Schools

Local Gwinnett Schools Rack Up State and National Honors

Gwinnett Schools in the Loganville and Grayson area were recognized last week for Advanced Placement coursework participation as well as recognition for the the schools AP Scholars.

Many of Georgia’s schools were honored last week for their achievements in Advanced Placement coursework participation. All the high schools in Gwinnett County Public Schools, and one county charter school, received this honor. Of the 367 schools honored statewide, GCPS accounted for 19 of them. This was up  from 17 in 2011 and 12 the year before.

“Georgia has much to be proud of when it comes to the success of Advanced Placement. Much of this success can be attributed to the dedication to rigor and excellence at each of our AP Honor Schools,” said state Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Barge in a released statement.

In the local area, , and , were recognized at AP STEM Schools. These schools had students testing in at least two AP Mathematics courses and two AP Science courses, these being AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Schience, AP Physics B, AP Physics C and AP Computer Science.

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Archer and South Gwinnett high schools were also recognized as AP Access and Support Schools. This recognition is for schools with 30 percent of AP test takers who identified themselves as African-American and/or Hispanic with at least 30 percent of all AP exams scoring 3 or higher.

“We are proud to see the hard work of our students and teachers come to fruition,” says Clay Hunter, principal of South Gwinnett High in the release. “Our recognition as an AP Honor School is a byproduct of our focus on South Gwinnett’s theme— ‘College, Not If, But Where!’”

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In congratulating his students and staff, Hunter acknowledged a grant the school received allowing for teachers to participate in staff development sessions on AP curriculum and strategies. South Gwinnett High students also have a support system, that includes tutorial hours and a student initiated club with a focus on AP content.

Grayson High School also was recognized as an AP Merit School – a school with at least 20 percent of the student population taking AP exams and at least 50 percent of the AP exams scoring a 3 or higher. It was also recognized as an AP STEM Achievement School. This recognition is for schools with students testing in at least two AP Mathematics courses and two AP science courses and at least 40 percent of the exam scores on AP Mathematics and AP science exams earning scores of 3 or higher.

AP classes and exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT college-entrance exam. Students who receive a 3, 4, or 5 on AP exams may receive college credit. The 2012 AP Honor Schools are named based on results from 2010-11 AP classes and exams.

In addition, students from all three local Gwinnett high schools were included in the 2,552 students earning AP Scholar honors from the College Board.

“Because we know that Advanced Placement courses further prepare students for college-level work, the growing number of Gwinnett students earning this honor speaks of how serious these young people are about their higher education plans,” Calvin Watts, GCPS associate superintendent for teaching and learning support said in a press release. “We congratulate our students for their efforts, as well as their parents and teachers for their support of academic achievement.”

These students are part of the top 18 percent of 1.9 million students worldwide who took AP exams, and performed sufficiently high enough to earn an AP Scholar award.

National AP Scholar Award (These students earned an average grade of 4 or higher on a five-point scale on all AP exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.)

  • Grayson High School                           3
  • Archer High School                              -
  • South Gwinnett High                           1

AP Scholar with Distinction (These students earned an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.)

  • Grayson High School                           18
  • Archer High School                              3
  • South Gwinnett High School                 2

AP Scholar with Honor (These students earned an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.)

  • Grayson High School                           26
  • Archer High School                              4
  • South Gwinnett High School                 6

AP Scholar Award: (These students earned this distinction by completing three or more AP exams with grades of 3 or higher.

  • Grayson High School                           61
  • Archer High School                              9       
  • South Gwinnett High School                37

Because a student must first earn the AP Scholar with Distinction Award before becoming a National AP Scholar, several students received multiple awards. Of the 762 AP Scholars with Distinction, 147 students also were honored as National AP Scholars. A total of 2,699 awards were presented to the 2,552 Gwinnett students.

 

 

 


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