Best in class: Gwinnett elementaries honored for customer service

Hopkins, Norton and Peachtree Elementary Schools in Gwinnett County have been named 2016 Georgia Family-Friendly Partnership School Award winners. According to the Georgia Department of Education, the winning schools represent the best in customer service for families. Schools applied to the Georgia Department of Education describing their family engagement programs, and applications were reviewed by a team of representatives from the education department, Georgia Association of Educators, Voices for Georgia's Children, and the state school superintendent's Parent Advisory Council. Nine finalists were identified, and members of the review team made surprise visits to each school, posing as parents looking for information or assistance. The team also conducted walk-throughs of each school and interviewed school staff, parents, students, and community members. Gwinnett's Sweetwater Middle School was a finalist for the award.