Memorandum from Mary Kay Murphy
Mary Kay Murphy, Ph.D. District 3  School Board Member marykaymurphy@aol.com

August 8, 2007

100% AYP in District III

   Good news abounds in 100% of the public schools in Norcross, Duluth, and Peachtree Ridge. All of the schools in these communities required to meet the requirements of Adequate Yearly Progress in 2006-07 met the State’s achievement goals, providing further evidence that the focus of Gwinnett County Public Schools on teaching and learning is making an impact on student achievement.

   Congratulations to the District III principals, faculty, staff, parents, and students of each of the following schools for their outstanding achievement in meeting Georgia’s accountability goals on the Adequately Yearly Progress measures:

1. Beaver Ridge Elementary School – Esther Adames-Jiminez, Principal;
2. Berkeley Lake Elementary School – Leigh Westcott, Principal;
3. Chattahoochee Elementary School – Cyndie Burgess, Principal;
4. Charles Brant Chesney Elementary School – Carlotta Rozzi, Principal;
5. Duluth High School – Patrick Blenke, Principal;
6. Duluth Middle School – Deborah Fusi, Principal;
7. B.B. Harris Elementary School – Dr. Lori Burton, Principal;
8. Richard Hull Middle School – Denise Showell, Principal;
9. Dr. M.H. Mason, Jr. Elementary School – Paula Deweese, Principal;
10. Norcross Elementary School – Dr. Deborah Hill, Principal;
11. Norcross High School – Jonathan Patterson, Principal;
12. Susan Stripling Elementary School – Clay Hunter, Principal;
13. Summerour Middle School – Dana Pugh, Principal;
14. Simpson Elementary School – Bron Gayna Schmit, Principal;
15. Peachtree Elementary School – Jean Loethen-Payne, Principal.

   Three schools in the Norcross Cluster met Adequate Yearly Progress in 2006-07 after not making the listing in 2005-06. Special congratulations to these schools and their principals, faculty, staff, parents, and students. The three include the following: Norcross High School, Stripling Elementary School, and Summerour Middle School.

   Other specialty schools in District III were not required to meet Adequate Yearly Progress. These include the Buchanan School of Technology and its GIVE Center West as well as the Monarch School.

   CEO/Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks noted the importance of the Adequate Yearly Progress results in District III and throughout the county’s 101 schools required to meet the State of Georgia’s achievements goals.

   “Clearly, our focus on teaching and learning is making a difference,” Mr. Wilbanks said. “Our goal is to help students learn at or above grade level and to help ALL students reach their learning potential.

   “This year’s Adequate Yearly Progress results are further evidence that we are doing just that in schools across the county. They also show that, while we are doing well overall, we still have room to improve with some small groups of students.

   “Our school improvement efforts will continue to focus on meeting the needs of students who come to us with the most challenges, including those who are learning English and those who have disabilities.”

   Dr. Cindy Loe, Associate Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in Gwinnett County Public Schools, attributed the success of the 92 schools out of 101 required to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress to the “Four ABCDs” of teaching and learning: 

  1) Accountability for ALL students; 
  2) Better teaching; 
  3) Continuous improvement; and 
  4) Disaggregation of student testing data.

   There is much to celebrate in District III regarding Adequate Yearly Progress. This includes the following:

  1) All elementary schools in Norcross, Duluth, and Peachtree Ridge made AYP;
  2) All four middle schools in Norcross, Duluth, and Peachtree Ridge made AYP;
  3) All high schools in Norcross, Duluth, and Peachtree Ridge made AYP.

   Adequate Yearly Progress requires schools to meet the achievement standard for two consecutive years. For those schools which have met the standard for the first year only, they are required to offer students a choice of staying at the school or transferring to another designated school. 

   If students do not select the choice option, the school must offer supplemental services during the 2007-08 academic year. These services include tutoring, after-school classes, and other supplemental initiatives. Families in Title I schools who utilize the choice option will be reimbursed for student transportation. Title I schools are so designated based on their higher population of students on free and reduced lunch programs as determined by the Federal government.

   One of the School Board’s core beliefs in Gwinnett County is that ALL students can and will learn at or above grade level. As District III School Board member, I thank our remarkable and courageous District III principals, faculty, and staff for helping us achieve our core belief for ALL students in our Gwinnett County Public Schools.

   Thank you, as well, to our parents, students, and other community members for your diligent support and tireless commitment to the success of public education in Gwinnett County Public Schools. 

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