IN THE PINK: Yes, the spring blooms have arrived all around Gwinnett. Frank Sharp took these with his Panasonic Lumix FZ-100 camera. These cherry trees are at the Collins Hill Library. For more about spring, read Elliott Brack's perspective today.

Issue 11.97 | Tuesday, March 13, 2012

TODAY'S FOCUS
:: Leadership programs improve schools

ELLIOTT BRACK'S PERSPECTIVE
:: Springtime, gas taxes, more

FEEDBACK
:: Worries about gambling here

UPCOMING
:: Art contest, safe driving course

NOTABLE
:: Fire rating, gift registry, intern

ALSO INSIDE

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
:: Graphics Communications Corporation

RECOMMENDED
:: "Singing for Mrs. Pettigrew"

GEORGIA TIDBIT
:: Casimir Pulaski

LAGNIAPPE
:: 1st GGC students signs ROTC contract

GWINNETT CALENDAR
:: Lots of events on tap

TODAY'S QUOTE
:: What sells the next book

OUR SPONSORS

GwinnettForum.com is a twice-weekly online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA.

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TODAY'S FOCUS
Gwinnett public schools provide continuous training for leaders
By KENDRA BASS
Director, Leadership Development
Gwinnett County Board of Education
Special to GwinnettForum

SUWANEE, Ga., March 13, 2012 -- Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is the 12th largest public school system in the United States and the largest in Georgia, with an enrollment of more than 162,000 students. The student population, which has, at times, grown rapidly and with great diversity, has created a tremendous need for training new leaders.

Bass

This could be an overwhelming task for an unprepared system. Realizing this, Gwinnett County Public Schools developed its Quality-Plus Leader Academy, which provides committed educational professionals a clear path for development. The Academy develops leaders, readying them to lead 21st century schools.

The Quality-Plus Leader Academy (QPLA) is a locally created initiative that serves as an umbrella to cover all activities associated with the development of GCPS leaders. Its goal is to increase student achievement by identifying, recruiting, selecting, developing, training, and supporting local school leaders to be highly effective. The Aspiring Leader Program (ALP) and the Aspiring Principal Program (APP) are specific QPLA programs dedicated to this goal, for teachers aspiring to be assistant principals and for assistant principals aspiring to be principals. The goal is to build internal capacity, enabling GCPS to develop aspiring leaders and strengthen the retention of school leaders.

GCPS's culture of leadership stability, vision, and longevity has not occurred by happenstance. Rather, our school district has built a strong pipeline to develop tomorrow's leaders to meet the demands created as higher student enrollment and leaders retiring. That pipeline has fed the wave of new educators who now lead Gwinnett schools. These new leaders have been developed through programs of the QPLA, and receive ongoing support, and just-in-time training as they work with experienced leaders in developing an understanding of the school's culture, operations and initiatives. There is also a Leader Mentor Program providing individualized support for new leaders through one-on-one meetings and small-group support sessions.

GCPS has invested heavily in building internal capacity by leveraging in-house professional learning as part of its strong, vibrant, and successful organizational culture. These include:

• Certified Quality Leader Training. The curriculum includes coursework in W. Edward Deming's philosophy of Continuous Quality Improvement, and the characteristics and processes for implementing these behaviors and values at the team, school, and community levels to impact student achievement.
  
  
• Leadership Seminars that Principals and district-level leaders participate in monthly, which provide practical strategies, tools drawn from research in schools across the nation that are getting great results and exceeding expectations.
  
  
• Summer Leadership Conferences each year, a three-day event, provides the opportunity to learn from distinguished national speakers, as well as from each other, sharing the best practices developed and tested in classrooms here in Gwinnett County Public Schools.
  

The maxim "Everything rises and falls on leadership" holds true for any size or type of organization, even in our schools. Being a successful school principal today requires exceptional expertise.

