Georgia Gwinnett College and Gwinnett County Public Schools are launching a new partnership that is intended to offer additional educational resources to students and educators.
Three new programs announced by the college and the school system join other programs, such as dual enrollment, that are already available to students. GGC President Jann L. Joseph and GCPS Superintendent Calvin J. Watts signed an agreement this week to formalize the partnership with more than 50 people, including University System of Georgia Regent Jose Perez, in attendance for the agreement signing.
“This partnership is a bridge, building upon the past work we have done to create a true P-16 structure to better serve our students and our community,” Watts said.
The partnership includes a pilot program for GCPS students, a volunteer program for GGC professors and a higher education pathway for students studying technical programs. the goal is to help improve graduation rates, offer students new ways to college and establish a system that will not only help Gwinnett County students do better in school, but also be sustainable over a long period of time.
To reach those goals, officials from GGC and GCPS worked together to come up with a strategic way to use resources available to both the college and the school system.
“We brought together leaders from Georgia Gwinnett College and Gwinnett County Public Schools,” Joseph said. “The superintendent had a chance to sign a collaboration agreement that lays out the things we want to do together. We are formalizing something we have been doing already, but we are taking it to the next level.
“This is an opportunity for us to lay out very specific things we’d like to do now and in the future. We’ll work together to support our students to make sure they have a chance to lead us into the future.”
The pilot program will be designed for students who are looking to earn either an associates or NEXUS degree while they are still in high school.
Meanwhile, there is also a volunteer program where GGC professors in the science, technology, engineering and math fields will be paired with GCPS educators who teach in those fields. The professors would serve as an additional resource for both the GCPS teachers and students.
The final part of the new partnership is pathway to higher education programs for high school students who are participating in technical programs.
“GCPS picked one of our own graduates as the elementary school teacher of the year,” Joseph said. “That just says we are producing the type of students out of Georgia Gwinnett College that are going on to make a difference. As she and so many other people support GCPS students, they’re going to eventually graduate and come to GGC and continue this beautiful cycle.
“I am so happy to work with Superintendent Watts. I believe he and I share so many values and are both invested in our children and their future, so it’s a great opportunity for us to work together now and for many years to come.”
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