mopdf.com

COUNSELING SERVICESThe Counseling Department provides many services and programs to assist students in achieving academic successand in exploring options for the future. Information concerning colleges, armed services, careers, and financial aidis available. Counselors work with students individually, in small groups, and through Advisement classes.Students may schedule appointments with their counselor through eCLASS. Parents may schedule appointmentsby calling the counseling office (678-518-6692). A variety of questions can be answered by email as well.CRISIS HELP NUMBERSAbused Women Services:AID Gwinnett, Inc.:Alanon, Alateen:770-963-9799770-962-8396404-685-9040Child & Elder Abuse Reporting:Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center:Suicide IVERIES TO SCHOOLWe will not interrupt class instruction for deliveries to students. If necessary, parents may leave items in theattendance office and students can pick them up between classes or during lunch. Federal lunch programrequirements prohibit delivery of restaurant-type foods during the school day.DRIVER’S EDUCATIONGSMST offers Driver’s Education as part of the GSMST / Maxwell Community School Program. Information,include session dates, are readily available on the Community School page of the GSMST website.ELEVATOR ACCESSElevators are available to students who are physically unable to use the stairs. If students need elevator access,they must bring a doctor’s note to the attendance office and obtain an elevator pass. Unauthorized use ofelevators may result in disciplinary consequences.FOOD AND DRINKWith the exception of water, eating and drinking in classrooms are prohibited. Students are allowed to bring anduse a refillable water bottle using multiple bottle filler stations across campus.FOOD SERVICESBreakfast is served from 7:30-7:55 a.m. Due to a federal grant, GCPS is offering no cost breakfast and lunch toall students during the 2021-22 school year. Students who choose extra items (e.g. second entrée) will be chargedfor those. Students are not allowed to charge against their account beyond - 4.00 in high school. Money may beput on an account at any time through the cashier stations in the cafeteria or online at www.mypaymentsplus.com.Outside food deliveries (e.g. pizza, Uber eats, parent deliveries, etc.) are prohibited before and during school.FREE/REDUCED LUNCHStudents must reapply each fall for free or reduced lunch by either completing an application and turning it in tothe cafeteria manager or completing it online at www.gwinnett.schoollunchapp.com. No student is allowed toaccrue charges in excess of - 4.00 before spring break or 0 after spring break.GOOD STANDINGStudents are strongly encouraged to remain in good standing throughout their time at GSMST. A student isconsidered not in good standing when (a) the student has outstanding obligations (e.g. fees, computer equipment,textbooks, etc.); (b) the student’s behavior during the current or previous semester has resulted in suspension orother significant discipline consequences; (c) the student’s attendance is poor in one or more classes; and/or (d)the student is currently failing (portal grade below 70%) one or more classes. Students who are not in goodstanding are at risk of being ineligible to participate in field trips, attend school functions, run for leadershippositions, or have additional privileges or opportunities removed until good standing has been re-established.INSURANCEIt is highly recommended that all students have some form of medical insurance. If a student does not havemedical coverage, Gwinnett County Public Schools offers medical insurance through an outside medicalinsurance carrier. Application forms are available in the attendance office.7

