Summer 2022

HEALTHCARE ROUND-UP + THE BUSINESS PAGES + INSPIRATION FROM ANDY STANLEY JAMIE GARCIA CAYCHO GCPSTEACHEROFTHEYEAR GWINNETT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS GEORGIA GWINNETT COLLEGE PRESIDENT PHILLIP ADVANCINGMELANIEROOTSBEARDRUNDEEPREEDTHEBUFORDWOLVES TRANSFORMING THE JOSEPHJANNFUTURE

Featuring CONTENTS GWINNETT MAGAZINE // SUMMER 2022 38 56 JANN JOSEPH Success is achieved through hard work and transformation. Dr. Jann Joseph takes a handson approach to set up Georgia Gwinnett College’s future. GWINNETT’S LEADERS, LEGENDS & INFLUENCERS! Don’t miss the stories of those who made Gwinnett the amazing place it is today. GWINNETT MAGAZINE | P.O. BOX 1269 BUFORD GA 30515 | ©GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COMINFO@GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM770-545-8746COPYRIGHT2022TELLYOURSTORYEVERWHERE.™ 4530 22 6 PRIVATE SCHOOL PERKS Choosing the right place for your little learner. MELANIE REED As superintendent of Buford Schools, she is eager to advance the Wolves toward international competition and expansion. WHAT BREAKS YOUR HEARTS? Andy Stanley discusses what you can do to make the world a better place. JAMIE GARCIA CAYCHO An advocate for her students and their families, she created the H.E.R.O program, and is Teacher of the Year!

If you really want to become a better person, do something to make the world a better place.

Andy Stanley

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I think we all value self-improvement. Each year we challenge ourselves to get slimmer, stronger and smarter, and we are bombarded with programs and products that supposedly help us get out of debt, get in shape, and become better people. Getting out of debt and getting into shape are good goals, but they don’t inspire you to greatness. In fact, when you think about the people you respect and admire the most, chances are they didn’t devote their lives to becoming the best version of themselves. Instead, they devoted their lives to making a difference in the world—or at least in someone’s world—and they brought about real change. Perhaps the way to become a better person is actually to focus less on yourself and more on what’s going on around you. If you’re wondering how you can make a difference in a world with so many unmet needs, start asking yourself a question: What breaks my heart? This question has the potential to shape your perspective and priorities. When you think about everything going on in our nation and in your community, what’s the one unmet need that captures your attention and emotions? Perhaps there’s an issue that comes to mind and you think, Something needs to be done about that. You find yourself getting passionate about it, talking about it with others, and looking around you to see if anyone is doing anything about it. We have all benefited from people along our paths that have gone outside the realm of self-improvement and asked how they could help meet a need around them. There is an old Latin proverb that says, “What man is a man who does not leave the world or make the world better?” You may not be able to meet every need or change the whole world, but you can meet somebody’s need or improve a slice of the world. Think about what it is that breaks your heart. Instead of asking the question “What should I do about me?” try asking the question, “What should be done around me?”

WHAT BREAKS YOUR HEART?

Andy Stanley is a communicator, author, pastor and founder of Atlanta-based North Point Ministries, which includes Gwinnett Church in Sugar Hill and Hamilton Mill Church in Buford, as well as six other churches in metro Atlanta and a global network of nearly 100 partner churches.

What makes a great Leader? What sets apart the Legends from the rest? What common sense values do these Influencers share? The Leaders & Legends series from Gwinnett Magazine will set your soul on fire with answers to these questions and more! Join us in discovering why it is so important to learn about the successes and failures of those who have come before us.

GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM / SUMMER 2022 05

Sandler was 23 and working at a military hospital when he unknowingly jotted notes for what would one day influence the blueprint for Gwinnett’s largest stateof-the-art cardiac facility: Strickland Heart Center. A cardiologist, Sandler has earned recognition in Atlanta Magazine and US News and World Report. He also played a role in making the former Gwinnett Medical Center an open-heart full service cardiac facility. MORE READ MORE READ MORE MASON MANFRED SANDLER Baldwin remembers cottonpicking and watching segregation run rampant in 1950s Georgia. Eager to never set foot on a cotton field again, she studied ambitiously through high school and college. Her passion for education saw her becoming a teacher—and the first black female superintendent in Georgia. Baldwin has served on boards, committees and commissions both within and outside education.

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A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. Maxwell

BEAUTY BALDWIN

—John

Always ambitious, Mason worked innumerable jobs growing up, saving over a thousand dollars by the time he graduated high school. Later, he painted homes with his uncle and bought land with his brother that yielded them over a million dollars. Mason broke into politics in 1972 and is known for his accomplishments toward establishing the county’s water and sewage infrastructures.

WAYNE

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When Everson noticed issues being left unresolved around the city, he ran for Snellville City Council. Since then, he’s held a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives, become Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development and the Executive Director and Administrator of Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity. Currently, Everson serves as a minister at Cross Pointe Church in Duluth.

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Taught the value of hard work as a child, Watts recalls completing chores before he was allowed to play outdoors. He incorporated that value into his life, achieving a milestone in 2021 after moving to Atlanta—becoming Gwinnett County Schools superintendent following J. Alvin Wilbanks. Watts currently has over 170,000 students under his purview. In his mid-20s, Masino dappled with a rezoning near his Suwanee home, which prompted him to take a role on the planning and zoning board of appeals. At 29, he became mayor of Suwanee. He’s also served in economic development leadership and as Gwinnett’s Chief Economic Development Officer. Currently, Masino is Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce president. CALVIN WATTS MASINO learning are indispensable to each other. —John F. Kennedy

MELVIN EVERSON

GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM / SUMMER 2022 07

READ MORE READ MORE READ MORE Leadership and

READ MORE READ MORE Raised a country boy in Sugar Hill, Georgia, with no college education, Hill has long been recognized as a strong leader in the county. He’s been elected county commission chairman, established Wayne Hill Water Resources Center, played a hand in the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center, and has a statue built after him, speaking volumes to his contributions and dedication. In 1970, when Radloff registered her kids in Norcross Elementary, she was appalled by its abysmal state. She arranged an outstandingly successful cupcake fundraiser that later catapulted her to win the republican bid for the Gwinnett County Board of Education. For her achievements, Radloff has scholarships, societies, and even May 25—“Louise Radloff Day”—named in her honor.

The supreme quality of leadership is integrity. –Dwight Eisenhower

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READ MORE Sheals once had a vision of Christ prompting him to spread the word of the Gospel. In 1980, he delivered his first sermon. Later, he sketched a drawing that materialized to become currentday Hopewell Baptist Church. Thanks to his vision, the church holds 10,000 members who enjoy its 50 ministries and auxiliaries, child development center, an accredited Bible institute and more. SHEALS

WILLIAM

LOUISE RADLOFF WAYNE HILL

It takes all of us working together and pulling in the same direction to make Gwinnett County the vibrantly connected community we all want and deserve. And it takes informed residents to make that happen. I encourage you to take advantage of the many communications resources we offer.

WAYS TO KEEP UP WITH YOUR Gwinnett County: LOCAL GOVERMNENT

GWINNETTCHAIRWOMANCOUNTYBOARDOFCOMMISSIONERS

The News tab at the top of the home page takes you to County news releases, police, fire and sheriff news, COVID-19 information, the Gwinnett County Connection, and other email newsletters, plus links to our social media pages and podcasts. You can also stream our biweekly video news roundup, Eye on Gwinnett, there or on the home page. You can subscribe to Gwinnett County Connection – especially if you are enrolled in paperless water bills –and other newsletters, like InGwinnett from the Department Community Services. This single publication combines our parks, health and human services, and UGA Extension program guides with information about enrichment activities and services that reflect our growing, diverse, and vibrantOthercommunity.emailnewsletters include News for Neighborhoods, Community Outreach News, Volunteer Gwinnett News, Transit Bulletin, Tag and Tax News, and district newsletters from each of our four district commissioners. You may also find limited print copies of some of the publications at libraries, senior centers, parks, and many County buildings.

For face-to-face interactions, Gwinnett offers programs like Gwinnett 101: Citizens Academy, Gwinnett Youth Commission, and police and fire academies for residents, along with special events such as cultural and heritage celebrations, stream cleanups, recycling collection days, and the annual Multicultural Festival and County Government Open House. These are great ways to socialize, meet new friends, and learn more about how your local county government works.

NICOLE L. HENDRICKSON

Government exists to serve the people. And people have both a right and a duty to keep an eye on what their governments are doing. In Gwinnett County, we offer many ways to keep in touch, from online postings of budget details and news releases… to live video of commission meetings… to all sorts of email Electronicnewsletters.communications are key because they eliminate printing and mailing costs and provide instant access since many people depend on their smart phones for the latest news and information. We know not everyone has an internet connection, however, so we still print our flagship newsletter, the Gwinnett County Connection, and include it with water bills every month.

