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April Is National Bilingual and Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month
Oftentimes, parents raising bilingual and bicultural (having two cultures) children find themselves limiting their native language at home to encourage children to be immersed in the English language. However, science has proven that this is unnecessary and quite the opposite. Children that are encouraged to not only speak their native language, but assimilate their native cultures as well, do better than their monolingual counterparts (single language friends) in many aspects of their education and ultimately, their professional lives. To learn about the benefits of being multilingual, click here. Let’s celebrate our languages by passing them down to the next generations!
GCPS is excited to offer Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs at 10 elementary schools; Annistown (Spanish), Baldwin (Spanish), Bethesda (Spanish), Camp Creek (Spanish), Ivy Creek (Spanish), Level Creek (Spanish), Meadowcreek (Spanish), Mulberry (Spanish), Parsons (Korean), and Trip (French).
The GCPS DLI program is intended both for English-speaking students who wish to develop a second language as well as native and heritage-speaking families of Spanish, French, or Korean students. These students will develop literacy and deep cultural understanding of their home language culture and cultures of countries in which the language is spoken. Click here for more information about the program.
World Autism Awareness Month
In celebration of Autism Awareness Month, we would like to honor the contributions of individuals on the autism spectrum in our community. Our district recognizes the need for supporting, understanding, accepting, including, and empowering people on the autism spectrum every day. Please click here to learn more about the Haskell family's involvement in GCPS' ASD program.
Whether you have autism, love someone who does, or are looking to support a diverse, accepting and kind community – let’s stand together and pledge our support to make a world of difference by helping all people with autism reach their full potential. To learn more about autism, obtain resources, and better understand how you can get involved, click here.
Celebrate National Library Week
Local libraries have much more than just books in store for you. They also provide ongoing activities for all ages, classes, digital resources, reading challenges, driver’s education, learning labs, author and speaker series, tutoring, and so much more. Remember to start National Library week by returning any overdue library books to your school or community library so others can enjoy them as well. To find your local library branch, click here.
Summer art camp scholarships available
Passport Adventures in Art Summer Camp is offering youth scholarships to families experiencing economic hardship. Contact Stephanie Lloyd at 770-623-6002 for more info.
Duluth Middle School offers Duluth cluster parents English Classes
Duluth Middle School has partnered with Catalyst Coalition, a non-profit focused on serving ethnic communities in cooperation with local schools, to provide Adult English language classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays for parents of students in the Duluth cluster. Classes are offered either in the morning from 10-11 a.m. or in the evenings from 7-8 p.m. with a “donation” accountability fee of $25 per month per attendee. The course, led by Catalyst Coalition director Jin Lee, is designed to help parents develop the skills needed to be career-ready, and to function successfully in their community.
Register by April 24 for the Facilities & Operations Classic Golf Tournament to benefit Relay For Life!
Register by Monday, April 24! The GCPS Business Operations Division will host its 24th Annual F&O Classic Golf Tournament on May 8 at the Royal Lakes Golf and Country Club, in Flowery Branch. Golfers of all levels are encouraged to join us for a great time on the golf course, while raising money for a worthy cause! The tournament format will be a four-person scramble, so everyone will be able to contribute to an exciting round of golf. Registration is $125 per individual and $500 per foursome and includes tournament entry fees, breakfast, entry in both the longest drive and closest to the pin contests, beverages, and an awards luncheon. GCPS employees receive a $25 discount for individuals and a $100 discount per foursome registered. Register today by clicking on this link, or email John.Hodgson@gcpsk12.org to sign-up. Don’t delay, as registration closes on April 24, 2023!
GCPS to host 5K race to support Book Mobile
On Saturday, May 6, at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center, GCPS will host the Book Mobile 5K and Fun Run. The event will raise funds to purchase new books for the Book Mobile program, putting books in students’ hands. Please click this link to register.
Register by April 30 for $28. If you register May 1 through race day, the cost is $30. Families can register for the $90 family discount price. There will be a Fun Run after the 5K for $18.
If you can't make it to the ISC, you can participate in the Virtual Run—same pricing as the 5K, plus $5 for shipping your shirt to you.
New Teaching Gwinnett Podcast: School Social Workers
They may not be firefighters or police officers, but school social workers are often the first responders in Gwinnett County Public Schools. School social workers are like Swiss army knives when it comes to helping students. They have just about every tool you need to advise, guide, listen to, and support each and every GCPS student, and that support often comes with a warm smile.
On this episode of Teaching Gwinnett, GCPS School Superintendent Dr. Calvin J. Watts joins the show and talks to the finalists for the 2023 GCPS School Social Worker of the Year award. We also hear from Crystal Baskerville, GCPS' Director of Health and Social Services, who talks about what school social workers do, why they are needed, and how they impact learning and student lives. And we end the show with another edition of Pop Quiz. You can listen on our website or most podscast platforms.
Don't miss these Focus Moments
FIRST Robotics Competition Returns to Gwinnett - Georgia FIRST Robotics staged an exciting return to Gwinnett County with a two-day competition at Discovery High School featuring 28 teams.
2023 Student Media Festival Showcase - GCPS celebrates student media producers with a special screening of selections from the Student Media Festival.
Tapestry 2023 - The district's annual Tapestry display is the largest student art exhibit in Georgia.
