State’s largest school district welcomes 1,700 new teachers, staff members

Gwinnett students and teachers will head back to school in just a few weeks. The state’s largest school district will have 1,700 new teachers and staff members this year.

Channel 2′s Steve Gehlbach reported from the Gas South Arena in Gwinnett where the new employees had their orientation.

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As of Thursday, Gwinnett County Public Schools have only 71 vacancies and expect that number to be zero by the first day of school on Aug. 5.

The district approved $4,000 raises last month for all teachers, which helps with recruiting. But some of the new recruits told Gehlbach that it was the culture of Gwinnett school district that drew them.

“I’m a little excited, a little nervous,” Traye Jones said.

Jones just moved here to start her first job teaching first grade at Partee Elementary.

“I just heard it was a really great district…heard amazing things being the best district here,” she told Gehlbach.

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Christine Choi, a graduate from GCPS and recently the University of Georgia, starts at Duncan Creek Elementary.

“I’m most excited to make connections with my student and really teaming up with their families,” she said.

The teachers heard from district leaders, board members and Superintendent Dr. Calvin Watts as they welcomed and challenged them.

“We have 182,000 reasons on daily basis why we should be better,” Watts said, referring to the number of students in the district.

The teachers participated in the Welcome Expo on Thursday. On Friday, the new hires will report to one of four schools for an entire day of sessions focused on their grade level and curriculum.

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