INTRAMURALSStudents can participate in a variety of physical activities offered throughout the school year as part of acomprehensive wellness program that includes multiple intramural activities. Some sports are offered throughoutthe year (e.g. open gym) and others occur only once (e.g. flag football tournament). All students participating inphysical intramural activities must have a current physical on file.LAPTOP PROBLEMS/DAMAGESStudents may seek tech triage assistance during the times posted at the appropriate door. Students mustimmediately report any laptop problems/damages to the Tech Team, located inside the Student Research Center(SRC). All students will sign an Acceptable Use of Electronic Media (AUEM) form regarding school technology.Any extreme damage or damage resulting from careless, negligent, or accidental events done to school-ownedequipment will require replacement or reimbursement by the student.LOCKERSLockers will be provided for a 3.00 annual rental fee. If a locker does not work properly, the student shouldnotify the attendance office immediately. Lockers are the property of GSMST and may be inspected andsearched by school officials at any time.LOST AND FOUNDClothing and other school supplies will be placed in boxes in the cafeteria or next to the attendance office on theground floor. Valuables will be taken to the attendance office. Textbooks will be taken to the SRC. Studentsshould check Lost and Found before or after school and during lunch, as needed. GSMST assumes noresponsibility for lost or stolen articles. At the end of each semester, unclaimed items are donated to charity.LOST TEXTBOOKS OR LAPTOPSStudents will be responsible for reimbursement to the school for lost or damaged textbooks, laptops, and all issuedequipment or peripherals.MEDICATIONSStudents are not allowed to have medications in their possession or share any medications with others (overthe-counter or prescription medicines). If a student must have medication in order to attend school, aparent/guardian must complete the Administration of Medication form, requesting the school to superviseadministration of the medication. These forms are available on our school website and in the front office.Medication must be kept in the clinic in the original container. A student who has asthma may carry and selfadminister asthma/allergy medication prescribed by a physician (inhaler/EpiPen), but must notify the clinic.PARKINGStudent Parking: Parking is available for students holding a valid Georgia driver’s license. The cost for theyear is 70.00 and it must be renewed each year. Parking applications are available on the GSMST websiteand in the attendance office. Students must follow the rules and regulations as stated in the parkingapplication. Students must display the parking tag and park in the student parking lot (located behind theWest Wing of the school, near the intramural field). Students are not allowed to go to their car during theschool day unless given permission by an administrator. Vehicles brought on campus are subject to searchby school officials.Parking Lot Security: Efforts are made to ensure parking lot security. However, GSMST and GwinnettCounty Public Schools assume no responsibility for damages, loss, or theft of vehicles or contents.Students drive and park on campus at their own risk.STUDENT RESEARCH CENTER (SRC)Students may check out books and get research assistance in the SRC. Printing costs: 10 cents/page forblack/white and 25 cents/page for color printing.SRC Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on Monday; 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.8

TRANSPORTATIONMorning Arrival: Students using GCPS transportation will board the high school bus at theirneighborhood bus stop, take the bus to their neighborhood high school, and then board a bus that willtransport them from their neighborhood high school to GSMST/Maxwell.For parents choosing to provide their own transportation, students can be dropped off in the back ofthe West Wing building beginning at 6:45 a.m. Upon arrival, students should report to a teacher forintervention, enrichment, or school activity. Students not meeting with a teacher should report to thecafeteria or another common area in the tower.Students should never be dropped off or picked up in the front of the school unless the student isenrolled in a 7:05 a.m. (zero period) class.Afternoon Dismissal: Student dismissal begins at 3:00 p.m. Students using GCPS transportationwill board a bus that will take them to their neighborhood middle school, where they will then boardthe neighborhood bus to take them home. Students cannot ride a different bus than what is assigned,and there are no exceptions or bus passes issued. Car riders will meet their ride in the back of theWest Wing building and must wait for buses to leave the premises before they can leave.GSMST does not provide afternoon bus transportation on final exam days. On the last threedays of each semester, parents must arrange for students to be picked up at 12:15 p.m.GSMST does not provide bus transportation on Cyber or Digital Learning Days – days duringthe regular school year when students work completely online.VISITORS TO GSMSTAny visitor with a legitimate reason to be on school grounds must report to the front office and sign in, asrequired by the Gwinnett Board of Education policy. An official visitor’s pass will be issued and must be worn ina clearly visible manner at all times while on school property. Students are not allowed to bring friends to visit inthe classrooms during the school day. GSMST families who are hosting study abroad or foreign exchangestudents should contact the curriculum office to discuss visitation protocols. Parents and visitors are encouragedto make an appointment to see a teacher, the administration, and/or the counselors.WORK PERMITSWork permit applications are available for students under the age of 16 in the counseling office and on the GeorgiaDepartment of Labor website at ne. Students electronicallycomplete Section A of the application, and have their employer electronically complete Section B, and then bringthe completed form to the counseling office to obtain the work permit. Please allow one day for processing.ACADEMICS AND INSTRUCTIONACADEMIC INTEGRITYAll students at GSMST are expected to meet or exceed the very high standards for academic excellence andacademic integrity while exhibiting personal responsibility for actions and choices on a daily basis. Students whoviolate the standards of academic integrity will be held accountable for their actions and their choices. [See theINTEGRIY @ GSMST section for additional details.]ACADEMIC LETTERSStudents in grades 10-12 are eligible to earn academic letters if the non-rounded average for the previous schoolyear is 95.0 or higher. Students in grades 11-12 who have already received a letter will receive a pin for theirletter.9