The County has made it a priority to ensure the information residents, businesses, and visitors need is accessible and easy to find. The go-to source is our website, GwinnettCounty. com, which is now compatible with mobile devices like phones and tablets. Click on the magnifying glass icon on the home page to search.

10 SUMMER 2022 / GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COMCOMMUNITY

Expanding on its commitment to strengthen health care resources in the Gwinnett region, Northside Hospital held a ceremonial crane christening and groundbreaking event June 7 to mark construction of a new patient tower on its Northside Gwinnett campus in Lawrenceville. Hospital leadership joined representatives from the Gwinnett Medical Center Foundation, Hospital Authority of Gwinnett County, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and the local community to celebrate the continuing, rapid growth of the region’s health care resources.“Thisis another great milestone for Gwinnett County,” said Northside Hospital Gwinnett/Duluth CEO and President Debbie Mitcham. “Northside’s mission in Gwinnett County is to provide world-class health care locally, so that people do not need to leave this county to get the health care that they deserve.”

The new patient tower will add 132 new inpatient beds, increasing the hospital’s total inpatient capacity from 388 to 520. The tower will include the expansion of ancillary and support services, and a new patient entry lobby and outpatient waiting area.

The project also includes a 143,828-square-foot medical office building to house outpatient imaging, ambulatory surgery and a variety of physician practices. Completion is expected by 2025.

The architect for the Northside Hospital Gwinnett tower project is Perkins&Will, HLGstudio is the interior design firm, and the general contractor is Batson-Cook Construction. THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT MILESTONE FOR COUNTY.GWINNETT DEBBIE MITCHAM NORTHSIDE GWINNETT/DULUTHHOSPITALCEOANDPRESIDENT

NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL GWINNETT CELEBRATES CONSTRUCTION START OF NEW PATIENT TOWER GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM / SUMMER 2022 11 BUSINESS PAGES

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GWINNETT COUNTY WATER RESOURCES WINS “BEST TASTING WATER” IN THE STATE

Through a blind taste test and vote, the Georgia Association of Water Professionals named Gwinnett County’s drinking water the Best Tasting Water in Georgia.

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The county gets its drinking water from Lake Lanier. From there, it’s treated at two water production plants, Shoal Creek Filter Plant and Lanier Filter Plant. These two plants use advanced technology to provide more than 70 million gallons of drinking water to Gwinnett’s nearly one million residents. The water is continuously tested for quality and taste.

Winning this award qualifies Gwinnett to compete in the national American Water Works Association competition against utilities across the country.

“We take pride in delivering high quality, great tasting water to the people and businesses of Gwinnett,” said Department of Water Resources Director Tyler Richards. “I believe we owe this award to the hard work, passion, ingenuity and dedication of our employees. They work around the clock to ensure our water meets the Gwinnett Standard.”

SCAN TO FIND OUT MORE DRINKINGGWINNETT’SABOUTWATER

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ONE OF INTERCHANGESSIX ON STATE ROUTE 316 NOW OPEN Local nonprofits that serve critical needs in the community will soon receive a boost as Gwinnett County and United Way of Greater Atlanta prepare to allocate $4.25 million in Coronavirus Local Fiscal Re covery funds to nonprofit service providers.Thesefunds — provided to Gwinnett County by the U.S. Department of the Treasury through the American Rescue Plan Act — will be used to address needs identified or worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact. Critical needs like housing stabil ity, food security, childcare, early education/literacy, transportation and mental health are likely to be supported by this round of grant funding.“Amid a turbulent economy, Gwinnett is proud to partner with United Way of Greater Atlanta to get grant dollars to the dedicated nonprofits that need them,” said Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson. “United Way’s long-standing relationships in Gwinnett’s nonprofit communi ty will ensure funding goes further and makes a positive impact for Gwinnett residents in need.”

VEREENMICHELLEwill lead the CountyChildDepartmentnewofAdvocacyandJuvenileServicesattheGwinnettJuvenileCourt.

Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson said the new five-lane bridge, which spans over SR 316, enhances safety while easing congestion for motorists. “Moments like this drive us to continue delivering superior services — services that improve safety and traffic so our residents, visitors and business owners can get to their destinations safely, efficiently and smoothly,” Hendrickson said. Five additional interchanges are planned along SR 316 in Gwinnett County located at Hi Hope Road, Cedars Road, Hurricane Trail Road, SR 8/US 29 Winder Highway and Fence Road. Construction for those projects is proposed to start in the next three years. LOVE IT! MILLIONS ON THE WAY TO LOCAL NON-PROFITS!

MELISSA LARAMIE was appointed as the new GCPS CommunicationsChiefOfficer.

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13 SPRING 2022 / GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM PEOPLE MOVE!ON THE JENNIFER FENNELL Named Jackson EMC DistrictGwinnettManager

DEPRIEST WADDY is the NortheastforPresident/CEOnewCommunityFoundationofGeorgia

GOTTA

Gwinnett County commuters can rejoice – leaders placed their stamp of approval on the interchange at State Route 316 and Harbins Road in Dacula.

The City of Duluth, in partnership with the City of Johns Creek, Gwinnett County and Fulton County installed a large section of the new pedestrian bridge at Rogers Bridge Park this summer.

AVERY JARRARD been promoted to ChamberGwinnettSeniorManagerofChairman’sClubServices.

14 SUMMER 2022 / GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM GWINNETT MAGAZINE

Dedicated to ending homelessness – one family at a time, Rainbow Village has created a new role of Chief Strategy & Philanthropy Officer for seasoned nonprofit professional, Randy Redner. Having served Habitat for Humanity, American Cancer Society and United Methodist Children’s Home over the course of a combined 15 years, Redner is perhaps best known in the nonprofit realm for his most recent sevenyear turn as President & CEO for the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia (CFNEG). To accelerate Rainbow Village’s work and expand its reach, Redner hopes to leverage his connectivity to a leadership pipeline, wealth of event and fundraising experience, and shared vision with CEO, Melanie Conner, in his new role with the Duluth-based nonprofit.

The newly placed truss is the same 228’ in length as the original, with a similar design. However, the new model is significantly heavier weighing in at 287,000 lbs. The original truss was a mere 170,000 lbs in comparison.

SCAN TO WATCH TIME LAPSE VIDEO DEVEN CARSON was SeniorpromotedrecentlytoDirector,EconomicDevelopmentatPartnershipGwinnett.

The truss was prefabricated and then welded and assembled on-site. Assembly took two weeks and 47 tractor trailer loads of truss pieces. Once it was ready to be installed, an 825-ton Demag Crawler with 1.4 million lbs. of counterweights was required to safely move the massive structure into its final home over the Chattahoochee River.

DENISE MITCHELL is the CommissionerGwinnettnewTax KRISTIN EDWARDS has SeniorpromotedbeentoManagerofMemberServicesfortheGwinnettChamber

DULUTH & JOHNS CREEK MAKE PROGRESS ON NEW PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

HEALTHWIRE Healthcare is the second-largest industry in Gwinnett and has touched all of our lives many times throughout the years. So, Healthwire keeps you up to date on healthcare evolutions in our community and tips on staying healthy!

16 SUMMER 2022 / GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM GWINNETT MAGAZINE

PEIDMONT EASTSIDE CELEBRATING ONE YEAR!

Formerly known as Eastside Medical Center, Piedmont Eastside became part of Piedmont Healthcare on August 1, 2021 –expanding quality health services to the Gwinnett area community. It’s now been a year under the new banner and the healthcare system and that’s worth a big “Happy Birthday!”

NEW SOLUTION FOR STRESSED & ANXIOUS DOGS

Dogs are an important part of the family. Like any other member of the family, our furry friends experience nervousness and anxiety too, and since no one likes to see their pets in distress, this can be a stressful time for everyone. Although both humans and dogs experience anxiety, dogs show it in different ways. These include panting, drooling, pacing, excessive barking, restlessness, and sometimes even aggressive or destructive behavior. If this is your dog, you may want to check out these chewables.

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SCAN FOR INFORMATION!MORE NGMC BRASELTON BRINGING COMMUITYEXCEPTIONALHEALTHCARE

HEALTHWIRE

CHILDREN’S RANKS AMONG “BEST CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS”

MORE THAN JUST A FOOD BANK

Just how effective is North Gwinnett Cooperative at providing for those in need? The impact is clear in the numbers: Three million pounds of food since 1991. 30,000 people fed every year. More than 1,500 holiday meals, 10,000 toys and 600 people provided for at Christmas. And that’s not all. The success of the North Gwinnett Cooperative is a testament to what communities can do when they work together. For more than 30 years, they have assisted senior citizens on fixed incomes; families with lost or reduced income; hungry children; and homeless individuals and families. That’s all thanks to the help of generous people just like you in the community. Healthwire

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The 134-bed hospital brings services modeled around the programs of excellence at NGMC Gainesville to the Greater Braselton community.

The 119-acre Braselton campus is also home to Medical Plaza B, which houses several specialty physician offices, a resource center and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, and Medical Plaza 1, which houses an urgent care center, imaging center, endoscopy suite, outpatient lab, therapy services and more than 20 physician offices.

