addition, the number of seniors at-tending both a Gwinnett high school and a Georgia college through dual enrollment nearly doubled, from 116 to 222 this year.

Work dates set for 2011–12 school yearHuman Resources reminds us of the following reporting dates (in bold maroon type)

for the employee groupsW that make up the majority of school system staff: Ask your supervisor if you are unsure of your return-to-work date for the new school year.174-day staff ……………………………………………………………… 8-8-11 to 5-18-12175-day staff ……………………………………………………………… 8-5-11 to 5-18-12180-day staff ……………………………………………………………… 8-8-11 to 5-23-12181-day staff ……………………………………………………………… 8-5-11 to 5-23-12185-day staff ……………………………………………………………… 8-1-11 to 5-23-12190-day staff ……………………………………………………………… 8-1-11 to 5-25-12193-day staff ……………………………………………………………… 7-25-11 to 5-24-12200-day staff ……………………………………………………………… 7-25-11 to 6-4-12210-day staff ……………………………………………………………… 7-25-11 to 6-13-12220-day staff–ES & MS administrative assistants+ …………………………… 7-11-11 to 6-13-12Other 220-day staff …………………………………………………………… 7-25-11 to 6-27-12230-day staff+ ……………………………………………………………… 7-11-11 to 6-27-1212-month staff+ ……………………………………………………………… 7-1-11 to 6-29-12

+ School-based staff working before July 25 follow four-day work week schedule.

Last weeks bring achievement news in writing, on GHSGT• Schools at top of state rankings in grade 8 writing: Two Gwinnett middle schools

take bragging rights as the state’s top two schools on the state’s grade 8 writing testW, based on mean scale scores just a fraction of a point apart. In fact, seven GCPS mid-dle schools posted averages scores in the top 20 statewide. Congratulations to student writers at these middle schools— Osborne (#1), North Gwinnett (#2), Trickum (#8), Twin Rivers (#14), Crews (#16), Bay Creek (#17), and McConnell (#18).

• Gwinnett juniors post GHSGT increases: This year’s GCPS juniors continue an established trend, with improved performance on the state’s Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT)W and passing rates well above state averages in all con-tent areas. Gwinnett posted its highest-ever passing rate in science (96%) and met the previous all-time high in English language arts (94%). Across the board, passing rates for GCPS’ first-time test-takers were above state averages by 4 to 7 percentage points. In addition, a much higher percentage of students achieved in the highest performance levels (Advanced Proficiency and Honors) when compared to their peers statewide. Earlier this year, 98% of Gwinnett juniors passed the state’s writing test, which is a graduation requirement. The writing test was administered last fall.

Watch the employee portal for GCPS news this summerWhile the majority of GCPS’ employees

do not work in our schools during summer

break, the district keeps “making news”

during the summer. Keep up with the latest

school system happenings online as we

share summaries of Board meetings, news

releases on honors and back-to-school

news, and more. Check out the GCPS home

pageW for the latest news and special

spotlight items during June and July. During

the summer months and year-round, you

also can find information on the employee

portal— www.go.gwinnett.k12.ga.us.W

Summer schedule remindersStarting Monday, June 13, local schools

will participate in a four-day work week

during parts of June and July. The calendar

change affects all local school staff who

work during the summer, and all programs

at the local school, including summer school

classes, enrichment camps, and other

activities. School locations will be closed on

the following Fridays: June 17 and 24, and July 1, 8, 15, and 22. (All GCPS

locations will be closed Monday, July 4, for the Independence Day holiday.) The

energy-saving schedule saves money as

thermostats are set warmer for the three-

day weekends, and lights are switched

off. Affected employees work a modified

schedule or use vacation time and work a

shorter week under the schedule. Normal

working schedules will resume on Monday, July 25.

