Monica+Stallings

The Organization's History and Background  Name of organization  : Gwinnett County Public Schools, Suwanee, Georgia   **
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**Summary:** The district is looking for ways to increase participation of socio-economically disadvantage students and minority students in Advanced Placement (AP) classes. The goal is to raise awareness with parents and students regarding the value of taking AP classes in high school, tear down barriers which may prohibit students from participating in AP classes through extra support and interventions, maintain contact with the students and ensure classes are rigorous and inviting.

**Background of organization:** Gwinnett County located in the Georgia began as an agricultural community. In 1818, the Georgia Legislature ratified the township of Lawrenceville as Gwinnett County. An additional 15 towns will become part of the county from 1818 to 1893.

The first school opened in Gwinnett County in 1822 in the city of Lawrenceville, GA. Beginning in 1822, additional one teacher rooms opened and by 1850, 1186 students were enrolled in thirty-one schools. There were no black schools at this point, because it was a illegal for slaves to learn to read and write. However, after the south goes throught reconstruction, the Georgia General Assembly will for the first time provide funds for public education. As a result additional schools were constructed for white students only and black students. During the 30's and 40's, most of the schools were combined to create a more efficient county school system. Eventually, Gwinnett County system will become integrated after the Brown versus Board of Education case regarding segregated schools.

Gwinnett County Public Schools will become a system of world-class schools where students acquire the knowledge and skills to be successful as they continue their education at the postsecondary level and/or enter the workforce. Goals **GCPS’ Strategic Goals: //The plan for achieving our mission…//**We’ve adopted Strategic Goals for the school system that clearly connect to the vision and mission—the ―world-class status we intend to achieve. **Gwinnett County Public Schools will… ** •Ensure a world-class education for all students by focusing on teaching and learning the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum. •Ensure a safe, secure, and orderly environment for all. •Optimize student achievement through responsible stewardship of its financial resources and the proactive pursuit of all resources necessary to meet current and future demands. •Recruit, employ, develop, and retain a workforce that achieves the mission and goals of the organization. •Meet the continuing and changing demand for essential information through technological systems and processes that support effective performance and desired results. •Provide and manage the system’s facilities and operations in an exemplary manner as determined by programmatic needs and best management practices. •Apply continuous quality improvement strategies and principles as the way the organization does business.
 * GCPS’ Vision: ****//What we aspire to be… //**
 * GCPS’ Mission: ****//Why we exist, our core business… //**

The school system's primary clientele are the students who come to learn and to reach their goals. However, the organization works to develop and improve instructional skills of the teachers that work with students and to provide the parents, community and local government with updated information regarding the success of the students within its schools.

The information used here was obtained from workshops conducted by the offices of Teaching and Learning and Accountability and Assessment. In addition, historical information was gathered from various resources via the internet. I will be consulting with Dr. Rufus, Assistant Director, Advanced Placement Access to Rigor, and the Coordinators of the Advanced Placement Access to Rigor.

My project is part of an ongoing objective which has become the focal point of five schools in the district. A team was hired to develop a plan for increasing awareness and access to AP course while maintaining a high degree of rigor in the classes.

[] County Website