NORTH COOPERATIVE:GWINNETT

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is ranked among the nation’s top pediatric hospitals for 2022-2023 on the U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals list. Children’s has four specialties ranked in the top 10 and eight specialties ranked in the top 20.

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HOPE CLINIC: COMPASSIONCHOOSING OVER COSTS You might not remember what you talked about last time you went to the doctor or urgent care, but chances are, you definitely remember the bill. It’s tricky to find health care that fits your budget, with or without insurance – so much so that “affordable healthcare” can start to sound like an oxymoron. That’s why the Lawrenceville-based Hope Clinic is a saving grace of the healthcare industry. For nearly 20 years, their team of accomplished medical professionals has provided high-quality, comprehensive medical care to the uninsured and underinsured at low (and sometimes no) cost.

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Each year, Northside Hospital Foundation’s Employee Giving Campaign encourages employees to donate money to help causes in our community. In 2021, employees proudly raised more than $1.2 million dollars. A portion of the money raised funded a new Northside Hospital ScreenAtlanta Mobile Mammography van, which offers convenient 2D and 3D screening digital mammograms throughout Georgia communities on a yearround basis.

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WHAT DO THE ATLANTA FALCONS, A WNBA TEAM, AND OLYMPIC ATHLETES HAVE IN COMMON? Georgia Spine and Sports Rehab! That’s what!

HEALTHWIRE SADIE: THE THERAPY DOG Sadie is a 9-month-old registered English Springer Spaniel. She joined Therapeutic Dynamics Physical Therapy in Duluth in early January, at the age of 10 weeks, and has quickly won over the hearts of our patients. She is progressing well toward the goal of certification and once achieved, will also serve in facilities in our area, as a visiting therapy dog.

As the official team chiropractor for the Atlanta Falcons for the 12th year now Joseph Krzemien, D.C. has been on the sidelines, around the country for over 200 games. He has also provided numerous years of care to the WNBA Atlanta Dream, Olympic athletes, college athletes of all sports and high school athletes from all over the state of Georgia. He frequently works with many of the numerous production companies filming here in Georgia too, not to mention 1000s of family members, children, fans and weekend warriors. Some of the best baseball and softball arms in the country owe their recovery to his Josephwork.

EMPLOYEESNORTHSIDE FUND MAMMOGRAPHYNEWVAN

Krzemien, D.C. has been consistently getting the results his patients want for over 15 years in Gwinnett.

738 Old Norcross Road, Suite 100, | Lawrenceville, Ga 30046 Michelle Dixon, CPNP Lindsay Connors, CPNP Elizabeth Hunter, CPNP F. Christian Messick, MD Marcia McBrayer, CFNP Anu Sheth, MD

A runny nose, a sudden cough, or knowing your child is not feeling well can cause anxiety. Finding a pediatrician you can trust and your child likes, can be stressful and exhausting. At Pediatric Associates of Lawrenceville, we understand how challenging that can be. For over twenty-four years, parents have placed their trust in Dr. Anu Sheth and her team. During that time, PAL has become one of the highest rated pediatric providers in Gwinnett. In fact, Dr. Sheth was identified as one of the top pediatricians in metro area by Atlanta Magazine as well as being voted a Best of Gwinnett by the readers of Gwinnett Magazine. She is also involved in numerous professional organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics and currently serves as Chairperson for The Children’s CareTheNetwork.staffofPAL takes great pride in listening to the concerns of parents and their patients. When you visit with our team, we want you to know immediately that addressing your fears and answering your questions are our number one goal. Our aim is for you to feel comfortable and at ease so we can work together and resolve your child’s issue as quicky as possible. Our new state of the art facility has 17 examination rooms. We have treatment spaces for allergy testing, hearing and vision, lactation consultation, behavioral health, laboratory testing, and more. Inside, you’ll find two large waiting rooms for social distancing as well as privacy areas for nursing mothers. In addition, patients who are possibly contagious have reserved curbside parking and are able to enter the building directly into an exam room. As we’ve continued to expand our services, our staff now has four pediatricians and four nurse practitioners. Our two latest additions are Lindsay Connors, CPNP and Annie Hoang, M.D. Lindsay has 7 years of pediatric ICU experience. Annie, a Gwinnett County native, just finished her residency and will join our staff this month. With these two new additions, our team now has over 75 years of experience in pediatric care. PAL is also committed to giving back to the community. We partner with “Reach Out and Read” to encourage children’s literacy from an early age. We also support “Helping Mamas” which is a nonprofit organization that provides essential items for mothers with children from birth to 12 years old. As our lives become more hectic, PAL’s experienced team will provide your children with the exceptional care you desire and they deserve. We’ve set the standard for pediatric care in Gwinnett. To learn more, call 470-202-8164.

Schedule appointmentyourtoday! Our Practice Services Include: • ADD & ADHD Testing • Anxiety, Depression & Behavioral Health • Annual Physicals • Well Baby Checks • Sick Visits • Lactation Consultation • Asthma Management • Immunizations • Sports Physicals • Allergies • Hearing & Vision Checks • Nutrition • Bilingual Staff Pediatric Associates of Lawrenceville The exceptional care your family deserves!470-202-8164 • palonline.net

22 SUMMER 2022 / GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM GWINNETT MAGAZINE

Her initial outreach to her administration led to the establishment of a parent outreach program called H.E.R.O.E. (Hispanos Esforzandose por Resultados, Oportunidades, y Exito, which translates to Hispanics Making Efforts for Results, Opportunities, and Success). The outreach program consists of administrators, ESOL teachers, the parent liaison and Mrs. Garcia Caycho and encompasses professional learning for teachers as well as community-building and instructional support for “Throughoutfamilies.theyear, the school hosts H.E.R.O.E. nights for families to share dinner, build relationships with school personnel, and participate in workshops led by teachers, all in Spanish,” Mrs. Garcia Caycho says. “These workshops provide families with important information, lessons, tools, and resources that they can use to support their children at home and overall become more involved in school.”

Empowering Students, Providing Opportunities GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM / SUMMER 2022 23

Teachers of the year are recognized for being exceptional, dedicated, knowledgeable and skilled teachers in active teaching status. For this reason, on June 3, 2022, Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) had the unique opportunity to name Jamie Garcia Caycho —a 1st grade teacher at Arcado Elementary School who was selected as the 2022 runner-up during the original evaluation process—to represent GCPS as the 2022 Teacher of the Year. Prior to earning the school system’s top honor, Mrs. Garcia Caycho was named as the 2022 Gwinnett County Elementary School Teacher of the Year in December, the state’s Teacher of the Year program. One of Jamie Garcia Caycho’s goals is to make learning accessible for all. She empowers students by providing opportunities for them to see their cultures and backgrounds represented in the classroom as well as gain an understanding and appreciation of others’ cultures and backgrounds. She explains, “When children see examples of people that look, talk, or come from places just like them, that affirms that their own backgrounds are valuable and important. I use my students’ home languages to make connections to new concepts, vocabulary, content andMrs.skills.”Garcia Caycho has a firsthand understanding of the challenges many families face supporting their children academically as she and her family immigrated to the United States from Mexico when she was seven years old. As a result of her experiences, she decided to take action when she saw that Hispanic students in her school were underperforming in academic areas in comparison to other groups of students. She explains, “Knowing that I have a unique advantage of speaking Spanish fluently, I initially thought of hosting parent workshops for my class in Spanish, but, through collaboration with my colleagues, this idea transformed into something bigger and better.”

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS Alcova Elementary School Jennifer Bishop Alford Elementary School Natalia Pyle Anderson-Livsey Elementary School Taylor Thomas Annistown Elementary School Felica Williams Baggett Elementary School Lucas Findlay* Baldwin Elementary School Rebecca Patterson Beaver Ridge Elementary School Christine Bhachech Benefield Elementary School Rachel Howard Berkeley Lake Elementary School Bonnie Walsh Bethesda Elementary School Diana Ramirez Gomez Britt Elementary School Breana Vining Brookwood Elementary School Dr. Nancy Kluge Burnette Elementary School Christy Cochran Camp Creek Elementary School Jennifer Gebczyk* Cedar Hill Elementary School Allison Quevedo Centerville Elementary School Denise Baccus Chattahoochee Elementary School Debby Torak Chesney Elementary School Martine Legagneur-Alcin Cooper Elementary School Pamela Hart Corley Elementary School Jafria Wooden* Craig Elementary School Chimere Burns-Filonenko Dacula Elementary School Susan Hunter Duncan Creek Elementary School Jennifer Chandler Dyer Elementary School Jamie Sturgeon Ferguson Elementary School Diane Cawthon* Fort Daniel Elementary School Kevin Glausier Freeman’s Mill Elementary School Lisa Brownlee Graves Elementary School Elanna Worthy Grayson Elementary School Kristen Davis Gwin Oaks Elementary School Sara Stephenson Harbins Elementary School Katie Walker Harmony Elementary School Hannah England Harris Elementary School Carly Spivey Head Elementary School Rachel Stallworth Hopkins Elementary School Dr. Melissa Cable Ivy Creek Elementary School Angela Williams Jackson Elementary School Sara Hersch Jenkins Elementary School Stacey Lackey Kanoheda Elementary School Pamela Singh Knight Elementary School Verenice Romo* Lawrenceville Elementary School Katie Rawlins Level Creek Elementary School Stacey Speicher Lilburn Elementary School Kemmer Tsirigos 2022 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR Jamie Garcia CaychoArcado Elementary School Congratulations,GCPSTeachersof the Year! Jamie Garcia CaychoARCADO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL22 TEACHER OF THE YEAR 24 SUMMER 2022 / GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM GWINNETT MAGAZINE