Senior report for 2011 graduates… (continued)

New leaders named for 2011–12 at May Board meetingName New Position (effective date) Current/Previous Position

Janice Warren Principal, Anderson-Livsey ES (June 1, 2011)

Assistant Principal, Annistown ESQuality-Plus Leader Academy Cohort, 2010

Jeffrey “Jeff” Hall Principal, Maxwell HS of Technology (June 1, 2011)

Assistant Principal, Brookwood HSQuality-Plus Leader Academy Cohort, 2009

Timothy “Tim” Wyant Community School Director, Peachtree Ridge HS (July 11, 2011)

Teacher, GIVE Center East

With the end of the school year, Principal Lawanna Owens-Twaites steps down as Anderson-Livsey principal, while Donna Powers retires from the principalship at Maxwell.W

Jeff Hall

Janice Warren

2011 GWINNETT COUNTYBOARD OF EDUCATIONDr. Robert McClure, chair; Louise Radloff, vice chair;

Carole C. Boyce;Dr. Mary Kay Murphy; and

Daniel D. SeckingerCEO/SUPERINTENDENT

J. Alvin Wilbanks

The mission of Gwinnett County Public Schools is to pursue excellence in

academic knowledge, skills, and behavior for each student, resulting in measured

improvement against local, national, and world-class standards.

Torch is produced by the Department of Communication and Media Relations.

torch@gwinnett.k12.ga.us

It is the policy of Gwinnett County Public Schools not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin,

age, or disability in any employment practice, educational program, or any

other program, activity, or service.

Gwinnett County Public Schools437 Old. Peachtree Road, NW

Suwanee, GA 30024-2978678-301-6000 • www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us

Strategic Priorities: Communication, Public Image and Community PridePriorities tie together community’s role in our schoolsThis year, we’ve been focusing on GCPS’ Strategic Priorities for 2010–2020 W, providing context for each of the 10 Priorities and the direction in which the school district is moving for the next 5 to 10 years. Online, you can find video clips, key messages, and more to give you an overview of this key document as well as the Priorities that have been rolled out— for stu-dents, employees, parents and guardians, curriculum, instruction, and assessment, technol-ogy, facilities and operations, and financial stewardship. Here are the priorities that focus on communication and how the community and our schools support one another:• On Public Image and Community Pride… Good schools build good

communities, and good communities sustain good schools. Our schools be-long to the public, and everyone benefits from their success. Our community will take pride in the school system, regarding GCPS as a system of choice. Taxpayers will trust the district to effectively manage financial, physical, and human resources. Based on its reputation as a system of world-class schools, the district will attract new residents, new employers, and new employees. GCPS will be a key economic driver in the county, earning the support of the business com-munity. Business and community partnerships will benefit the district, our schools, Gwinnett schoolchildren, and staff. Employees and students will give back to the community, contributing to the quality of life in Gwinnett.

• On Communication… We all have a stake in keeping the communication channels open between the school system and its stakeholders. In fact, effec-tive communication is everyone’s responsibility. Open, honest, reliable, two-way communication builds trust and confidence within the school community. Information will be accurate, timely, and relevant, available to all stakeholders through appropriate vehicles. A well-informed school community is best able to provide meaningful input on key district issues. GCPS is committed to involving the public in our schools and in our school system, and will use effective communi-cation to share our instructional and operational successes and opportunities with a wide audience. Language differences, the digital divide, and the county’s contin-ued growth will pose challenges, but the district will continue work to overcome obstacles to effective communication.

HOPE changes affect college-bound studentsThe passage of House Bill 326 (Preserving HOPE and Georgia Pre-K for Future Gener-

ations) brings a number of significant changes to the HOPE Scholarship Program that will affect Georgia students pursuing a postsecondary education in the state. The change that’s received the most attention will affect students’ wallets. The amount of the HOPE Scholarship (both public and private school scholarships and grants for technical college students) will be adjusted annually based on lottery revenue. If lottery revenue drops, the amount of the awards would decrease as well. For the 2011–12 school year, officials say the scholarship and grant awards will be about 90% of the previous year’s awards. The private school award for 2011–12 will be $3,600. The awards will no longer adjust upward to cover tuition increases, nor do they cover books and fees or remedial courses. That said, the HOPE Scholarship Program remains a significant source of college funding for many Georgia families. Under HB 326, the state’s top students may qualify for the new full-tuition Zell Miller Scholarship, reserved for high school valedictorians, salutatorians, and graduates with strong GPAs and test scores who plan to attend an eligible public college or university. Zell Miller Scholars attending a private Georgia college would receive an award of $4,000 per year. Learn more about scholarship changes online at GAcollege411.W