Dear GCPS Students, Family, and Staff,

As the school year ends,  I want to express my sincere gratitude to our  GCPS community. On behalf of the Board of Education, I thank you for your support, partnership, and contributions that have led to a successful 2022-23 instructional year.

In fact, we have much to celebrate as a school district for the 2022-23 school year. This past year, our Board of Education adopted our five-year strategic plan called "Our Blueprint for the Future" in July; our four-year graduation rate rose from 82.48% in 2021 to 83.15% in 2022; GCPS was ranked in the top 75 of Forbes' "Best Georgia Employers" list, and Moody's determined that GCPS' AAA Bond rating will continue to be supported by steady enrollment gains, strong revenue growth, and prudent financial management.

While we achieved much success this year as the 11th-largest and seventh-most diverse District in the United States, we also had many opportunities to learn and grow. We continued to respond to the COVID pandemic's impact on our students and adults. We increased engagement and elevated the voice of our students, staff, and community with new advisory councils and district committees. We made critical adjustments during the year based on student, family, and staff feedback as we implemented changes outlined in our strategic plan and board policies.

Across our county and throughout this school year, student achievement continued to reflect our District's reputation for excellence. At both state and national levels, many of our students were recognized this year for their academic accomplishments, including STEM and STEAM career and technical industries, athletics, and fine arts. This month, we also made history with the largest graduating class our county has ever celebrated. We have more than 13,300 seniors graduating from GCPS this year. The class of 2023 includes 75.7% of seniors who have plans to continue their education by attending college or postsecondary schools; as of April, the GCPS class of 2023 has received nearly $232 million in academic, athletic, and military scholarships, and this class includes more than 4,300 Honor Graduates who have earned a grade percent average of 90 or better,  with more than 400 seniors who will serve our country through military service after graduation, including 10 Gwinnett seniors who have accepted appointments to some of our nation's most prestigious military service academies. Congratulations to our seniors, and thank you to all our students for your perseverance, growth, and for coming to school each day ready to learn.

This summer, we will continue to serve students with remediation opportunities, as more than 22,000 students will attend summer school to ensure they are ready for their next grade level. Our outstanding school and district staff will continue their hard and smart work this summer by planning for the year ahead and implementing our strategic plan. As a team, we have identified four primary focus areas for all staff members in the coming school year, which will anchor our professional development and district-wide meetings. Our collective areas of focus for the 2023-24 school year include 14 objectives from the five-year strategic plan, maintaining a balanced budget to support our financial health as federal COVID relief dollars end in 2024, focusing on excellent teaching and learning, including increasing graduation rates for all student groups, and continuing to transform our organizational culture to be positive, welcoming, supportive and effective.

Finally, I want to say thank you to our more than 26,000 staff for your incredible impact on our students. Each member of Team GCPS plays a vital role in ensuring each and every student has access to the resources and support they need to succeed.

I wish everyone a restful and wonderful summer break.

In partnership and service,

Dr. Calvin J. Watts

Superintendent