Gwinnett County students invited to advise superintendent

Gwinnett County students with ideas to improve their school, here’s your chance to be heard.

Superintendent Calvin Watts is seeking students to join his advisory council to provide perspective on issues in the district.

The group will consist of middle and high school students and meet quarterly. Watts created the council last school year, his first leading the district.

The deadline to apply is Wednesday. The application is on the student portal and includes questions about challenges in schools, desire to serve, ideas to improve the student experiences.

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“Through this Council, our students can voice their ideas, share suggestions for improving our schools and our district, act as thought partners as they connect with fellow students, and build their leadership capacity alongside students with whom they may not otherwise have collaborated,” Watts said in a news release.

Students interested in the council should be “concerned for the needs of all students and have a desire to ensure GCPS is focused on improvement for each and every student,” according to the news release. Watts asks the advisory council to be constructive, honest, open and respectful as members share opinions.

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The district will inform students who are selected on Sept. 9.

Meetings will be Sept. 17, Nov. 14, Feb. 11 and May 1. The meetings will take place at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center in Suwanee except for on Nov. 14, which will be virtual. The meetings also have separate sessions for middle school and high school students except for on May 1 when all students will be together.

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