December 2023 - Our Blueprint in Action: Equity in the Special Entities

This December, we explore Equity within our Special Entities.

Through Equity in education― the conditions under which each and every child receives what they need to develop to their full academic and social potential― we ensure that Team GCPS students, families, and staff have targeted supports and enrichment that increase opportunities to succeed. Each and every student and staff member receive support to match their unique and individual needs through social, emotional, and behavioral systems and processes. The opportunity to engage in and access high-quality, rigorous, and culturally relevant curriculum, advanced coursework, and enrichment activities helps in the removal of barriers to success.

GCPS’ Special Entities serve the various educational, developmental, behavioral, special, and post-secondary needs of students, providing infinite possibilities for each and every student and their families to define success on their own terms.

Join us to learn about transition and hope, two core beliefs at the heart of the Buice Center , a home to four programs  that offer a continuum of services to students with special needs. At the Buice Center, transition means equitable opportunities for success and independence, and its educators work daily to define what that looks like for each and every student and their families.

 “Our greatest gift [at Buice] is that we provide hope for students and families because we give them an opportunity to see what transition looks like individually for each student,” says Principal Kim Mankin. 

Head down to the Portrait of a Graduate Studio, a professional space centered on providing connection, resources, and action plans to empower students in learning the skills that will help them transition into the community.

Accommodations and modifications are provided for students. Using pictures, computers, and graphic organizers, students can research and communicate what careers and future opportunities interest them.

Every staff member at the Buice Center supports a piece of students’ learning, and a focus on transition means removing barriers, especially in the media center. Like her fellow staff members, Media Specialist Stacie Gadlage believes that inclusion matters, and this means providing experiences, various literary resources, and activities that meet the needs of the diverse student population. From helping personalize the media center book collection to using the maker’s space, students at the Buice Center know the media center belongs to all of them.

“It’s a different environment [in the media center], and I try to teach students that it is so important to advocate for themselves,” Gadlage says. “They have to see it in all areas, and it’s important [for students] to advocate for themselves throughout the school, in the classroom, and in the community.”

All 20 clusters of GCPS are served at the Buice Center. Vocational, functional, behavioral, and community skills provide the educational foundation which allows students to pave a road to independence based on the gifts and talents of each individual. For students and their families, having a plan and knowing their purpose is instrumental.

“We want our students to know, you have a place in the county that wants you and needs you to be a productive member of the community,” adds Assistant Principal Christy Peevy.

Now that you’ve researched a career that suits you, journey from the Buice Center’s Portrait of a Graduate Studio and into the lecture hall for your presentation at the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology (GSMST). GSMST features a STEM-focused (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) curriculum in an impressive building that incorporates features frequently found in university and corporate settings: large lecture halls with videoconferencing capabilities and flexible floor plans, building-wide wireless networking, and comfortable common areas to foster community and collaboration.

GSMST extends its Partnership and Internship Program to all students, providing them with four years of experiential learning in college and career readiness. Committed to ensuring student success, GSMST meets its students where they are and brings support to them through both technical and professional development. Every 9th grade student hears from several professionals from various fields about college and career pathways to help them in planning their futures. At the 10th grade level, all students visit universities, companies, and organizations to hear from professionals in action. For their final two years of high school, students use their interview skills, problem-solving abilities, academic knowledge, and beyond to complete internships and capstone projects.

Although our next featured school lives online, Gwinnett Online Campus (GOC) has made a strong and impactful contribution to students in GCPS through an internet-based learning environment. Graduate Gwinnett, a program dedicated to high school seniors, pairs students with counselors for guidance on the pathway to graduation. The program offers a course schedule that includes four 20-day class sessions each semester, allowing students to complete a .5 credit class at an accelerated pace. Participating students achieve a 90% or better passing rate. Beyond Graduate Gwinnett, GOC intentionally builds a culture of community and empathy through its online classroom experience. Students engage in meaningful introductions and empathetic discussions that illuminate their experiences to better understand one another. Furthermore, GOC offers flexible and accessible deadlines to accommodate different lifestyles and learning styles.

Josh Rowan, GOC math teacher, says GOC’s online format is a defining strength. “The GOC experience is special because we have built in flexibility and individualized learning. Time and schedule freedom and tailored course work allows our students to attain mastery of our AKS while at the same time being able to dive deep into their passions. This is the specialness of it.” He adds, “We build AI into our courses to read their interaction with the course and in turn, provides a tailored, more efficient delivery of our AKS.”

Jennifer Tennant, who serves as the coordinator for the Graduate Gwinnett program, cites several instances that lead students to consider GOC. “Many students choose to enter our program due to hardships in their locally zoned school, health issues, social issues or anxiety, not being able to attend an ‘in person’ school due to a job, being a teen parent, or even simply not needing a full or traditional schedule to meet graduation requirements.” Despite their circumstances, the outcome is the same for each and every student: acceptance and support.

“Graduate Gwinnett was my lifesaver. After I withdrew from school, I never thought I would ever get my diploma. I work two jobs, and GOC was always patient and helpful. I gave up multiple times, but they always supported me through it. This program means the world to me, and I am grateful for this second chance,” says Piper, a former Graduate Gwinnett student.

It’s time to choose your personal protective equipment (PPE)― goggles, gloves, helmet, apron, hair net, scrubs... no matter what career pathway, and equipment you select, Equity at Maxwell High School of Technology  means student success in post-secondary experiences.

Maxwell High School of Technology is a specialty school that is part of GCPS’ Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program. In alignment with GCPS’ strategic priorities of Equity and Excellence, CTAE programs and pathways supply a wealth of enrichment opportunities, prepare students for post-secondary education, and provide training for in-demand, high-skill, and high-wage careers. This focus on CTAE access helps all traditional high school students prepare for entry into the workforce after graduation.

From opportunities in animation and digital media to collision repair, culinary arts, fire and emergency services, manufacturing, and welding, students have a variety of programs to choose from at Maxwell. And through Maxwell’s Middle School Summer Adventures Program, middle school students can develop first-hand experience with some of the CTAE pathways available to them when entering high school.

Within GCPS’ Special Entities, Equity is evident through the varied programs and services provided to meet the educational, developmental, behavioral, special, and post-secondary needs of each and every student. For students served throughout our Special Entities, independence, opportunity, and empowerment equal success.