Dr. Mary Kay Murphy Board Member District III | Gwinnett County Public Schools
Dr. Mary Kay Murphy Board Member District III | Gwinnett County Public Schools
Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is set to host a two-day orientation event for its newest educators before the new school year begins. This event aims to familiarize them with their roles and the support they will receive during their careers in Gwinnett.
The New Teacher Orientation is scheduled for Thursday, July 18, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Gas South Convention Center in Duluth. The event will see the participation of nearly 1,500 new staff members, including teachers, speech-language pathologists, counselors, psychologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists.
GCPS Superintendent Dr. Calvin J. Watts will be present alongside members of the Gwinnett County Board of Education to welcome these new hires. The district intends to emphasize its culture of teaching and learning and highlight the critical role educators play in student success.
The orientation will feature speeches from 2025 GCPS Teacher of the Year Jenna Cloninger and Lena Tata, a recent graduate of Grayson High School. Author and speaker John Antonetti will deliver the keynote address. He is known for his work on student engagement and best practices across North America.
In addition to the orientation, the GCPS Foundation is sponsoring expanded programming this year by hosting its inaugural Welcome Expo at Gas South from noon to 4:00 p.m. Community partners and GCPS departments will provide information about benefits and support available to ease new hires' transitions into the district.
On Friday, July 19, new hires will participate in grade-level and curriculum-specific professional learning sessions at one of four local schools. These sessions aim to foster supportive communities for students and educate new staff about instructional resources provided by the district.
In subsequent weeks, new teachers will spend two additional days working with mentors and leadership teams at their local schools. GCPS focuses on delivering high-quality staff development that integrates professional growth into daily work with an emphasis on enhancing student learning.
For further details about New Teacher Orientation, media outlets can contact GCPS's Department of Communications and Media Relations at 678-301-6020.
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