Gwinnett County Public Schools is committed to having effective leaders in every Gwinnett school. This is evidenced by the district's time, resources and attention to develop quality-plus leaders. It's part of the focus on becoming a system of world-class schools. World-class schools are led by quality-plus leaders.

ELLIOTT BRACK
This and that: Springtime, gas taxes and Georgia alcohol sales
By ELLIOTT BRACK
Editor and publisher

MARCH 13, 2012 -- Ah, springtime! At least it feels like spring already, only nine days away.

Brack

We've had mild winters before. We may eventually pay for it with more bugs and fleas and ticks this summer.

But hasn't it been great (for us with cold feet especially) for the winter to be so mild so far this year. I say "so far," for you keep expecting a harsh winter blast, perhaps with snowfall, to arrive any moment. Or else we'll soon have an horrific tornado season, because of the warmer temperatures of the season.

All during February, we were concerned about the warmer weather, seeing daffodils erupting earlier than normal, but remembering in previous years seeing them with snow all around them. "When will the snow arrive?" we wondered, thinking surely it would happen any day.

Springtime photos by Frank Sharpe of Lawrenceville.

But no. So far, the entire Eastern Seaboard has seen much warmer-than-normal weather, all unexpected, and perplexing. Eastern states with ski runs have had to have their man-made snow machines going strong. No doubt the critters around us are as confused and questioning as we have been about the weather.

So perhaps the beautiful budding trees we are seeing now are merely in step with the season, and will soon be enjoying the warmth of the sun during the early spring and summer.

It's always exciting to see the springtime arrive in all its splendor. It's just that it's arriving early this year, making the year unusual to begin with. But we sure like it.

* * * * *

On February 25 in 1919, Oregon became the first state to levy a gasoline tax. The state highway commission had launched a "Get Oregon Out of the Mud!" campaign to build better highways, but the problem was that only the people who drove horseless carriages really needed the paved roads. (Today Oregonians pay 31 cents per gallon on gasoline.)

A Republican state legislator named Loyal Graham hit upon a way to make the people who used the roads foot the bill: a gas tax amounting to a penny a gallon (about 12 cents in today's money). Within 10 years, all 48 states and the District of Columbia were levying gasoline taxes.

The Georgia Legislature has been holding back for years on raising the gasoline tax. Georgians pay only 29.2 cents per gallons in taxes. The highest gas taxes in the nation are in Connecticut (49.6), New York (49.5) and California (49.1.) State Gas Tax in Alaska is only 8 cents a gallon, while the lowest in the Continental USA is in Wyoming (14.0), New Jersey (14.5) and South Carolina (16.8).

* * * * *

Gwinnettians, more than any other county residents in Georgia, know what diversity means, with the county's varied population.

It wasn't exactly diversity, but it was migration, which brought the first wave of diverse citizens to Georgia. These are the people many first referred to as "Yankees," as they moved South for good jobs, better weather, and often, to be near their grandchildren, as their children had first moved South.

What has this brought? We were astounded in recent elections to see Georgia communities approving first one, then another, proposal for Sunday sales of liquor or drinks. In the presidential primary recently, lots of jurisdictions approved alcohol votes, and not by small margins, either. The only two that failed were in Jeffersonville (by one vote) and in Bainbridge.

Diversity has greatly changed Georgia. Who would have thought, just a few years ago, that these alcohol bills would pass so readily!

