Board of Education Core Beliefs and Commitments

Believing, as we do, that public education is an integral part of the seamless fabric of the American experience, we, the Gwinnett County Board of Education, derive our core beliefs and commitments for public education in Gwinnett County from the foundational principles of the United States of America, specifically those espoused in the Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,” and “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”.

America’s public schools exist to undergird and advance these principles. They are the one place where all children and youth in our great, diverse country are provided a common, free education. They must educate every child for success in life and for the responsibilities of American citizenship.

Thus, we commit ourselves to a world-class education that meets the needs of individual students, to a sharp focus on the traditions and values at the heart of our constitutional democracy and the rule of law, and to the civic virtues that bind together communities of many cultures, faiths, viewpoints, interests, and histories into a unified nation. E pluribus unum. Out of many, one.

Therefore, the Gwinnett County Board of Education will:

• Ensure our core business of teaching and learning is built on a rigorous curriculum, effective instruction, and high-value assessments
• Educate every student to world-class standards and individual potential
• Provide a safe and secure learning environment
• Optimize the school effect to have a positive impact on every child
• Govern the district fairly and openly, seeking the engagement of the many stakeholders we serve.

March 18, 2016