ACT & SAT REGISTRATIONUse the websites www.collegeboard.com (SAT) or www.act.org (ACT) for test dates, registration deadlines, andtesting sites. GSMST is not currently a testing site for either exam.ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP)AP is a program of college level classes and exams that gives students the opportunity to earn college credits oradvanced placement in college while they are still in high school. Each college decides which AP exam scores itwill accept in return for credit or advanced placement. It is the student's responsibility to learn about the specificpolicy that individual colleges may have regarding each of these exams. GSMST offers approximately two dozenAP classes each year. All GSMST students are required to take and pass AP Biology, AP Calculus, AP LanguageArts, AP Macroeconomics, and AP Microeconomics and students must take these classes at GSMST from aGSMST teacher. AP exams are given in May on dates prescribed by the College Board. Students will receive APexam information and registration details from the assessment office.ADVISEMENTAll students will be assigned a teacher for Advisement from 12:01-12:21 each Monday and Wednesday and atother times throughout the school year (e.g. first few weeks of school). This time will consist of a variety ofactivities such as GCPS advisement lessons, academic guidance, screen breaks, freshmen mentoring, and supportprograms at GSMST including various components of our wellness and other programs.CREDIT CHECKLIST & FOUR-YEAR PLAN OF STUDYTo receive a GSMST diploma, students must complete all graduation requirements for GSMST whichsignificantly surpass (and include all) minimal standards for the state of Georgia and for Gwinnett County PublicSchools. A one-page working checklist is available at the end of this document, and students will receive printedcopies to work with during Advisement lessons.CURRICULUMThe scope and sequence of GSMST’s curriculum appears visually on the one-page checklist that is available atthe end of this document. GSMST’s four-year curriculum is a canonical experience for students where the ninthand tenth grade schedules are primarily the same for all students other than a single elective choice and thespecific foreign language studied. Students are given additional choices during the junior and senior years.Within the core STEM curriculum, students must take a math and a science/engineering course every year, alongwith the scripted humanities classes that are grade-level specific. The backbone of GSMST’s curriculum is thisfour-year sequence of classes which are integrated vertically and horizontally to maximize student learning andSTEM experiences. For this reason, students are not allowed to take core classes out of sequence or advancethrough them in a compressed way. A GSMST diploma cannot be earned in less than four complete school years.CYBER / DIGITAL LEARNING DAYSGSMST students usually complete two specific school days each semester remotely. These days are frequentlyreferred to as CyberDays and they occur on the K-8 ‘early release’ days where no afternoon bus transportation isprovided to GSMST. Current CyberDays are scheduled for October 20-21, 2021 and March 2-3, 2022. Duringthe current school year, several other Digital Learning Days are scheduled for all schools in GCPS. These daysinclude September 14 & November 9 (2021), and January 25 & March 22 (2022).In addition, Digital Learning Days may be declared by GCPS due to inclement weather or for other reasons. Thestudent expectations for these school days are the same as normal in-person learning days including, but notlimited to (a) following the normal bell schedule and class time allocations for all student schedules, (b) usingeCLASS as the common online learning platform, (c) meeting due dates and other task parameters provided byteachers, and (d) adherence to all behavioral and integrity expectations.DUAL ENROLLMENTAll GSMST students are provided a variety of approved Dual Enrollment (DE) options as part of the four-yearcurricular experience. Some of these opportunities are included in our core STEM curriculum (e.g. Georgia Techmath courses), and others may be integrated into internship experiences (e.g. cybersecurity program at GwinnettTech). Students should work with their counselor to plan for any experiences they may want to pursue to ensurethat it fits into the scope and sequence of the GSMST curriculum. Students who sign up for DE courses without10