Mason Elementary School Kumari Baker* McKendree Elementary School Amanda Rowberry Meadowcreek Elementary School Crisleyda Almonte Minor Elementary School Jessica Carlson Mountain Park Elementary School Emily McGilvray Mulberry Elementary School Terry Spalding Nesbit Elementary School Monique DePass Norcross Elementary School Dr. LaTonya Parker* Norton Elementary School Dr. LaDonna Hollis Parsons Elementary School Sheri Phillips Partee Elementary School Tonya Merl Patrick Elementary School James Mack Peachtree Elementary School Yuenye Yolanda Sato Pharr Elementary School Heather Perry Puckett’s Mill Elementary School Kelly Powell** Riverside Elementary School Rita Arsenault Roberts Elementary School Shea Criss Rock Springs Elementary School Leigh Ann Lacey Rockbridge Elementary School Sahar Tejani Rosebud Elementary School Monica Manis Shiloh Elementary School Racquel R. Samuels Simonton Elementary School Traci Rojo Simpson Elementary School Nicole Charloff Starling Elementary School Heather C. Lewis Stripling Elementary School Melanie Owens Sugar Hill Elementary School Margaret Tontillo Suwanee Elementary School Karen Phillips Sycamore Elementary School Cynthia Bennett Taylor Elementary School Nancy Blumenthal Trip Elementary School Amanda Nicole Dysart Walnut Grove Elementary School Laurie Rundqwist White Oak Elementary School Melissa Neely Winn Holt Elementary School Becca Brown* Woodward Mill Elementary School Monica Gassman *Semifinalist **Finalist (Level winners also are finalists) GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM / SUMMER 2022 25 2022 TEACHERS OF THE YEAR!

MIDDLE SCHOOLS Bay Creek Middle School Rebecca Brown Coleman Middle School Brittany Davis Couch Middle School Jasmine Clay Creekland Middle School Jessie Schiereck Crews Middle School Sabrina P. Robertson Dacula Middle School Katrina Beaty Clavon* Duluth Middle School Lien Huynh Five Forks Middle School Matt Tankersley Grace Snell Middle School Amelia Massey Hull Middle School Kanisha Sherman* Jones Middle School Alyson Carroll Jordan Middle School Vonda Smalls Lanier Middle School Angelique Carter Sharpe Lilburn Middle School LaTonja DeCambre McConnell Middle School Toosdhi Ashley Moore Middle School Sonta Murray North Gwinnett Middle School Jenny Stark** Northbrook Middle School Tricia Boston Osborne Middle School Nicole Merrill Pinckneyville Middle School Josie Ebert Radlo Middle School Demetrius Polk Richards Middle School Lauren Glover Shiloh Middle School Alexis Pritchett* Snellville Middle School Lynn Thacker Summerour Middle School Dr. Edith Holbrook Riehm Sweetwater Middle School Justice Ejike* Trickum Middle School Bianca Woods* Twin Rivers Middle School Andrew Cox HIGH SCHOOLS Berkmar High School Dr. Sonia Howard Brookwood High School Erin Thompson** Central Gwinnett High School Judith Chavarria Gimenez Collins Hill High School Maggie Harper Dacula High School Brandi Poore Discovery High School Brandon T. Baker Duluth High School Shawn Morton Grayson High School Linn Zamora Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Laurie C. Duke* Lanier High School Jordan Brannen McClure Health Science High School Katie Kangas* Meadowcreek High School Wanda L. Moon Mill Creek High School Laurel Christopher Mountain View High School Gretchen P. Galvin* Norcross High School Maria M. Peña North Gwinnett High School John F. Rhilinger Parkview High School Anela Buljubasic Paul Duke STEM High School Brooke Skelton Peachtree Ridge High School Andy Edwards* Phoenix High School Paige Lutes Shiloh High School Dr. Krystal N. Tomlin South Gwinnett High School Kandra Malone OTHER SCHOOLS Buice Center Shanice Turner GIVE Center East Brenda G. Clark GIVE Center West Emily Eigel Gwinnett Online Campus David Wise* International Transition Center Andrea M. Anderson Maxwell High School of Technology Brandon Myers Oakland Meadow School Sandra Lisic *Semifinalist **Finalist (Level winners also are finalists) 2022 MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR Taniesha Pooser Berkmar Middle School 26 SUMMER 2022 / GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM GWINNETT MAGAZINE

From knowing where to eat, to finding a favorite beauty shop, from finding new things to do with your kids to finding fun for the family pet, this directory of Gwinnett Hotspots can help make you seem like the expert in the family! GWINNETT MAGAZINE MARKETPLACE YOU the Best

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BUFORD CITY SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT, MELANIE REED, SHARES VISION, INSPIRATION AND GRATITUDE FOR THEUNIQUE SCHOOL COMMUNITY IN BUFORD. GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM / SUMMER 2022 31

— MELANIE REED, SUPERINTENDENT OF BUFORD CITY SCHOOLS “WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS NOT ONLY ACHIEVE BUT ALSO FEEL THEIR BEST.” 32 SUMMER 2022 / GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM

THE B IRTH OF BCS

A popular misconception about the district is that at some point, it broke apart from Gwinnett County Schools. But the BCS district actually predates the formation of Gwinnett County Schools with BCS dating back to the 1870’s. Cities managed their own school districts and operated independently prior to consolidations.

In 1956, cities in Gwinnett County were given the option to vote into a county-consolidated district. While the rest of the cities in the county chose to conjoin, Buford decided to continue operating as its own independent district,

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MELANIE IS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF GWINNETT COUNTY AND superintendent of Buford City Schools. She was expecting her firstborn when she and her husband decided they wanted to raise their family in Buford. A Buford graduate himself, Reed’s husband appreciated the academic edge he’d been afforded at his alma mater district, and he and Reed wanted the same for their own children.

After the move, Reed worked in several roles at Buford City Schools, from elementary school teacher to principal to assistant superintendent. Then in February 2022, she was named superintendent after the existing superintendent announced his retirement. Although she might appear a rookie to her role, Reed knows the school system inside and out, holding high visions and standards for the district, its teachers and its“Ourstudents.goal is for our students not to just be locally or nationally competitive, but to be internationally competitive,” says Reed. “And our district is putting focus in areas where we can make that happen.”

Examples include expanding advanced placement and gifted opportunities, stem opportunities, supporting ESOL students and also expanding career technical pathways to get students career ready after graduating highButschool.Reed doesn’t believe the efforts should end at academia. “We want to ensure that students not only achieve but also feel their best,” says Reed. “Our focus is also on promoting mental health and wellbeing, creating a supportive community, and amping up safety.”

BUFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Kindergarten): BES has a brand new media space in the works, which will provide staff and students a place to integrate coding, robotics, and STEM activities into the curriculum.

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A NOVEL APPROACH TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STRUCTURE and it’s remained that way ever since. Today, the Buford City Schools cluster includes Buford Elementary School, Buford Academy, Buford Senior Academy, Buford Middle School and Buford High School. The unique advantage of this structure, according to Reed, is the cohesive collaboration it fosters vertically among teachers. For instance, it’s not uncommon to find middle school teachers syncing up with high school teachers to craft and bolster curricula to benefit and challenge students.

BMS FOR MUSIC EXCELLENCE In March 2022, BMS Symphonic Band participated in a Large Group Performance Evaluation at Central Gwinnett High School. The band played a sight-read piece and three various pieces of music in front of a judges’ panel. The results? All A’s in fifty categories of scores! A BEHEMOTH FOR BHS Back in the 1990s, Buford High School (BHS) was a 1A classification school. Now, it’s set to be reclassified from 6A to 7A, indicative of the tremendous growth in its student population and signaling the need for a bigger, better sports venue. With the current Tom Riden stadium tracing its roots back to BHS’s 1A days, the high school is excited to announce a brand-new replacement that will be situated across the street

BUFORD SENIOR ACADEMY (Grades 4 and 5): BSA students, parents and staff raised over $93,000 during their October fundraiser to purchase new playground equipment and enabling the school to install interactive educational boards to enhance classroom teaching and learning.