ABOUT OUR SPONSORS
Graphic Communications Corporation

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today's sponsor is Graphic Communications Corporation of Lawrenceville, a WBENC certified female-owned and managed company. Graphic Communications is a dynamic full-service print, large-format inkjet and photographic output, fulfillment, point-of-purchase and multi-media communications company. The firm has a digital media and graphic design department for both print and Internet use. Graphic Communications has been awarded the Chain of Custody certification by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI). Only a select group of printers in Georgia can provide eco-conscious customers with paper with the FSC or SFI logos, which ensure that the paper is from a well-managed, certified, sustainable forest and that the chain of custody from forest to pulp and to paper manufacturer to merchant---has not been broken. Graphic Communications' biggest strength is its ability to meet tight deadlines along with the ever-present demands for high quality and attention to detail. This ability makes the printing process seamless for its clients. Three of its greatest competitive advantages are: 1) listening; 2) being organized for speed; and 3) being detail fanatics. All of its associates are committed to giving customers exactly what they want, when they want it. Simply, at Graphic Communications, the customer's needs are the driving forces behind everything it does, from investment in technology to the friendly voices that still answer the telephone. For more information, go to http://www.gccprint.com.

FEEDBACK
Gwinnett doesn't need casinos, which destroy families

Editor, the Forum:

Let's hope we don't get casinos in Gwinnett. It is sad to see people throw away their hard-earned money, especially during these hard economic times. The reason casinos give cheaper hotel rates and other goodies is because they know something the average gambler refuses to acknowledge: If you gamble long enough, you will lose more than you win.

If you come back repeatedly, they will offer you free rooms and other hard-to-resist enticements. They are confident you will leave with empty pockets. Give it up and they will bombard you with offers for however long it takes. It's true that some gamblers seem to beat the system and win millions, but many of them have also lost it all.

We already have the lottery. Haven't we all seen the ridiculous sums people will spend for one chance in a trillion to become a millionaire. Many of these people have low incomes. It is not my job to tell them what they can do with their money, but gambling is a vice we do not need in Gwinnett. It is a destroyer of families.

-- Debra Houston, Lilburn

Dear Debra: So begins the discourse on the evils of gambling. Isn't it interesting that measures to save the world (or in this case the Hope Scholarship), often arise in difficult times? But watch out: the State Lottery Commission is a mighty structure, and likes to have its own way.--eeb

• Send us your letters. We welcome your letters and thoughts. Our policy: We encourage readers to submit feedback (or letters to the editor). Send your thoughts to the editor at elliott@brack.net. We will edit for length and clarity. Make sure to include your name and the city where you live. Submission of a comment grants permission for us to reprint. Please keep your comments to 300 words or less. However, we will consider longer articles (no more than 500 words) for featuring in Today's Focus as space allows.
  

UPCOMING
Congressman invites students' entries in 2012 arts competition

Congressman Rob Woodall invites high school art students in the Seventh Congressional District to participate in the 2012 Congressional Art Competition. The winner will be invited to attend the 2012 Congressional Art Competition: An Artistic Discovery Opening Exhibition on Wednesday, June 20, 2012, at the U.S. Capitol, where his or her work will be displayed in the hall leading from the U.S. House office buildings to the U.S. Capitol for one year. ?

He says: "The Congressional Art Competition affords our young students the opportunity to showcase their work in the U.S. Capitol. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Submissions from this year's Seventh Congressional District Art Competition will be on display at the Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for the Arts beginning Tuesday, April 10, and will conclude there with an awards ceremony honoring the participants on Saturday, April 14, 2012, at 1:30 p.m. Among other awards, the first through third place winners will win scholarships to the Atlanta Art Institute.

Guidelines:

• Entries must be submitted to Rep. Woodall's Lawrenceville office by Friday, March 30, 2012.
• Entrants must be high school students of public, private, or home schools located in Georgia's Seventh District.
• Artwork must be no larger than 28 x 28 inches (including the frame) and no more than four inches in depth and no more than 15 pounds.
• Entries must fall within the following categories: paintings (oils, acrylics, watercolor); drawings (pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers, etc.); prints (lithographs, silkscreen, block prints); collage (must be two-dimensional); computer generated art; or photography.
• Each entry must be an original concept and cannot violate U.S. copyright laws.

Last year's winner was Michelle Partogi of the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology, who painted a graphic commentary on the Jewish Holocaust.

