GCPS LINKS

From the Gwinnett County Public Schools family to yours, we hope you have a winter break filled with peace, love, and joy.

Click here to enjoy a GCPS tradition... Sounds of the Season is a yearly celebration of holiday performances from schools around the district.

As a reminder, all schools will be closed for the Winter Break. Students begin their break on Monday, December 19, and return to school on Wednesday, January 5. Teachers return on January 4 for planning and staff development. Buses will not be distributing meals during this time.

Click here if you or someone you know needs help with basic needs (including food, personal care items, clothing, shelter, utilities, etc.). Or visit this website and enter your ZIP code to find free food pantries near you. Then click on the red marker closest to you for more information.

In partnership with the Gwinnett County Public Library (GCPL), GCPS provides Tutor.com as an online tutoring resource for students. The expert tutors at Tutor.com can help your student work through a tough homework problem, improve writing skills, study for a test, review a difficult concept, and so much more! Live tutoring support is available daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. In addition, students can receive “drop-off support,” 24-7, by uploading a document for tutor feedback that will be reviewed and returned at a later time. To learn more about how to access this resource and what is offered, click here.

This Special Education parent toolkit is designed to help caregivers and guardians of children with special needs navigate the services and resources available to them in our district. For a detailed video with additional help navigating the toolkit, click here.

Each year, a few special GCPS schools and programs and a local charter school conduct activities during the winter to register students for the upcoming school year. That process has begun for one school, with additional events planned through February for the other schools and programs.

Learn more and find a complete list of registration deadlines and open house dates on our website.

"I Messages" are a great SEL tool for conveying our emotional needs. However, they can sometimes be used to make accusations. We can prevent that from happening with this simple tweak in the I Message format.

Which is a more effective way for you (or your students) to communicate your frustration with someone?

A. “You’re always interrupting me! You think your opinion is more important than everyone else’s.”

B. “I feel frustrated when I am interrupted because I really want you to hear what I have to say.”

If you said B, you chose the “I Message.” I Messages are a basic tool of social and emotional learning. They encourage us to speak from our own experience rather than attributing negative behaviors or intentions to others. In doing so, we can powerfully and peacefully convey our emotional needs. Many of us are familiar with the basic form of an I Message:

“I Message” script sample

I feel ( describe feeling) when ( describe situation) because I ( explain the impact of the behavior.)

To learn more about I Messages and how to use them in the classroom, click here.

Take a screenshot by using this keyboard shortcut.

The 2023 high school graduation schedule is now available online.

Peach State Federal Credit Union is excited to announce that applications are now being accepted for their 2023 Scholarship Program! They will be awarding over $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, 2023 to be considered. Apply Today!

January is the start of a New Year and a new semester, which means you have the unique advantage of a fresh start in more than one way! How cool is that? Here's a college checklist with suggestions of ways you can start off January on the right track.

Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) will host a Special Education Teacher Career Fair (in person) on Saturday, January 28, 2023 from 9 a.m. - noon at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center, Room 3.101, 437 Old Peachtree Road NW, Suwanee, GA 30024. Contracts for the 2023-2024 school year will be offered.

Interested in attending the Career Fair? Follow these steps:

1. Complete the Online Application and receive an Applicant ID Number (i.e. 420029)

2. Using your Applicant ID Number, register to attend!

As we enter the winter season, it is important to know what to expect from GCPS in case of inclement weather. If weather conditions pose a potential safety concern, the decision to cancel school or delay opening might be made.

It is more likely for school to be canceled in the early morning — due to dangerous road conditions that formed overnight — than for school to let out early because bad weather is moving in.

If bad weather causes school to be canceled or dismissed early, public announcements will be made on GCPS TV, on the school system’s website (www.gcpsk12.org), on Twitter and Facebook, through SchoolMessenger calls and optional texts, and via metro-Atlanta radio and television stations. Full-day cancellations usually are announced by 6 a.m.

GCPS TV can be found on the following Gwinnett County cable channels:

• Charter - Channel 180

• Comcast - Channel 24 or 26 (depending on location)

• Visit us on our GCPS TV app on Apple, Android, Amazon Fire, and Roku devices or view the live stream at GCPSTV.org

You can access current or potential weather hazards for north and central Georgia here.

The 2023-2024 GCPS calendar has been approved and can be found online.

United Ebony Society Inc. of Gwinnett County would like to invite you to their annual MLK Parade 2022 with the theme “Why We Can’t Wait”.

The parade will take place January 16, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. starting from the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center (GJAC). For more event information, click here.

You can download and use the MANGO Language learning app with your Gwinnett County Public Library (GCPL) card number for free. The app offers an opportunity to learn more than 70 languages, all through the convenience of your phone or computer. All Gwinnett County students already have an account with GCPL, but all residents of Gwinnett County qualify for a free library card as well. To find out about all of the amazing resources available in your local branch, click here.

Volunteering and giving back to our communities is important. It helps us learn the value of civic responsibility, and be of service while helping others in need. There are hundreds of Volunteer opportunities right here in Gwinnett County. You can also find opportunities for families with kids of all ages by clicking here, and making it a family affair!

Holidays can be tough for many of our Gwinnett County families that might be struggling financially this season. If you need help with gifts for your children this year, here is a list of organizations that offer Christmas assistance to families in our community. You can also find a list of community organizations that provide free Christmas gifts for kids here. There are many ways to help our neighbors and friends in our community that might need a little support this holiday season. To find out how you can sponsor a family’s holiday, click here.

Gwinnett Community Services is joining forces with Goodr to hold two FREE pop-up grocery markets for Gwinnett families facing food security challenges. Goodr will help provide fresh produce, meat, shelf-stable items, milk, and other beverages. Households must pre-register to attend. One registration is allowed per household.

Shorty Howell Park – Register here

Saturday, December 17 – 10 a.m. to noon – 2750 Pleasant Hill Rd, Duluth

Sweet Water Park – Register here

Saturday, December 17 – 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. – 800 Bethesda School Road in Lawrenceville

On Thursday, December 16, the Gwinnett County Board of Education (BOE) held its regularly scheduled work session and business meeting. Visit the Board of Education Meetings Page to find recordings of current and past work sessions and BOE business meetings.

In other Board News…

The Gwinnett County Board of Education approved a one-time payment of $1,000 to all active, benefit-eligible employees. This benefit will be paid in a lump sum and included in these employees’ December 2022 monthly paycheck. In making the decision to approve this payment, School Board members indicated their support for this effort and their appreciation to GCPS employees for the work they have done and continue to do.

Dr. Adrienne Simmons was sworn in as the newest member of the Gwinnett County Board of Education representing District 4. Dr. Simmons replaces Everton Blair, Jr., who opted not to run for re-election earlier this year. She will officially take the seat in January.

Click here to see the Archer HS Chamber Orchestra performing before Thursday night's business meeting.

As you consider your end-of-year giving and the impact of your charitable donations, please consider a donation to Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation Fund, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to providing financial resources to enrich and enhance education in Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS). Whatever you give and however you designate your gift, know that your donation to the GCPS Foundation is appreciated and will make a difference for Gwinnett County schoolchildren and staff members!

• Connected (December 9)

• Coffee with Calvin... Superintendent Dr. Calvin J. Watts is joined by Jill Edwards, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce chair, as Superintendent for a Day. (December 2)

• 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 13!
• Watch for the next issue of GCPS Links on January 20!
  
• The next regular Board meeting is January 19. (Online, find links to sign up for the public comment sections of the meeting.)