DID YOU KNOW: where most districts include several grades under an elementary school title, BCS segments the population into three different schools? Buford Elementary School is exclusive to Kindergartners, while Buford Academy hosts first through third graders and Buford Senior Academy is home to fourth and fifth graders.

BUFORD ACADEMY (Grades 1-3): In Fall of 2022, BA looks forward to debuting Odyssey of the Mind, a program that aims to cultivate students’ problem-solving skills with creative and unique challenges. Additionally, BA (and BES) teachers have begun Orton-Gillingham training, which is a highly structured, multi-sensory, sequential, diagnostic, and prescriptive approach to teaching literacy.

With football winning state championships three years in a row, volleyball and wrestling winning state two years in a row, and a recent state championship in gymnastics, it’s no wonder the mere mention of BCS is synonymously correlated with excellence in athletics.

As a result of its vigorous efforts in athletics, the district received the Georgia Athletic Associations Directors Cup this year for the second year in a row–a recognition awarded by the state for top overall athletic programs–in 6A classification.

from the school. Construction is set to start in January 2023 with an anticipated completion of fall 2024. To lend glory to its upgraded status, the stadium is expected to tout 10,000 seats, a pedestrian crosswalk connecting BHS and the complex, expanded concessions, a press box, as well as a large parking deck to accommodate both players and visitors.

Buford City Schools Fine Arts Coordinator, Dr. Chris Fowler, was recently nationally recognized as Outstanding Music Educator for 2021-2022 by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Dr. Fowler’s accomplishments are many. Apart from being a devoted fine arts instructor and choral director for over 35 years, he’s also the hand behind the district’s two performing arts buildings; the Buford Fine Arts Center and Buford High School’s performing arts building. Built in 2000 and 2019 respectively, the buildings are privately held and accessible only to groups associated with BCS.

The two facilities provide a professional atmosphere for teachers and students. Students have the opportuni ty to rehearse and perform in both spaces with state-of-

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AWARD-WINNING FINE ARTS AND A STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE WOLVES?

The plans for BCS’s future are bright, including a bolstered curricula that helps students remain competitive not just regionally or nationally—but alsoProjectsinternationally.intheBCS pipeline include a new career and technical education building that will include a construction lab, an engineering lab and several computer science labs, among other things. A visitor’s fieldhouse is anticipated at the Tom Riden Stadium of Buford Middle School for visiting football teams, and Buford’s cross country and track Additionally,teams.the district continues to expand its classroom capacity throughout its cluster schools to ensure that students can learn in a classroom instead of in ‘portable learning units’ or, as they’re better known, trailers. This includes the upcoming renovations to Buford Middle School’s cafeteria, kitchen and current fieldhouse to include more classrooms as well as adding a two-story building behind Buford Senior Academy.

the-art technology and systems often found in pro fessional theaters such as a Spiralift orchestra pit, a nine-foot Steinway concert grand piano, LED and incandescent lighting, and digital sound systems. Each facility has a professional flyway system and dressing rooms with individual lighted stations and Clear-COMM to facilitate communication between the AV booth and dressing rooms. Each dressing room is equipped with a video monitor that dis plays live action in real time from the stage. Both of Buford’s awe-inspiring venues surpass many pro fessional facilities, making for a true Broadway-type of experience for performers and audiences.

NATIONALLY COMPETITIVE RANKING IN ACADEMICS When it comes to academics, BCS has been crushing it. The district’s SAT scores for 2021 rose from 2020 by 37 points and are currently 85 points above state average and 124 points above the national average. As of 2021, BHS also boasts an astounding gradu ation rate of 95.9%, and the college board has recog nized it for exemplary scores in four distinct areas: AP stem achievement school, AP school of distinc tion, AP expansion school, and AP stem school.

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“OUR GOAL IS FOR OUR STUDENTS NOT TO JUST BE LOCALLY OR NATIONALLY COMPETITIVE, BUT TO BE COMPETITIVE.”INTERNATIONALLY GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM / SUMMER 2022 37

• BCS is a no waiver district, only one of two in the state, meaning it hasn’t applied to increase class sizes above state-defined limits.

• The district has millage rates of around 12.55 mills, approximately half of some other districts.

• BCS’s greatest number of state recognitions aren’t in athletics, but in literary. They’ve won 13 consecutive GHSA state championships and 19 overall. REED, SUPERINTENDENT OF BUFORD CITY SCHOOLS

• About 25% of BCS student body is comprised of non-resident or tuition students

• Niche rated Buford City Schools as #1 school district in Georgia seventh year in a row.

• Average student-teacher ratio is 15:1, with kindergarten averaging in around 10:1.

• Under the City’s Charter, the district’s board Chairman also serves as the City Commission Chairman, making for a strong coalition between the Buford City Commission and the Board of Education.

• Teachers have access to in-house daycare facilities at a reduced price, allowing them to have their own children nearby during the workday.

THE RUNDOWN FACTSFAST

— MELANIE

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BUFORD ROOTS RUN DEEP

It all started with that “four greats” grandfather, Moses Beard, who arrived by ship. After landing in Charleston, Phillip’s forefather did some traveling. He was a spy during the Revolutionary War and fought in the battle at Hanging Rock and in the taking of Rugley’s Fort. He wound up in Athens, where he is now buried – on Jackson Street inside the University of Georgia campus. As a result of the land lottery system, Phillip’s “three greats” grandfather – a veteran of the War of 1812 – wound up with a tract of land near the Chattahoochee River on what is now part of Lake Lanier Islands. He was buried on his property near Shoal Creek but exhumed and relocated to New Bethany Baptist Church Cemetery when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built Buford Dam and the water began to back up.

I’VE BEEN BUSY ALL MY LIFE

When Phillip was six years old, his grandfather would take him rabbit hunting. While the elder Beard, colleagues and kin tracked small mammals, an enterprising young Phillip scoured the grounds for oval-leafed peanut plants. “I’d pick me a sackful every time they’d take me up there, and momma helped me parch them in the oven, and I’d put them in little bags, jump the railroad tracks with 40 bags on a Saturday morning,” Phillip recalls, laughing. “At a nickel a bag, I’d have 2 bucks in no time. People at that time were making 10 cents an hour for their work, so I was doing good. I started a bank account … and bought myself

The family of Phillip Beard is spread far, wide and deep in the Buford community.

Family history is a topic that interests Phillip – and for good reason. He can trace the roots of his forefathers all the way back to an Irish great-great-greatgreat-grandfather’s arrival in Charleston, South Carolina – and each of the grandfathers’ stories is intriguing.

The Irish great-great-great-greatgrandfather is buried in Athens, while the three grandfathers born after him are all buried right here in Buford at New Bethany Baptist Church Cemetery. Phillip’s father is buried in the Buford City Cemetery. As far as living relatives go, Phillip, 82, says he can’t walk around the city of Buford and not run into somebody who’s a second or third cousin: “You go down the street saying something good or something bad, and you’re bound to be talking to somebody that’s a relative. Got a huge family background here, and a lot of them have stayed in the community.”

Phillip’s great-grandfather bought a piece of land near the railroad track in Buford. He lived on a 188-acre farm that he paid for in increments by growing cotton and chopping and piling firewood on the side of the train, back when trains ran on wood rather than coal. His grandfather was an elected official – serving on the city council in the 1920s. He and a relative also ran a furniture store in downtown Buford, which closed during the Great Depression. Business was in the Beard blood apparently. In 1946, Phillip’s father opened a grocery store in downtown Buford, where the young Phillip worked as a boy.

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His great-great-grandfather was a state senator who also fought for the Confederate Army in the Civil War in the Third Georgia Militia. On the day before Robert E. Lee surrendered, Phillip’s forefather was captured in Virginia. He was released a day after his capture and walked all the way back to Georgia with fellow prisoners of war.

Politics has been easy. I do my job and leavefolksmealone.

It’s a far cry from the town Buford once was. One need only ride through the city limits on the main thoroughfares or take a stroll through downtown historic Buford to see it’s quite the bustling little city.

a brand-new suit by the time I was 10 yearsPhillipold.”graduated from Buford High School in 1958. High school sweetheart, Sylvia, who he would later marry, graduated in 1960.

Phillip was accepted to attend Georgia Institute of Technology. He attended Georgia Tech for two years before losing interest.“Iwasn’t ever satisfied with being an engineer,” he says. “In 1957, Russia put the Sputnik up and from there they was herding everybody to ‘go take math and science, because we’re behind the Russians!’ you know.”

Around this time, at the age of 19, Phillip bought a dry-cleaning business (Model Cleaners) in Buford. He made the business successful, turning a profit on the investment in less than a year. He was a sophomore at the time at Georgia Tech. “(The dry-cleaning business) was an income producer, and I had some good employees who worked there,” Phillip says. “I was five or six years old when my dad went into business, so I’d had more than 10 years dealing with the public already in my dad’s store.”

