Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is Reapportionment? How does it differ from Redistricting?

A. Reapportionment moves School Board members, not students. It results from a census of the population every ten years to assure fair representation of individuals in a community for the purposes of voting. It is the act of distributing by allotting or apportioning according to a plan. For example, reapportionment of seats in the House of Representatives is based on the relative population of each state. Redistricting relates to public school systems where attendance zones have grown or shrunk disproportionately to the occupancy capacity of public schools in the system. This occurs when a new school is built or one is closed, but may also occur due to other shifts in population. Changes in Gwinnett County School District representation in 2012 will not require any students or family to move or change schools. The only changes that will result are: 1) the number of schools each Board member represents; and 2) School District boundaries within the legal Gwinnett County boundaries to include more schools per school board member.

Q. When did the change go into effect? How long will it last?

A. The census of 2010 in Gwinnett County documented increases in population throughout the county. The Georgia General Assembly has responsibility for drawing new district lines and it did so in 2011. The Gwinnett Delegation to the General Assembly drew the lines for the Gwinnett School Board and the County Commission. These changes are in effect as of January 26, 2012 after approval of the U.S. Justice Department and/or the courts. The new reapportioned districts will be in effect for the next ten years, until the census of 2020 and the reapportionment of 2022.

Q. What schools are now in District 3 after the reapportionment was approved?

A. There are thirty-three schools in the new District 3. Some were previously in District 2. The others are from the previous District 3. These include:

Elementary Schools: Burnette, Berkeley Lake, Chattahoochee, Harris, Jackson, Level Creek, McKendree, Mason, Parsons, Peachtree, Riverside, Simpson, Sycamore, White Oak.
Middle Schools: Duluth, Hull, Lanier, North Gwinnett, Pinckneyville
High Schools: Duluth, Norcross, North Gwinnett, Peachtree Ridge
Specialty Schools: Buice, Monarch, Ivy Prep Academy, New Life Duluth, New Life Norcross

Q. What are your goals for GCPS for 2012-2016?

A. A hallmark of my service on the Board has been an insistence on fairness for every student--in spite of challenges and controversy—while improving the quality of public education for all students.

Ease the overcrowding of the 175,000 students expected in Gwinnett County Public Schools by 2016 to ensure that our schools and students are safe and secure and to confirm that our facilities are of the highest caliber.
Make sure our teachers have the materials they need to teach and the professional development they require so that they can continue to achieve success in closing the student academic achievement gap. I plan to participate in the development of the Teacher Evaluation Program between 2012-2016.
Work with parents, business and community leaders, and others to continue to build civic capacity in support of public education through open communication and collaborative planning related to school operations.
Develop the E-Class technology program for all students and schools, including each school in the Duluth Cluster that will pilot the roll-out of the program in 2011-2012.
Participate in the Common Core Standards curriculum initiative for language arts and mathematics, as well as other core subjects, so that Gwinnett County and the State of Georgia prepare K-12 students in conjunction with programs in 43 other states across the nation.
Remain vigilant in focusing on my commitment on "Building World Class Schools – One Student at a Time."

Over the years I have served on the Gwinnett Board of Education, we have achieved success in serving a diverse student body of learners—gifted, International Baccalaureate, special education, newcomers, and international, among others.

Gwinnett residents have supported public education at every possible juncture. In so doing, you have had a chance to observe me working as a member of a high-functioning School Board that strives to serve all children in our system. By serving Gwinnett County, we also serve the State of Georgia as we educate one of every ten children in the State’s public schools.

I have worked hard to develop our community’s trust. I believe our community knows that I will do the right thing when it comes to their children—and to making decisions that benefit all in Gwinnett County.

Q. What are your credentials?

A. My credentials include the following:

Public school English teacher for seven years in grades 8-12 in Georgia and California.
Higher Education fundraising for twenty-eight years to secure more than $475 million in private funds at Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, Oglethorpe University, and Morehouse School of Medicine.
Ph.D. from Georgia State University in Education Administration.
M.Ed. from Emory University in English and Education Research.
Elected Board member Gwinnett County Board of Education - 1996 to present.
Georgia School Board Association Board of Directors - 2005 to present.
Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Education Committee – 2006 to present.

Q. What will you do to get ahead of growth in District 3?

A. By 2016, Gwinnett County Public Schools anticipate that student population growth will be stabilized with the construction of five new schools and renovation of additional facilities. Funding of E-SPLOST between 2012 and 2016 will help to make construction of these new facilities possible.

Another key initiative to address growth will be development of a technology-rich environment for students in K-12 as the system transitions from reliance on textbooks. This initiative will begin in 2011-12 with pilot programs in six clusters of schools, including all K-12 schools in the Duluth Cluster of District 3.

These initiatives will go a long way toward providing Gwinnett County with the support it needs to catch up with the unprecedented growth it has experienced since 1996.

Q. What will you do to move GCPS forward and make it competitive for our students, families, businesses, and community members?

A. As District 3 School Board member, I will continue to support the best education and services for your children and all children in Gwinnett County Public Schools, including the following:

policy-making school board involved in governance of school system;
high-performing Superintendent of the highest character and integrity;
balanced budget that earns AAA bond rating from S&P and Moody’s;
outstanding teachers in every classroom;
involved parents, business leaders, and community members;
local school principals who lead rigorous academic programs;
safe and secure schools;
competitive academic and athletic facilities;
technology-rich learning environments based on E-Class platform;
common core standards for language arts, mathematics, and other core subjects;
career preparatory programs;
high school graduation for all students;
special education, English language learners, and other specialty programs;
alternative schools for those who will benefit;
physical education and nutrition programs for K-12 students;

Q. What benefits will the schools in District 3 get from the E-SPLOST and when will the work get underway and be completed?

A. District 3 will benefit directly from the E-SPLOST with the following:

District 3 schools and classrooms K-12 will be outfitted with the technology upgrades necessary for implementation of the E-CLASS program.
Renovation of the former Duluth Middle School, as a Middle School (STEM) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics facility. Renovation will begin in 2015 and be complete in 2016.
Duluth Cluster K-12 schools will participate in 2011-12 in the E-CLASS pilot program. The program will direct the move from reliance on textbooks to incorporation of technology devices as a major component of learning.
Relocation of programs for Monarch School Pre-K and Adult.

Q. District 3 is well known for its unique diversity and high performance within the state and nation. What are your thoughts on the future of the district?

A. The Gwinnett County Public School Planning Department predicts that the district will continue to attract additional people from around the world, thereby creating increased opportunities for us to educate children with many diverse needs.

I have a strong commitment to meeting the needs of individual students in all Gwinnett County Public Schools no matter how long or how recently they have been in Gwinnett Public Schools.

I am committed to providing whatever is necessary so all children can succeed in Gwinnett County Public Schools--including gifted, International Baccalaureate, special education, newcomers, international, and students with talents and needs for other special programs.

We need your help and engagement. Together, we will continue to close the student academic achievement gap and meet the economic development needs of Gwinnett County—the largest school system in Georgia and the fourteenth largest system in the nation.