Moore Middle School

Moore Middle School opened its doors in August of 2011. That opening year, the school had 100 staff members who served 859 students. The school is named for Robbie Susan Moore, who was a pillar of Gwinnett County—dedicated to her family, involved in her church and the community, and respected by all those who knew her.

Born in Winder, Georgia, on September 28, 1942, Robbie was one of eight children of McKinley and Robbie Teasley. She graduated from Glenwood High, then, went on to Ballard Hudson Trade School in Macon. In 1962, Robbie married Eron Moore, Jr. The couple settled in Lawrenceville, where they raised their two sons, Kwane and Eron III. With her husband, Eron, Robbie was involved in the sports and school activities of their three grandsons, Jeramie, Amir, and DeOndre. Robbie worked throughout her adult life, from her position with the University of Georgia Extension Service in the 1960s to her service as a bailiff in the courts of the Gwinnett Judicial Circuit.

Robbie’s passion was service to her church and the community, and she had a long history of involvement in civic and charitable causes. A long-time member of Appalachee Baptist Church, Robbie served as President of the Usher Board, President of the Junior Choir, a Sunday School teacher, and Superintendent of the Sunday School. In later years, she became a devoted member of Hope and Life Fellowship Church, where she was head of the Prayer Team Ministry.

Tireless in her work in the community, Robbie organized the Concerned Citizens Group to talk about community issues, such as education and voter registration. She was one of the first black poll managers in Gwinnett County and served many years as a deputy voter registrar. She was an active member of the League of Women Voters of Gwinnett County.

Robbie also gave back to her community to support youth. She served as an adult leader with a local Boy Scout troop, and was elected president of the PTA for the former Lawrenceville Middle School in 1986. Robbie organized the Miss Black Gwinnett pageants for young black girls, ages 3 to 18.

Of special note, Robbie was the co-founder of The United Ebony Society of Gwinnett County, and served as president of this organization until her death. As president, she organized an annual march and program celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in Lawrenceville, and was instrumental in getting all cities in Gwinnett County to recognize the day as a holiday. She also was the driving force behind The United Ebony Society hosting an annual Black History Month display each February in the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville.

Robbie’s service touched a number of local organizations, including the United Way, the Lawrenceville Housing Authority, and the Poplar Hill Church Scholarship Program. She was a member of the Executive Board of the Gwinnett Chapter of the NAACP, and served on the Human Relations Council for Gwinnett County Public Schools. She also volunteered her time to the American Cancer Society for its annual Relay for Life fundraiser and worked as a peer counselor for cancer patients.

Though she did not seek recognition, Robbie was honored with numerous awards for her service, including the Black History Pacesetter’s Award in 1990, the Outstanding Service Award for the United Negro College Fund in 1992, and the MLK “Keeping the Dream Alive” Award in 1999. She was honored as one of Gwinnett’s Exceptional Women Leaders by the League of Women Voters in 1995. In 2002, Robbie was named a “Woman of Courage” by the metro Atlanta branch of the National Association of University Women. She was named an Outstanding Georgia Citizen by the Secretary of State in 2006, and the Gwinnett County Board of Education awarded her a Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Community Service in 2008.

Robbie left a legacy of service and devotion to her family, church, and community, which is recognized and honored with the naming of Moore Middle School.

The school works hard to live up to that legacy and to embrace the community it serves. In January of 2013, the school officially became a part of the county’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade and Celebration, the celebration first organized by Mrs. Moore, serving as the endpoint for the parade. Principal Lamont Mays shared that there was a tremendous sense of pride and emotion among those that knew Mrs. Moore when the parade ended at “her” school and that they hope to continue the practice moving forward.

Since opening in 2011, Moore Middle School has served as one of two middle schools in the Central Gwinnett Cluster. In 2011, Richards Middle School served as the other Central Gwinnett Cluster. However, it moved to the Discovery Cluster and now Jordan Middle School, which opened in 2015 became Moore’s sister middle school in the cluster.

In keeping with Mrs. Moore’s legacy of high expectations, the school’s motto is Anchored in Excellence and speaks to the school’s commitment to helping all students exceed as learners and leaders.

Just as Mrs. Moore made her mark, so is the school named for her. A few recent achievements include:

• Moore won the 2015 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest for Georgia, earning $20,000 in Samsung technology.
• The STEP Academy at Moore Middle produced 57 program graduates who successfully completed 8th and 9th grade coursework in one year. These students earned enough high school credits to begin the 2015–16 school year as sophomores.
• Moore Middle was chosen as one of nine state finalists for The Georgia Family-Friendly Partnership School Award. This prestigious award recognizes Title I schools that have gone above and beyond to create an environment where families and community members partner with the school to contribute to student success.

Moore Middle School strives to become a world-class school where students acquire the knowledge and skills to become academically independent thinkers, lifelong learners, and leaders in the local and global community... a fitting goal for a school named after a woman who modeled these characteristics.