The city of Buford also upgraded gas lines running around the town and beyond. Today, the gas that Buford sells to its customers is an important source of income for the municipality, with nearly 50,000 customers in the system in Buford and far Today,beyond.heestimates the city’s utility systems to be worth than $800 million: “Maybe more than that, and it’s growing.”

After his two years at Georgia Tech, he changed collegiate pathways, attending the University of Georgia for the next couple of years. Around this time, Sylvia graduated from Brenau University in SoonGainesville.thereafter, Phillip would turn to the career path that interested him most: real estate. The dry-cleaning plant was his first piece of property – and he took the profits out of it to purchase other properties around town. He got his real estate license in his 20s. And then, he figured he’d try running for public office. After failing to secure a seat on the Buford city commission at the age of 26, he later tried again at the age of 34. He was elected in 1975 to the commission and hasn’t lost the seat since. He says cleaning up Buford was a top priority when he first got elected. “That’s one of the first things I said when I got in office,” he says. “I said we’re going to clean this town up. We got all the kudzu down near the railroad tracks, built those nice wrought iron fences around the railroad to beautify it and landscape it. Part of my daily activities even these days is just to look at things and see how I can improveInfrastructuralthem.” improvements were next on his list as a young city commissioner – and the city went to work improving electric systems, replacing water and gas lines and more to get the town up to date in its “Politicsprocesses.hasbeen easy. I do my job and folks leave me alone,” he says, smiling.

BUFORD – THEN AND NOW Says Phillip of the state of things when he took office: “We didn’t have curbs anywhere. We had little old bitty water lines. We had to rebuild the electric system, the water lines, the sewer lines.”

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Wayne Mason, who served on the

Gwinnett County Commission in the 1970s, says the city owes much of its success to Phillip. “He has done a fantastic job. Buford has been his life. Him and his wife both. Where do you find someone like that?”

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“I mean, he has put forth every effort to make (Buford City Schools) the best ... and it really is the best anywhere. And if you read the papers, Buford City Schools is the number-one school in the state of Georgia,” Baldwin says. “Buford grows its own. They grow their own, and because of that, they do really well, and it’s because of Phillip Beard … he has stood for that school system and the city. They both are what they are because of Phillip Beard. Other people, yeah, they have definitely helped a whole lot … but the main person is Phillip Beard. Just such a neat man.”

Adds Phillip: “I want our kids to be proud of the town they grew up in. I want people to be proud to tell the world ‘I’m from Buford, Georgia. Come and see my home.’ Invite people. We try to make it where people can be proud of it.”

I’ve nobodynothingdoneelsecouldn’tdo–Ijuststayfocused.

Accomplishing everything he’s accomplished starts at home every morning around 4:30 a.m. He wakes up and makes his wife breakfast. He fixes her a sandwich for lunch as well. His wife, at 80 years old, still teaches piano in Buford. Many mornings, he’s got a breakfast meeting with someone regarding city business. On the mornings he doesn’t, he’ll go ahead and fix himself something in the kitchen as well. From there, it’s on to Buford City Schools headquarters or city hall. As chairman of the city commission, he is also chairman of the school board as well – a system in place since the mid90s.After finishing up with city business

BUFORD’S NUMBER ONE

Former Buford City Schools

Phillip recalls that decision too. “We were losing money on electricity at the time,” Phillip says. “We had a decision to make. The county already had a well-thought-of, good, police force, so I met with them, and they said … we were paying for the county police already through taxes, so we disbanded our police. From there, we’ve done pretty good financially.”Especially, he says, with regard to the city’s school system. Buford is the only public municipal city school system in Gwinnett County that operates independently of Gwinnett County Public Schools – and one of only 21 like it in theOncestate.the sales tax hit the scene, Buford has been flush with school funds. We’ve had the finest school facilities; we’ve managed the money as well and maintained our facilities. Buford’s award-winning school system is a particular point of pride for him. “If you go down to city hall … you’ll find people who graduated Buford High School running it. If I can keep our people coming back home wanting to be part of Buford, it will stay Buford, and that’s my goal: bringing these kids back (after they graduate) and making them feel good and providing jobs and a future for them.”

Superintendent Beauty Baldwin says the school system is number one thanks in large part to all that Phillip has done.

Mason says, recounting a time in the 1970s when the two elected officials met to discuss law enforcement. “(Phillip) said to me, ‘Mason, what if we do away with our police department?’ Well, I was commission chairman at the time. I said, ‘we’ll cover it. You pay taxes, same as everybody else – (Buford) is entitled to the service, we’re just not going to duplicate it.’”

During his decades on the board, there have been high points – building of the Buford Arena, the civic center, the new city hall “without having to go to people and burden them with debt.”

He estimates the city of Buford today to have more than $100 million in surplus funds. “We don’t skimp on our projects, and all this stuff’s paid for. It’s about the approach you take,” he says. Adds Phillip: “I’d have loved for some of the older people to have been able to see what we’ve done. I’ve had good help. I’ve had good people serve with me. It’s not been Phil Beard. I get a lot of the credit, but it’s been“Myeverybody.”successhas been because of the people that we were associated with who worked for us. Luckily, we picked good people who had the same goals in life to be the best. Buford’s number one. We don’t accept anything less than being number one.”

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Explains Phillip: “Done that most of my life. When I was a kid – this was prior to us even having gas in Buford. We didn’t have gas stoves when I was a kid. We had coal and wood. When I came home from school I had to chop my wood to start my fires the next morning. We worked … to take a bath. Back then they had a stove that would heat water and run it into a tank and had to do all that before we went to school every morning.”

His says the morning time routines also help him stay focused. “I’ve done nothing nobody else couldn’t do – I just stay focused. And that’s what I tell these kids: stay focused. That one word if you’ll just think about it when you do something. ‘Focus.’ Don’t go to zigzagging or you’ll get taken down the detours and bumpy roads. Stay focused. Set your goals.”Hehas tons of advice for anybody who wants to listen. Here’s another tidbit in regards to leadership. “Being a good leader means doing what you tell people you’re going to do,” he says. “For instance, I say ‘I’m not going up on your taxes, I’m not going up on our utilities.’ And that’s what I mean. Water and sewer rates in Buford and garbage rates were set in 1973. $2 for garbage; $1 for water; 50 cents for sewer. And … we still charge that.”

The early morning habit is a remnant of childhood.

the first half of the day, from that point on, he’ll “start working on real estate in the afternoons. I’ve acquired a good many pieces of real estate over the years. I’m like a car trader – I just trade land. Made my living like that.”And then, it all starts again the next day at 4:30 a.m.

Call 770.277.4722 to set up a tour or visit GerardPrep.com for more information. Integrating Education and the Arts since 1989 Serving Gwinnett County since 1989, Gerard offers 12/1 ratio maximum size class groups in a safe home-style Christian environment. Interweaving research based, class tested strategies and multi-faceted methodologies through the 360º Approach®, Gerard seeks to create opportunities for success for each student. With 100% college acceptance rate, Gerard boasts: We are not just transforming their school days, we are changing the trajectory of their lives! Mi ion r Success! BestPrivateSchool!

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Private School

8

GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM / SUMMER 2022 45 PRIVATE SCHOOLS

If you’re contemplating private school for your child, making the right choice is a big part of your decision. Different schools offer different teaching philosophies and learning environments and making the right match for your child is key to their success. Here are eight important questions that you should ask as you consider a private school. The information you receive will help paint you a clearer picture and guide you in making the best choice for your child. What curriculum is followed? A curriculum is simply what your child will be expected to learn throughout the school year. It’s imperative that you know what is going to be taught to see if there are any potential questions or disagreements. Private schools are not required to adhere to the state of Georgia’s public school curriculum, but it is easily available online and will SCAN FOR MORE! (UNLESS YOU’RE IN CLASS)

tell you what their peers will be learning. This can be helpful so as to have some sort of comparison between the school you’re considering and its public school counterpart. Is it more rigorous? Less? How does it compare to other private schools that you’ve interviewed? Knowing your child’s current academic ability and strengths should help you analyze each school’s curriculum and factor it into your final choice appropriately. What is their philosophy on education? This is an area where you can choose your child’s school according to the environment in which they naturally thrive. Some schools have structured, disciplined methods based on fact memorization. Others have a discussion-based approach that is meant to encourage independent thinking. Schools can have tailored lesson design based on the different learning styles (auditory, visual or kinesthetic). Technology could be heavily featured. Faith could play a part. These are all considerations you have to make in keeping with the child’s needs and your values. What extracurricular activities are offered? Education is well and good, but it’s not the only thing that matters to a student. Extracurriculars provide important social interaction with groups of people with similar interests. They have the power to motivate and inspire children to succeed in other areas as well. What sports do they offer? Are there any student clubs? Are the clubs offered of any interest to your child? Are new clubs allowed to be made? These are the kinds of questions to ask. How are the parents involved? Parents need to be involved in some way with the education of their children. How do your potential schools foster parental involvement in a healthy way? Are there regular parent-teacher conferences? Is there a parentteacher organization? What lines of communication are open between the parents and teachers?

