• Trickum Middle School in Gwinnett County received a $4,000 grant from best-selling author James Patterson to upgrade the school's library. In addition, the Scholastic Reading Club will match each dollar of Patterson's donation with "bonus points" teachers can use to acquire books and other classroom materials. Trickum was selected from a pool of nearly 28,000 applications for grants. Patterson and the Scholastic Reading Club have made a commitment to help save books and school libraries around the nation, as well as to encourage people to read. This year, Patterson donated $1.75 million to 467 school libraries nationwide with grants from $1,000 to $10,000. Work to create a superhero room and update the superhero graphic novels at Trickum Middle School is underway, with the addition of the new superhero mural painted by local graphic artist Chris Rumble.
• Marketing teachers and DECA advisers Jaime Carter of Sandy Creek High and Karen Stoll of Whitewater High have formed the Fayette County Marketing Education Advisory Board to give high school students opportunities and experiences to prepare for a career. The board includes Hamzah Faruqi, director of sales at Adventure Aviation; Sally Ray, marketing manager at Hoshizaki America, Inc.; Geoff Fulton of Fulton and Kozak CPA; and Kenny Stapleton, account executive from CBS-Atlanta 46. It also has assistant principals, guidance counselors, parents, and students from Sandy Creek and Whitewater High. The board plans to meet several times throughout the school year, and is looking for more business and industry representatives. Anyone interested in becoming a member should email Jaime Carter at Sandy Creek High, carter.jaime@mail.fcboe.org, or Karen Stoll at Whitewater High, stoll.karen@mail.fcboe.org.
• Cambridge High School in Milton will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Cambridge Agriscience & Veterinary Education Building today The 7,000-square-foot facility includes classroom space, an animal science laboratory, a barn with stables, and demonstration areas. It houses the school's agricultural education program with an emphasis on veterinary science. During the program's first year, students attend courses on basic agriculture science. The program will expand to include animal science technology and biotechnology and veterinary science courses. Students completing the veterinary science pathway will have the credentials needed for a veterinary assistant certification.
• Four students at The Paideia School have been accepted into the 2016 Georgia Music Educators All-State Orchestra. Evan Nicholson, cello, was named principal cellist, and Jordan Leslie and Matthew Shu were also named to play cello. Sarah Chen will play violin. Oboist Alexa Levy was selected for the All-State Symphonic Band. Paideia is a non-sectarian school at 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, serving families and children ages three through 12th grade.
• Parents and students interested in learning more about Gwinnett Online Campus are encouraged to attend one of three informational meetings over the next few weeks in the GOC Auditorium, 713 Hi Hope Rd, Lawrenceville. The meetings are are all scheduled at 6:30 p.m. on: Tuesday, Jan. 26; Thursday, Feb. 11, and Tuesday, Feb. 23. Registration for the 2016-2017 school year will be Feb. 1-29 for new families. Registration is first-come, first-serve and is completed in person. Space is limited in certain grade levels; waiting lists will be generated once a grade level is filled. For more information about registration and online learning, visit gwinnettonlinecampus.com/attend-goc.html.
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