Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
| The Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
 | |
| Coordinates | 34°00′36″N 84°08′39″W / 34.010064°N 84.144117°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public (formerly charter) |
| Motto | "Infinite possibilities..." |
| Opened | 2007 |
| School district | Gwinnett County Public Schools |
| Principal | I.V. Bray |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 945 |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Gray and blue |
| Website | gsmst |
The Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology (GSMST) is a public special school in Lawrenceville, Georgia, United States. Students are admitted through a county-wide lottery, whose participants, since the school dropped its charter status in 2016, must meet certain requirements.[1] It features a heavy focus on project-based STEM education. Its rigorous course and high student graduation rate make it one of the most prestigious high schools in the state.[2][3]
GSMST is notable for its focus on technology. Through a contract with Lenovo, every student is assigned a laptop with pre-installed software such as AutoCAD, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Premiere Pro. Teachers and students have access to school-wide SMART boards and overhead LCD projectors.
History
The school was chartered in March 2006 by the Gwinnett County Board of Education through SPLOST and opened in the fall of 2007. It was temporarily housed on the Duluth High School campus, Building 100 began in 2007 as a separate school from Duluth High School. Renovations updated and modernized 18 classrooms and offices, and GSMST moved to its permanent location in 2010 to the geographic center of Gwinnett County, near Sugarloaf Parkway and Old Norcross Road, the former site of Benefield Elementary School. The new building is designed for a maximum of 1,200 students.
In 2016, GSMST was awarded the Blue Ribbon Award.[4]
Courses
The school offers high-level courses that challenge students. Freshman coursework includes Honors and Gifted Chemistry, Honors and Gifted Physics, Accelerated Integrated Geometry, Accelerated Integrated Precalculus, Honors and Gifted Language Arts, Fundamentals of Engineering I, Foreign Language (Chinese I, German I, Spanish I, and Spanish II), and one elective class. Some of these courses are taught on a block schedule, allowing students to earn up to nine Carnegie units in ninth grade. The main focus of the school is mathematics, science, and technology, but other subjects are also taught at the highest levels available. Each course is designed to integrate content from other courses into its own lessons to demonstrate the history and practical applications of each course.
Science Olympiad
GSMST earned first place at the regional Science Olympiad Tournament to advance to the state level, where the team placed second, continuing to the 2012 National Science Olympiad Competition.
Press
The school was featured in the Atlanta Journal Constitution on October 2, 2007.[5] Six years after their debut in the AJC, the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology students and administration brought the school to a remarkable position as one of the top three best high schools in the United States, reported by US News,[6] along with the School for the Talented and Gifted in Dallas, Texas, and BASIS Tucson in Tucson, Arizona. Aside from an outstanding national ranking, GSMST is also recognized as the top high school in Georgia. The US News article was also referenced in an article on the Huffington Post webpage.[7]
In U.S. News & World Report's 2014 Best High Schools in the US, GSMST maintained its 3rd-place position for the second consecutive year.[8] The school also rose from its #198 position in the top STEM schools of America to #20. The school is still recognized as the top high school in Georgia, with a college-readiness index of 100, as reported by US News. Shortly before US News' annual high school ranking publication, the Washington Post listed GSMST as the 17th most challenging high school in the US.[9]
U.S. News & World Report ranked GSMST as the fourth best public high school in the United States in 2015.[10]
Notes
- ^ http://getschooled.blog.myajc.com/2016/01/12/no-longer-a-charter-gwinnett-school-of-mathematics-science-and-technology-will-require-algebra-for-admission/
- ^ http://www.ajc.com/news/local-education/these-are-georgia-top-public-schools-according-new-ranking/0W1mVgvxuC0XeqOXMUdNLM/
- ^ https://k12.niche.com/rankings/public-high-schools/best-overall/
- ^ http://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/awardwinners/
- ^ Diamond, Laura (2007-10-07). "Challenging charter; Students pile up credits quickly in new math-science-tech school". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Government Innovators Network. Retrieved 2013-05-15.
- ^ "Best High Schools for 2013". US News & World Report. Kerry F. Dyer. 2013-04-15. Retrieved 2013-05-15.
- ^ Sheehy, Kelsey (2007-10-07). "The Best Public High Schools: 2013 U.S. News Ranking". The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2013-05-15.
- ^ "Best High Schools for 2014". US News & World Report. Kerry F. Dyer. 2014-04-22. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
- ^ "America's Most Challenging High Schools". The Washington Post. Katharine Graham. 2014-04-22. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
- ^ "Best High Schools for 2015". U.S. News & World Report. Kerry F. Dyer. 2015-04-22. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
References
- "Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology homepage". Gwinnett County Public Schools. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
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