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gwinnettdailypost.com
Section C • Sunday, March 4, 2018
The
spotlight on
COLLEGE PREP
year plan
Top Gwinnett counselor gives tips for successful high school careers By Trevor McNaboe
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trevor.mcnaboe@gwinnettdailypost.com
ach year, more than 12,000 students from Gwinnett County Public Schools will take a leap into the next level of their academic and professional careers by graduating. Each student’s educational path is different, and while graduation and college can seem like a far-off dream, GCPS Director of Advisement and Counseling Tinisha Parker said students should start planning for graduation as early as their freshman year. The following is a year-by-year plan what Parker said will help put students in the best position to pursue their college dreams. Freshman year “The first thing I would tell a freshman would be to take this first-year experience very seriously,” Parker said. “A lot of students aren’t used to the freedom that occurs at the high school level. This is truly a step in preparation for graduation.” A key thing she advises students to be aware of is how many credits it will take to graduate in four years. “Usually students are
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The first thing I would tell a freshman would be to take this firstyear experience very seriously. A lot of students aren’t used to the freedom that occurs at the high school level. This is truly a step in preparation for graduation.”
— Gwinnett County Public Schools Director of Advisement and Counseling Tinisha Parker
getting that information in eighth grade and hopefully they’ve been listening,” Parker said. “They need a total of 23 credits, but it isn’t just any 23 credits.” Parker said the 23 credits are a culmination of
completed math, science, social studies and language arts courses, as well as electives. “Students need to be aware of all academic supports that are around, such as study sessions, study groups or tutoring,” Parker said. “We want students to become fully engaged in their high school experience.” A full high school experience in the eyes of GCPS goes beyond just the classroom and involves students immersing themselves in extracurricular activities such as sports or school clubs. “Students that are more engaged tend to have better grades,” Parker said. “If students participate in things outside of the classroom, they get the opportunity to gain experiences they might not have had the chance to get just from school alone.” With the rise of career pathways in the Gwinnett school district, students also have the opportunity to use
Schools such as Parkview High School were recognized nationally as American School Counselor Association Model Programs. (Special Photos)
Gwinnett County counselors have placed an emphasis on preparing students for graduation and college. Four out of every five students in the school district graduate in a traditional four-year period.
electives to get ahead in professional job training. “Don’t take ninth grade lightly; be very serious and strategic about it,” Parker
said. “At the same time, plug into the school and try to enjoy it.” Sophomore year Transitioning from a freshman to a sophomore is a year that Parker describes as a
See plan, Page 2C
Beyond graduation
Gwinnett Career and Tech Education program aims to give students skills outside of classroom
By Trevor McNaboe trevor.mcnaboe @gwinnettdailypost.com
Traditionally, students attending Gwinnett County Public Schools have had options such as dual enrollment and Advanced Placement classes to help them get ahead in their academic courses. However, there is a third option, one that allows students to get experience in a job field while still getting course credit. That option is choosing one of the pathways in the school district’s Career and Technical Education program. “We have increased significantly our involvement in CTE programs here in the last four years,” said Jody Reeves, GCPS executive director of academies and career and technical education. “The number of CTE students we serve is more than 70 percent of the counties combined in the state of Georgia. We have a significant student population that takes advantage of CTE.”
Shiloh High School seniors Jennifer Lopez and Mark Everette help a guest during the ribbon cutting of the CVS mock pharmacy at Shiloh High School. The mock Pharmacy is part of Gwinnett County Public Schools’ effort to secure partnerships with local companies. (File Photo)
Schools such as Shiloh High School have partnered with CVS to form a mock pharmacy, allowing students to get experience as a pharmacy technician and also train to get certification. “This allows students to earn credentials and certifications
“low-key year,” because there isn’t a lot of statewide testing that takes place. “What kids often forget, however, is that we still have our Gateway test that occurs,” Parker said. “Here in Gwinnett,
that will help them be employed when they graduate,” Reeves said. “We believe that all students need some type of postsecondary education beyond high school.” Not only have schools started opening up specialized acad-
emies, but the school district is also building specialized schools such as the Paul Duke STEM School in Norcross, set to open this fall, and a yet-to-be-named school in the Meadowcreek district that will place an emphasis on health care science, scheduled
to open in August 2019. “In addition, we’re going to see an increase in our computer science offerings,” Reeves said. “We’re going to see an increase in our engineering offerings. We base what we do around the target sectors that are provided.” Partnership Gwinnett, a public-private initiative formed in 2007, has a goal of bringing new businesses and jobs to the county. As one of Partnership Gwinnett’s investors, GCPS has been able to modify its CTE program to give students the opportunity to gain experience for local jobs. “We know that’s where we need to be developing a pipeline for the companies that are here in Gwinnett,” Reeves said. “We want our students to go off to college and then be able to come back and work here.” Partnerships with companies such as Gwinnett Medical Center, Brand Bank, the Aurora Theater See skills, Page 2C