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What is the average class size? More individual attention from the teacher results in higher student performance. You want to make sure that the average class size in your potential school isn’t too large. Big class sizes can signal that the school is understaffed and will be unable to give your child the amount of personal education they require. What facilities are provided? You may want to ask about the school’s facilities to see if they have any truly special offerings. Do they have a computer lab? An audio-visual room? A nice gymnasium? A library? A theater? Depending on your child, a school having one of these paired with an interesting extracurricular can make all the difference. What is the turnover rate for the staff? This can be an overlooked question, but the answer will provide a key insight in regard to the quality of the school. Would you want to work somewhere with an abnormally high turnover rate? Probably not, so sending your child to a school that churns through teachers can be problematic. Having staff stability shows that both the teachers and the administration are happy with each other. Plus, if your child does eventually have a favorite teacher or teachers, you can be reasonably confident that they will be able to stay in touch with them through the school for years. This builds mutual trust and respect between the students and faculty throughout their education. What are the challenges your school has overcome? Every school faces challenges. Whether they have to do with funding, serious issues with the faculty, difficulties with students or anything in between. How they overcome these can reveal the true nature of the administration.

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4725 River Green Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30096 A School Where Educating is Our Number One Goal! NewLifeAcademyGA.com678-720-9870 4725 River Green Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30096 New Life Academy of Excellence was created to prepare students for the global economy by teaching the Mandarin Chinese language, utilizing innovative teaching techniques and offering a challenging curriculum. We provide an educational environment for academic achievement and individual growth and development. Scan to Learn More About Enrollment!

Private Schools Gwinnett is known for it’s outstanding educational options for K-12 students, including an extensive array of private schools. Check out these great choices! Killian Hill Christian School 770-921-3224 www.KHCS.org New Life Academy Of Excellence 770.963.8303 • High-fidelity Montessori education since 1993 • Enrolling children from 15 months to 12 years old • Accredited by the American Montessori Society & Cognia/SACS • Collaborative, inclusive classroom environments • Beautiful, wooded 10-acre campus Awakening Your Child’s Natural Desire to Learn Our Purpose is Your Success Choose from 40+ areas of study 1 87 REINHARDT REINHARDT EDU 50 SUMMER 2022 / GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM

COLLEGE ROAD TRIP!

Four-Year CollegesStudents that start at a four-year collegedon’t have to worry about transferring. Four-year colleges typically offer a wide varietyof career fields and are a good option forstudents who may want to attend graduateschool at some point in the future.

Two-Year Colleges are another option.Many students choose this route to acollege education because they can earnan associates degree or start to earn creditstowards a bachelor’s degree. Many studentsuse a two-year college as the first step andwork to transfer to a four-year college.

Arriving at Destination CollegeNow that you’ve identified the type of schoolyou are interested in, it’s time to find theperfect school. We’ll help you narrow downyour search and end up at the right college. If you’re serious about furtheringyour education, we’re ready to takeyou there.

Technical Colleges can be a great place tostart exploring a college education. Manypeople attend technical college because itcan help students prepare for jobs quickly,and most technical colleges have high jobplacement rates. Students that attendcan earn associate degrees,diplomas orcertificates in a variety of fields. Mosttechnical colleges also have a rollingadmission process, so students can startat different times of the year.

SPIRIT acom m u nity UNITED in

DUPREERENE

Rene Dupree began making memories during an open mic night at a small coffee shop on the Square in Oxford. It was in that moment that she found her community and forever friends. Later, and thanks to the support of her First-Year experience professor, she landed a job at the Career Center on campus. From a warm smile on the morning walk to class, to a jubilant “Hotty Toddy!” during a football game, students at Ole Miss will find a welcoming, safe community constantly in motion. We invite you to visit our campus and experience our community that is united in spirit, passion, and purpose.

Come see for yourself. Scan the QR code to schedule your visit.

How do you figure out which colleges to apply to? Finding colleges that fit you best begins with self-discovery -- that means getting to know your interests, your goals and what’s most important to you. The following five steps wil get you started on the right path. 5 STEPS CREATINGTO A COLLEGE LIST GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM / SUMMER 2022 55 SECTION

Check out individual profiles of the colleges that come up in your search results. When you see a college you like, add it to a favorites list. You can return to it later and refine your list as you go along. TO YOU’RE IN CLASS)

PLANNING!START (UNLESS

56 SUMMER 2022 / GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM GWINNETT MAGAZINE

SEARCH FOR COLLEGES Use College Search on BigFuture.org to find colleges that match your preferences. Search for colleges by location, majors, size and more. There’s guidance to help you along the way.

3

4 ADD COLLEGES TO YOUR LIST

Visit College Search Step-by-Step on BigFuture.org where you can learn about basic college categories and answer questions about your preferences. You’ll also find in-depth information about searching for colleges, along with advice from students and educators.

5 BIGFUTURE.ORG SCAN

2

ASK YOURSELF SOME QUESTIONS: Answering questions like these will help you focus your college search. • What am I interested in? • How do I spend my free time? • What do I feel passionate about? • How do I learn best? • What do I think I want to do in the future? 1 GET TO KNOW THE OPTIONS

DECIDE WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU

For some students, sports and activities are very important. Other students want a challenging academic environment. Look at your answers to the questions in Step 1. What do they say about you and what you may like in a college?

HARD TRANSFORMATIONWORK AND FROM SHEARING FABRIC TO WORKING IN HER GARDEN, DR. JANN JOSEPH, TAKES THE SAME HANDS-ON APPROACH TO SET UP GEORGIA GWINNETT COLLEGE’S SUCCESS AND FUTURE.

GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM / SUMMER 2022 59

And what do all these have in common

And yet, she is one of the most interesting

HARD TRANSFORMATIONWORK AND

She crochets. She sews. She cleans. She watches Star Trek – obsessively.

Transformation. It’s a word that defines the things she loves, including her professional role as president of Georgia Gwinnett College – both in terms of transforming students and When surveying the campus grounds of Georgia Gwinnett College where she’s served as president for almost three years, she envisions the transformations 10, 20 and 30 years down the line: She looks forward to transforming the grounds of the space, to make the campus more attractive, to make it a place where people want

She enjoys pulling weeds, turning earth, staking flourishing flora and the cool feel of soil between her fingers as she works the land. She loves reupholstering thrift store furniture that catches her eye, giving a dining room set or old chair new life, metallic snap of the staplegun fixing the newpatterned fabric in place. She quilts.

Shelikes

And, when it comes to students? As an access campus, many students who arrive at GGC ready to learn come in with a lower GPA than some who might select other institutions so, aiming to improve their grades and, yes, Dr. Joseph too is always transforming – and she’s also tougher than you might think to put in a box: Dr. Jann Joseph loves reading the news. She does not like watching the news. Dr. Joseph is a tomboy who loves quilting, knitting and sewing. Dr. Joseph loves to clean the house. She does not like to cook. Dr. Joseph claims to be a “really boring person.”

selecting and shearing raw fabric, drafting it and transforming it into a fresh pair of slacks or a shirt.

WASUNDERSTOOD“IEVENTHENTHATTHEREAWORLDOUTTHEREGREATERTHANME.”

‘GIVING PEOPLE SECOND CHANCES’ Dr. Joseph believes in second chances with regard to education, even if her native country did not embrace such practices at the time she attended schools there. “You had to be an early bloomer … if you didn’t take to education at a very young age, you didn’t get the space to recover,” Dr. Joseph says. “In Trinidad, the exams you took when you were 10 or 11 years old determined the schools you were placed in – and those schools then determined the kinds of teachers and environments you were exposed to that would then give you a leg up.”

Competitive by nature, Dr. Joseph also was often ranked first, second or third in

As the youngest of five children, Dr. Joseph says she herself was fortunate to blossom intellectually as an early learner. Meanwhile, her older brother, she says, was one of the best students her elementary school had ever had.

‘FROM A NON-DESCRIPTLITTLEHOUSE’

Or, she adds, more succinctly: “If you’re not careful, you can lose in today’s actions the thing that would have helped tomorrow be better.”