Suwanee Police offer safe driving course on April 12

The Suwanee Police Department is offering a two-hour program for new teen drivers and their parents designed to give young drivers fresh attitudes and more confidence behind the wheel.

The Suwanee Police Department's Georgia Teens Ride with PRIDE (Parents Reducing Injuries and Driver Error) program will be offered, in cooperation with the Georgia Traffic Injury Prevention Institute, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 12, at the Suwanee Police Department, 373 Buford Highway.

This free course makes parents/guardians more aware of their own driving behaviors, assists parents in helping their teens to become safe drivers, and offers strategies for required supervised practice driving time. PRIDE is not a hands-on, "how-to" program. The classes are free. Those taking the class do not have to be a resident of Suwanee.

Class space is limited and advanced registration is required. A parent is required to accompany participating teens. To download an application, visit www.suwanee.com or contact Officer Elias Casanas at 770-904-7612. The registration deadline is March 23.

NOTABLE
ISO grants Gwinnett continual Class 4 fire insurance rating

Gwinnett Fire Chief Bill Myers had good news for Gwinnett homeowners. Telling county commissioners of the results of an inspection by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), he reports that Gwinnett County has retained a Class Four rating for its fire suppression capabilities. The ISO is a leading independent source of information about property/casualty insurance. This retention of the Class 4 rating comes after a 41 percent increase in population since the last ISO visit in 1996.

A community's ISO class rating is one factor that insurance companies consider when setting residential and commercial property insurance premiums.

Myers attributes the positive rating to several factors, including a commitment to standards set by ISO. However, Gwinnett also showed an ambitious expansion program in the last 15 years that added 10 new fire stations and engine companies, two ladder/truck companies, eight ambulances, one squad, one technical rescue unit, one new battalion, a centralized and fully equipped reserve apparatus program and additional fire personnel. Myers also said that training was a major factor in the rating, along with continually improving the County's fire training academy.

For more information about programs and services provided the Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services Department or to find a fire station near you, visit the county's Web site at www.gwinnettcounty.com.

Medical Center launches online gift registry to support patients

Gwinnett Medical Center (GMC) has recently launched MedGift, an online gift registry designed to provide support for patients. The new resource, powered by RelayHealth, lists patients' specific "Needs, Wants and Wishes" during treatment and recovery, similar to any other gift registry. The new service is now available to patients across the GMC system, which provide acute care, outpatient services, cardiovascular, orthopedic and neuroscience specialty care as well as a full continuum of wellness services.

Jeffrey D. Nowlin, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Gwinnett Health System, says: "GMC leadership sees this technology as another form of patient empowerment, allowing them to draw strength from their community in the healing process and relieve any sense of isolation they might experience. MedGift bridges communities through technology in a safe information platform while promoting goodwill."

MedGift was initially born from the experience of a 23-year old ovarian cancer patient, Diem Brown, a former MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge participant. Following her participation in the reality show, Brown experienced depression and a sense of helplessness as she coped with chemotherapy, expensive medical bills and new challenges such as finding an affordable human hair wig. While many offered to help, Brown didn't have a way to accept, organize and keep track of the many kind offers of assistance. It was this situation that inspired her to create MedGift.

GGC has first internship for student at Georgia's capitol

For Georgia Gwinnett College senior Meiling Lamquach-Holt, an internship at Georgia's Capitol has added a real-world dimension to her textbook understanding of political science.

"You can read about how it's supposed to work, but until you see how it's done, you don't know how difficult it is to pass a law," says Lamquach-Holt, who began her internship in January with Rep. Carl Rogers, chair of the House Higher Education Committee, and Rep. Chuck Martin, chair of the House Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee.

The Political Science Practicum program matches GGC students with internship experiences that expand on classroom studies. Since its inauguration last summer, the program has matched seven students with unique experiential learning projects. Lamquach-Holt is the first intern to work at the state capitol during the legislative session.

