Portrait of a Graduate Process
Design team developing GCPS' Portrait of a Graduate
Graduation… it’s an important milestone in the lives of our students that acknowledges the successful completion of 13 years of education. In the winter of 2022, Gwinnett County Public Schools joined forces with Battelle for Kids to make 21st-century learning a reality for all students. Together, we intend to unite our community in shaping the future direction of our schools—through the design of a Portrait of a Graduate. A Portrait of a Graduate is a collective vision that articulates our community’s aspirations for all of our students. The Portrait of a Graduate is the first step in framing a new vision for our school district and helped shape our district’s new strategic plan, Blueprint for the Future.
A Design Team representing all aspects of our community, including students, developed the school district’s Portrait of a Graduate which we believe positions our young people for successful, satisfying lives and a place in our global economy. Over 160 individuals from all across the county came together to create our Portrait of a Graduate Design Team. The team met four times virtually over the course of four months to complete the work.
Collectively, team members identified the hopes, aspirations, and dreams that our community has for its young people as well as the skills and mindsets that our children need for success in this rapidly changing and complex world. The team has developed six core competencies that articulate our community’s aspirations for all of our students in GCPS. These core competencies serve as a North star, driving our strategic plan.
Now that we have developed a Portrait of a Graduate Competencies, the exciting work of implementing this new vision begins! Our administrative team, our staff, and everyone in our community will continue to turn our Portrait into a reality for each and every student.