prior approval of the counseling office will be responsible for the tuition and fees incurred at the outsideinstitution or the request will be denied.END OF COURSE TESTS (GEORGIA MILESTONE ASSESSMENTS)GSMST students will complete all required EOCTs for the GMA courses as published by the Georgia DOE.FIELD TRIPS & EXTRA-CURRICULAR COMPETITIONSStudents must be in good standing to participate in field trips or to attend extra-curricular competitions. Studentsare responsible for all work missed. Any trip fees paid in advance are non-refundable.FINAL EXAMSCumulative exams are given at the end of each semester. To ensure students are present for exam reviews and theactual exams, we ask that you avoid scheduling appointments during the final days of the semester. Exams willnot be given early, and students will not be permitted to check out during an exam period. If a student misses anexam due to an excused reason, the exam can be taken on the announced make-up day.Spring Semester Exams: Students must turn in or pay for all textbooks and their school laptopbefore they can take their spring semester exams. Students who do not satisfy this obligation willhave to take their exam(s) on the announced make up day.Exam Exemption: Seniors meeting the set criteria are eligible for local exam exemption (excludingrequired assessments) during Spring Semester. Students must have four or fewer absences springsemester and have a 90.0 average in the class (or be an Honor Graduate) in order to exempt. Seniorswill receive detailed exemption information in January.GATEWAY TESTSIn addition to the state mandated graduation exams, Gwinnett County Public Schools require students to pass bothsections of the Gateway Assessment. The Gateway Assessment measures a student’s ability to write effectivelyabout Science and Social Studies topics and is administered in the spring of the 10th grade year for Science and thespring of the 11th grade year for Social Studies.GRADING SCALEA 90 or higherB 80-89C 74-79D 70-73F below 70The cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) is a running average of all classes taken during high school.To compute GPA on a four- point scale, points are assigned as follows:A 4 pointsB 3 pointsC 2 pointsD 1 pointF 0 pointsGUIDED STUDYAll students in grades 9-10 will be assigned a teacher for Guided Study from 12:01-12:21 each day that is not anAdvisement day. This time will consist of a variety of activities such as intervention, targeted group work, clubmeetings, and wellness activities. Students in grades 11-12 may be assigned to a targeted Guided Study class forthe purposes of intervention or due to their role in an extra- or co- curricular group.HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE)One semester of Health and one semester of PE are required for graduation and may be taken at any grade level.If students do not take these courses as an elective during the school day, they will have to pay for the courses andtake them after hours or during summer school. Students who choose to take Health and/or PE as summer tuitionclasses may do so at GSMST, through GOC, or in the normal face-to-face summer school environment.HONOR GRADUATESStudents earn Honor Graduate status by having a 90.0 cumulative NGA (numerical grade average) for their fouryears of GSMST courses which does not include grades earned in middle school as well as some courses takenoutside of the normal school day at GSMST or courses not taught by a GSMST teacher. The same calculation isused for Honor Graduate and Academic Letter eligibility and this NGA may differ from what is displayed in thestudent portal.11

HOPE SCHOLARSHIPHelping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) is a four-year scholarship program for Georgia residents whomeet certain criteria and who attend any Georgia public or private post-secondary institution, university ortechnical institution. Students can keep up-to-date on HOPE and other student financial aid programs availablefrom the Georgia Student Finance Commission by visiting their website at www.gsfc.org.MID-TERM EXAMSAll students take mid-term (interim) exams at GSMST during the middle of fall and spring semester in eachenrolled course. The midterm score counts 5% of the final semester grade.ONLINE COURSES OR OTHER COURSES TAKEN OUTSIDE OF GSMSTGSMST uses the same online learning management system that all other schools in GCPS use – D2L througheCLASS. A number of classes offered at GSMST are presented in a blended or hybrid format and other selectclasses are offered completely online. Students may have opportunities to complete online, hybrid, or face-to-faceclasses outside of

their driver's license before the age of 18 years. All students are required to take and pass the ADAP course as part of their Introduction to Health course requirement. Upon successful completion, students will be given their ADAP certificate. Students may also choose to enroll in an eADAP course offere