RECOMMENDED

Singing for Mrs. Pettigrew, by Michael Morpurgo

"Short stories are not normally my cup of tea, but Michael Morpurgo in "Singing for Mrs. Pettigrew" adopts an unusual tactic: He alternates his stories with chapters explaining why he is writing a particular story, and why it came out of his mind. (The explanatory chapters are in slightly smaller type.) This tactic adds depth to the book, often in beautiful ways, allowing the reader to understand the writer and the story better. It's best shown by the first three words in the book: 'Explain yourself, Morpurgo.' This is a good read, done well, which won't tax you, but will make your sigh and think." One more item: Morpurgo is an English author who wrote "War Horse." --eeb

• An invitation: What Web sites, books or restaurants have you enjoyed? Send us your best recent visit to a restaurant or most recent book you have read along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus what book you plan to read next. --eeb

GEORGIA ENCYCLOPEDIA
Casimir Pulaski fought in Revolution "with force of 10 men"

Brigadier General Count Casimir (or Kazimierz) Pulaski came from Poland to fight in the American Revolution (1775-83). Frequently hailed as the founder of the American cavalry, he served in the Continental Army from late 1777 and died during the Siege of Savannah in October 1779.

Casimir Pulaski was born in Warsaw, Poland, on March 6, 1745, to members of an old and influential branch of the Polish aristocracy. His family became heavily involved in the 1768 conspiracy to free Poland from Russia's political influence. Pulaski joined the effort and quickly exhibited an ability to command against Russian troops.

In 1771 the Polish government implicated Pulaski in a plot to abduct Stanislaus II, the Russian-controlled king, and accused him of treason. Pulaski sought protection in France and in 1773 briefly commanded an international force during the Russo-Turkish War (1768-1774).

By 1777 the Revolutionary War in America had caught Pulaski's attention. He obtained the help of Benjamin Franklin, one of the American ambassadors in France, and sailed for America in June 1777. Pulaski quickly submitted his name to the Continental Congress for an officer's commission. Pulaski's past military commands and his reputation as a skilled cavalry officer did not cause George Washington or the Continental Congress to accept him immediately. They had grown weary of Europeans who applied for military service and did not live up to their vaunted reputations.

So Pulaski unofficially joined Washington's forces on September 11, 1777, at the Battle of Brandywine in Pennsylvania, where he led a small force of horsemen and helped protect the Continental Army during its retreat. His fervor for the American cause and ability in battle convinced Washington and Congress to accept Pulaski as a brigadier general and appoint him "Commander of the Horse." He fought at the Battle of Germantown, also in Pennsylvania, later that year and briefly stayed at Valley Forge, Penn., during the winter of 1777-78. Most contemporaries who met Pulaski agreed that he excelled as a daring and energetic horseman; one friend described him as a soldier who fought with the force of ten men.

(To be continued)

• Click here to access the Georgia Encyclopedia

LAGNIAPPE
Aiming for commission

A 26-year-old exercise science major from Puerto Rico has become Georgia Gwinnett College's first cadet to sign a commissioned officer contract with the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). Cadet Jose Targa was officially contracted by the U.S. Army during ceremonies on the Lawrenceville campus last week. The ceremonies mark Targa's agreement to continue his ROTC training over the next two years and to accept an assignment as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army upon completion of his training and graduation from GGC. More than 60 of Targa's fellow cadets stood at attention during the brief ceremony, which was attended by several army officers, Targa's wife Daniela Targa, and GGC President Daniel J. Kaufman, himself a brigadier general in the U.S. Army, shown at left. Targa previous was deployed in 2009 to Afghanistan, where he served as a staff sergeant for the Georgia National Guard's 48th Brigade, 121st Infantry.

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© 2012, Gwinnett Forum.com. Gwinnett Forum is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA.

TODAY'S QUOTE
What sells an author's next book

"Nobody reads a mystery to get to the middle. They read it to get to the end. If it's a letdown, they won't buy anymore. The first page sells that book. The last page sells your next book."

