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

March 9, 2007

   Significant achievements and developments are taking place in the Norcross and Duluth Clusters as part of an exciting year in the Gwinnett County Public School system.

   Tonight, the Norcross High School Boys Basketball team plays in the Gwinnett Arena for its second straight Class AAAAA State Championship. The outcome of the game will not be known as press time, but our community can only wish for a second consecutive State Championship to Coach Eddie Martin, his coaching staff, and all the members of the 2007 Norcross Boys Basketball team.

   It has been another stunning season for the young men of Norcross High School, their fellow students, parents, teachers, neighbors, and fans. The team has brought our community together in a breathless series of in-state and out-of-state games. 

   We await the outcome of tonight’s 8:30 p.m. State Championship game with great pride, strong hope, and a fervent belief that the 2007 Norcross Blue Devils are indeed the fabric that holds our community together. Go, Blue Devils!!!!

   Another great point of pride at Duluth High School is the Georgia Cheerleading Coaches Association awarding its sportsmanship honors to the 2007 Cheerleading Squad and its Head Cheerleading Coach Lindsay Martin and its Lay Coach Kelly Holcomb. 

   The CLAW Squad (“Cats Alive as Winners”) received this recognition because of its demonstrated sportsmanship during the State Cheerleading Competition held earlier this year. During the 2007 Spring Cheerleading Coaches Conference, Coach Martin and Coach Holcomb will receive a banner to hang at Duluth High School.

   Duluth High School 2007 Valedictorian Steven Lau, along with two other seniors from Brookwood High School and Meadowcreek High School, was named 2007 STAR Student for Gwinnett County. The three students each scored a perfect 2400 on the SAT examinations and will advance to the District 3A STAR Student competition. 

   Steven Lau selected Duluth High School’s Geri Flanary as his STAR Teacher of the Year. STAR Students are selected because they have the highest combined SAT Score in the Gwinnett County Public Schools and rank in the top ten (or top 10%) of their senior classes.

   In January 2007, Atlanta Magazine recognized Duluth High School and Norcross High School, among the other thirteen high schools in the Gwinnett County Public School system, for their exemplary SAT scores.

   The magazine noted among the County’s top high schools, Duluth High School had the second high SAT score among Gwinnett County’s fifteen high school with a 1593 average score. Norcross High School placed fifth of fifteen with a 1562 SAT average score.

   “Academically, the Gwinnett system’s average SAT score of 1541 is fourth in the metro area, 23 points above the national average, and 64 points above the State of Georgia,” Atlanta Magazine noted. 

   “Facing unprecedented growth, Gwinnett County still manages to open new schools on time, with construction costs 29.2 percent below the metro Atlanta average. With students who speak more than 100 different languages, the District is doing an admirable job of embracing its wide diversity—employing five translators (among them Bosnian, Spanish, Korean, and Vietnamese) to assist schools.

   “The County was recently recognized by Standard & Poor’s for narrowing achievement gaps between black and white, economically disadvantaged and non disadvantaged, and Hispanic and white students. In addition, the number of students taking Advanced Placement courses is increasing.”

   One final note of pride for District III is the opening in fall 2007 of the “Gwinnett School of Advanced Mathematics, Science, and Technology” at Duluth High School where it will be located for three years. 

   In fall 2010, the school will move to its permanent campus with a signature building on McElvaney Road using the existing Oakland and Benefield school locations (current schools on the site of the proposed Charter School of Advanced Mathematics, Science, and Technology.)

   Principal Pat Blenke of Duluth High School will provide leadership for the Charter School of Advanced Mathematics, Science, and Technology on the Duluth campus from fall 2007 through fall 2010.

   An initial class of 9th grade students will open the Charter School at Duluth High School in fall 2007. In 2008, the previous class will advance to 10th grade and a new 9th grade class will be recruited. In 2009, these classes will move up and a third entering 9th grade class will be put in place. 

   During these years, students and their families will have to provide transportation to Duluth High School and back home. In 2010, the school system will provide transportation for students provided to the McElvaney Road site and using existing Maxwell High School of Technology routes.

   The first Commencement Class of graduating seniors from Gwinnett School of Advanced Mathematics, Science, and Technology will be in spring 2011. It is expected that by fall 2013, the school will have reached its maximum enrollment of 1200. 

Archive