Grace Snell Middle School

Grace Snell Middle School opened in August of 2010... however, it was originally slated to open under a different name. The school district’s naming process completed the year prior to the school opening had resulted in this school being named Midway Middle School. This geographic name has special significance for this area of the county, which is still known to many as the Midway community. Midway Road intersects with Rosebud and Brushy Fork roads. The old Midway School once sat in the triangle formed by the intersection of these roads.

During this same naming process, the name for a new elementary school in the Shiloh Cluster was chosen and it was to be Snell Elementary. At its December 10, 2009, meeting, the Gwinnett County Board of Education officially changed the names of the two schools that had been adopted the previous spring. The new Shiloh Cluster elementary school, formerly called Snell Elementary, would become Anderson-Livsey Elementary and the new South Gwinnett Cluster middle school, formerly referred to as Midway Middle, would be named Grace Snell Middle.

In recommending the changes to the school names, CEO/ Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks recognized the uniqueness of this situation. “While we followed our traditional school naming process, which has served us well over the years, this situation warranted further review,” he said. “As we learned more about the Anderson and Livsey families and their historical significance to the community, and considered the wishes of both the Snell and the Livsey families, it became clear that we should revisit this decision.”

With input from the families, the Board of Education voted to rename the elementary school located on Centerville Highway, changing its name from Snell Elementary to Anderson-Livsey Elementary. The Board also moved to change the name of the new middle school in the South Gwinnett Cluster from its proposed name of Midway Middle to a new name, Grace Snell Middle.

“Renaming the middle school in Mrs. Snell’s honor is appropriate,” according to Superintendent Wilbanks, “as she taught students in the middle grades for a number of years. Additionally, the new name for the elementary school provides the school district a way to recognize the families and the community in which that new school is located.”

District IV School Board member Dr. Robert McClure expressed his support for the decision, saying “We are pleased to be able to honor these great families, which are counted among Gwinnett’s First Families. This change acknowledges the contributions of the Andersons, the Livseys, and the Snells, and does so within the communities in which the families live.”

The decision to name a school in Snellville after Grace Brooks Snell, called by many The First Lady of Snellville, is not surprising. She was born in September 1901 in Lawrenceville, Georgia. She graduated with honors from Lawrenceville High School in 1920, passed the required exam to become a teacher, and immediately began teaching in Gwinnett County schools. One of her first teaching positions was at Peachtree School near Hog Mountain, where she was the only teacher for approximately 30 students ranging in age from six to 17 and in seven different grades. Early in her teaching career, “Miss Grace,” as she was affectionately known, worked at schools in Gwinnett, DeKalb, and Rabun counties. She taught in various one-, two-, and three-teacher schools, serving as both teacher and principal at times.

After dedicating her early years to teaching, Miss Grace married Joseph Thomas Snell in 1934. They became the parents of Joseph Thomas Snell, Jr. and Fredrick Brooks Snell in the latter part of the decade. Miss Grace began her postsecondary education at Scaritt College in Tennessee, and she continued her studies over the years until ultimately earning a Bachelor’s degree from Oglethorpe University in 1948.

Miss Grace returned to Gwinnett County Public Schools in 1929 to teach sixth and seventh graders in Snellville, where she remained until retiring in 1962. She was recognized for her work in the classroom by being named Gwinnett County’s first Teacher of the Year in 1956. She held various offices in the Parent-Teacher Association at the local, county, and state levels, and was president of the Gwinnett County chapter of the Georgia Association of Educators. Throughout her lifetime, Miss Grace was a devoted member of Snellville Methodist Church, which was next door to the house where she and Tom raised their sons. She served as the church treasurer for 25 years, taught Sunday School, organized the Women’s Society of Christian Service, and helped establish a Methodist Youth Fellowship. For 26 years she authored the “Snellville News,” a special section in The News Herald dedicated to the people and events of the city she loved. Upon retirement from the classroom, Miss Grace became a volunteer at the local hospital where she spent many hours bringing comfort to the sick and injured. Her many civic contributions earned her numerous honors, including the “Great American Award” from the Snellville Jaycees, the “Woman of the Year Award” presented by the Snellville Jaycettes, and a Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce “Outstanding Citizen” award. In 1983, the city of Snellville expressed its appreciation to her by dedicating a fountain that bears the inscription: “The Grace Snell Fountain, Our Beloved Citizen.”

Throughout her lifetime, Miss Grace was a devoted member of Snellville Methodist Church, which was next door to the house where she and Tom raised their sons. She served as the church treasurer for 25 years, taught Sunday School, organized the Women’s Society of Christian Service, and helped establish a Methodist Youth Fellowship. For 26 years she authored the “Snellville News,” a special section in The News Herald dedicated to the people and events of the city she loved. Upon retirement from the classroom, Miss Grace became a volunteer at the local hospital where she spent many hours bringing comfort to the sick and injured. Her many civic contributions earned her numerous honors, including the “Great American Award” from the Snellville Jaycees, the “Woman of the Year Award” presented by the Snellville Jaycettes, and a Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce “Outstanding Citizen” award. In 1983, the city of Snellville expressed its appreciation to her by dedicating a fountain that bears the inscription: “The Grace Snell Fountain, Our Beloved Citizen.”

During her long teaching career, Miss Grace taught over 1,500 students. She gave her students guidance for life, but her strongest legacy was the example she set for all in the community. The faculty and staff at Grace Snell Middle School, as well as the Snell family, are proud to continue the legacy of excellence in teaching and service to the community that Grace Brooks Snell embodied.

Vision: Grace Snell Middle School is committed to becoming an exemplary school focused on teaching and learning while developing the character of each individual.

Mission: Grace Snell Middle School provides a culture of excellence that prepares all students to reach their maximum potential today, tomorrow and beyond.