Born in Trinidad, West Indies, as the youngest of five siblings, Dr. Joseph will tell you her upbringing didn’t necessarily influence a direct path to president of a college in Gwinnett County, Georgia – but it certainly influenced her lifelong academic trajectory and tradition of hard work. “My story is not unique,” Dr. Joseph says, invoking the idea of the American Dream. “Mine is one of millions in which people grew up with parents who fought to give their children more than they had, and I think for me my parents really fought for that. My mother in particular was very respectful of the power of education to change lives. She was a Readingreader.”played a large role in young Dr. Joseph’s life in Trinidad, where she devoured newspapers and loved in particular the hand-me-down copies of Readers’ Digest her family was able to acquire. She thinks her early exposure to reading helped her develop “an awareness of people and cultures outside the tiny sphere of my little world in a small country in a little non-descript house with outdoor plumbing.” Adds Dr. Joseph: “I understood even then that there was a world out there greater than me. I didn’t seek to necessarily travel or conquer that world as a child, but I always knew I wanted to understand it by touching it, not just reading about it.” And she decided to do just that, embarking on an educational journey that would take her places beyond that non-descript house. Dr. Joseph graduated from the University of the West Indies - St. Augustine with a Bachelor of Science in agriculture in 1984 and a Master of Philosophy in plant science in 1989. Her education career started in 1990 as a teacher of agricultural science in Trinidad and Tobago. In 1998, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a doctorate in curriculum and instruction in science education. Her teaching, research and administrative experience included positions at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti and Indiana University - South Bend, where she served as Executive Vice Chancellor and Interim Chancellor. Though she took a path that centered around college and university-related occupations, she’s careful to say it was never her dream – or that there was any manner of ‘aha’ moments involved. It’s one of her personal philosophies that people should be careful with dreams. “People should focus on what they’re doing well – and keeping their intellect and energy and goodwill open to what comes next while focusing on what they’re doing now,” Dr. Joseph says. “And I think when we get too aspirational it can get in the way of us achieving dreams – because dreams are not always immediately tangible. Big dreams are good, but you must also have a strategy in place to get there! What do you do in a day? What do you do in a year? How do you scaffold to future success. We spend time teaching people to think big, rather than accomplishing big steps.”

GWINNETTMAGAZINE.COM / SUMMER 2022 61

“I was devastated,” she says. “But I was in my brother’s older class … and my parents had to tell me (not to be so hard on myself).” Keep in mind this was in a country with a very unforgiving system for students in younger grades. It’s Dr. Joseph’s aversion to this way of ranking without the opportunity for subsequent academic redemption that won her over to the American way of “forgiveness” in high school and on into collegiate learning. “America is toughest on itself,” Dr. Joseph says. “I think … there’s so much that’s superior about the American lifestyle and the education system … what we’re good at is giving people second chances … even in some of the tougher school districts you still have some good schools in there, whereas in some parts of the world you can’t find a good school no matter how hard you try.”

her classes. She was so smart that she skipped a grade and ended up in her older brother’s class. It was then that she was humbled by a ranking of 11 out of 40.

Dr. Joseph says she’s grateful to “have the opportunity to lead a campus where I believe in the students, I believe in the capacity to change their world, I believe in their capacity to become great leaders. I believe they can make a difference. I believe too that this dream I have for them, this (role as president) is my action toward helping them realize their dreams.”

When Dr. Joseph thinks about Georgia Gwinnett College – a higher education institution that enrolls significant numbers of students who have historically not had access to education or may not have grade point averages to get them into other colleges and universities – she knows she’s in the right place. Dr. Joseph was named third president of the institution in July 2019, taking the helm of a post previously held by Dr. Stanley C. “Stas” Preczewski and inaugural President Dr. Daniel J. Kaufman. Another higher education leader, Richard Tucker, served on the Board of Regents, chairing the hiring committee that interviewed Dr. Joseph to become GGC president. He says Dr. Joseph has been a great choice from the start. “She’s been a really great college president, has done well in pursuing the kinds of things she’s supposed to relative to educating the kids in her charge,” Tucker says. “She’s done a good job, she’s a good communicator and the community seems to have really embraced her.”

THINKING)ALWAYSWHATCANIDOASTHEPRESIDENT…”

She gets ready and heads to campus, attending meetings, appointments, luncheons, speaking engagements and dinners. It’s a long day – and at the end of it, it’s all about transforming the lives of the young people who attend GGC, she says. “(I’m always thinking) what can I do as the president … to put in place the structure and the support that would allow them … through hard work and transformation to realize their dreams?” And there’s that word again. Transformation. When the important daily work of transforming the lives of GGC students is finished, she comes home and the transformations continue as she attends to her hobbies – shearing fabric for clothing, reupholstering furniture, pulling weeds, attending to her garden, quilting, crocheting and sewing.

And what does it all have in common with her work at “IGGC?think I love to transform things physically, to see the process” she says. “That’s my nature. For example, when I look at where this campus could be 20 years from now … it makes me so excited. It’s who I am, and I love it.”

Before she even sets foot on campus in the mornings, this is how the day begins: She awakens around 6 a.m., and without the aid of an alarm clock.

“I get up with the birds. I have not used an alarm since I was in high school … I’ve gotten up naturally all my life. I get up with natural light. I awake when it’s time to move,” she says. “It’s very rare that an alarm wakes me up, even when I set it. I’m up before it goes off.”

From there, she reads in bed: news, academic journals, etc. When finished, she gets up – her puppy, Addie, trailing her from room to room – grinds coffee beans in the kitchen and pours a steaming cup. She opens her calendar and thinks about the appointments she has, though she doesn’t like to schedule too many early meetings. For the most part, she likes her mornings to be “organic.” She spends time thinking about the people she’ll meet with and the appointments or speaking engagements she has, then goes out to the patio. She listens to the birds. She reminds herself that “this is a day for me to do good things in the world – otherwise I might as well go back to sleep.”

(“I’M

‘THIS IS A DAY FOR ME TO DO GOOD THINGS’

HARD TRANSFORMATIONWORK AND

2018 - #1 COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA — TheBestSchools.org

GMC also offers 6 Bachelor of Applied Science degree programs. For more information on our BAS degree programs, please visit: gmc. edu/degree-programs/#tab-bachelors-degree

#

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.

2018

PROUDTOBE

. Although there is a Military component and ROTC program at the main campus in Milledgeville, there is no compulsory military service upon graduation. Additionally, there are “no military programs or ROTC course offerings at GMC’s satellite campuses,” explains Anderson. (No military obligation at GMC.) The college prides itself on being fully accredited, affordable and accessible, making GMC a great option for high school students seeking dual enrollment, as well as for traditional, non-traditional, transient, and international students. At GMC, you can “Start here...Go Anywhere”

The college prides itself on being fully accredited, affordable and accessible, making GMC a great option for high school students seeking dual enrollment, as well as for traditional, non-traditional, transient, and international students. At GMC, you can “Start here...Go Anywhere”

GMC offer degree programs for the most in-demand fields, including Allied Health, Pre-Nursing, Business Administration, Computer Information Systems & Analytics, Criminal Justice, Cyber Security, Information Technology, Homeland Security & Emergency Management, Public Health and Healthcare Management.

GMC offer degree programs for the most in-demand fields, including Allied Health, Pre-Nursing, Business Administration, Computer Information Systems & Analytics, Criminal Justice, Cyber Security, Information Technology, Homeland Security & Emergency Management, Public Health and Healthcare Management. - #1 COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA — TheBestSchools.org

5325 MANOR DRIVE STONE MOUNTAIN GA 30083

“Georgia Military College is a great place to launch your future,” says Janis Anderson, Director of the Stone Mountain campus. “Our 29 Associate degree programs coupled with our articulation agreements with other colleges and universities, are designed to prepare students to easily transfer to a four-year college or university. For more information on our Associate degree programs, please visit: gmc.edu/ degree-programs/#tab-associates-degree

. GMC also offers 6 Bachelor of Applied Science degree programs. For more information on our BAS degree programs, please visit: gmc. edu/degree-programs/#tab-bachelors-degree

GMC also offers free tutoring and flexible scheduling – for those taking classes during the day or evening, to include remote and online classes. GMC is an Open Admissions institution; applicants are eligible for admission once they have completed a high school diploma or GED. There are no SAT/ACT requirements for admissions. Affordable tuition, ease of admissions and student success, are top priorities at GMC. “GMC provides a quality education for an exceptional value.

Although there is a Military component and ROTC program at the main campus in Milledgeville, there is no compulsory military service upon graduation. Additionally, there are “no military programs or ROTC course offerings at GMC’s satellite campuses,” explains Anderson. (No military obligation at GMC.)

/GEORGIAMILITARYCOLLEGE /GMCSTORY /GMCSTORY Call today to schedule a tour or visit us online! 678-846-9311 · GMC.EDU 5325 MANOR DRIVE STONE MOUNTAIN GA 30083 “Georgia Military College is a great place to launch your future,” says Janis Anderson, Director of the Stone Mountain campus. “Our 29 Associate degree programs coupled with our articulation agreements with other colleges and universities, are designed to prepare students to easily transfer to a four-year college or university. For more information on our Associate degree programs, please visit: gmc.edu/ degree-programs/#tab-associates-degree

# PROUDTOBE /GEORGIAMILITARYCOLLEGE /GMCSTORY /GMCSTORY

Call today to schedule a tour or visit us online! 678-846-9311 · GMC.EDU

GMC also offers free tutoring and flexible scheduling – for those taking classes during the day or evening, to include remote and online classes. GMC is an Open Admissions institution; applicants are eligible for admission once they have completed a high school diploma or GED. There are no SAT/ACT requirements for admissions. Affordable tuition, ease of admissions and student success, are top priorities at GMC. “GMC provides a quality education for an exceptional value.

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