-- Pulp fiction and mystery writer Mickey Spillane (1918-2006).

MORE COPIES AVAILABLE
Gwinnett history book in second printing

Previously out of print, Elliott Brack's 850-page history, "Gwinnett: A Little Above Atlanta," is now available again. Since its original publication, the book was declared the winner of the 2010 Award of Excellence for documenting Georgia history by the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board. It is also the winner of the Gwinnett Historical Society's Whitworth-Flanigan Award for 2011 for preserving the history of Gwinnett County.

The book includes 143 demographic and historic tables, with more than 4,000 names in the index, and 10,000 names in the appendix.

Two versions of the book are available. The hardback edition is priced at $75, while a softback edition is $40. Books are available at:

• Atlanta History Center, Atlanta
• Books for Less, Buford
  
• Gwinnett Historical Society, Lawrenceville
  
• Parsons Gifts and Cards, Duluth
  
• Vargas and Harbin Gallery, Norcross

You can also order books through the Internet. To do that, go to www.elliottbrack.com to place your order. For mail orders, there is a $5 shipping and handling fee. Purchases are also subject to the 6 percent Georgia sales tax.

SEARCH GWINNETT FORUM

GWINNETT CALENDAR

IN THE COMING WEEK

Business after Hours: 5:30 p.m., March 13, Sears Store, 1428 Buford Highway, Buford. Each member business attending is eligible or drawing for GE 18 cubic foot refrigerator. Details: visit www.visitbuford.com.

Blood Drive by the American Red Cross: Noon to 5 p.m., March 15, Norcross City Hall. Visit redcrossblood.org and enter "norcrosspolice" to schedule an appointment.

Annual Dinner, Blaze 4 Life: 6 p.m., March 15, Happy Valley Restaurant, 5495 Jimmy Carter Boulevard, Norcross. Proceeds to support Blaze 4 Life, Inc. Violence Prevention Programs and promote human trafficking awareness in Gwinnett County.

Soupbowl Benefit: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 17, Hudgens Center for the Arts, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. This third annual event will have over 300 handmade bowls for sale made by local artists. Each purchase includes a free serving of soup, chili and bread. Info: www.thehudgens.org or call 770-623-6002.

NEXT WEEK AND ONGOING

Success Lives Here Breakfast: 7:30 a.m., March 23, Sugarloaf Country Club. Speaking will be Clyde and Sandra Strickland, Lawrenceville philanthropists, who are the 2012 Gwinnett Chamber Citizens of the Year. For more information, call 770 232-3000.

Open House at Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., March 24. Included is an overview of the college plus sessions providing information about financial aid, student success programs, student clubs and majors. A special session is provided for parents. To learn more, go to www.ggc.edu.

MORE EEB PERSPECTIVE

MORE RECENT COMMENTARY

6/19: Townsend: Cars for teens 6/15: Godfrey: Seashore's pull 6/12: Ramey: GGC transforming 6/8: Myers: Fire responders 6/5: Olson: New at Hudgens 6/1: Henry: On school measure 5/30: Fowler: Greater Norcross 5/25: Stinson: Ptree Crs budget 5/22: Durant: Baldwin's service 5/18: Olson: Hudgens' art camps 5/15: Beck: More 10-minute plays 5/11: Morris: Fink championed democracy 5/8: Morriss: Honor Flight 5/4: McBrayer: Sugar Hill's new digs 5/1: Wilson: 1st Relay for Life 4/27: Stephens: Briscoe study 4/24: Gerstein: Remembering King 4/20: Summerour: Taiwan trip 4/13: Warbington: Romania 4/10: Tyler: Chamber music 4/6: Cerjan: Relay for Life 4/3: Tucker: Pug prance 3/27: Duke: Lilburn scholar 3/23: Calmes: Duluth festival 3/20: Anderson: Grant winner 3/16: Hunter: Empowering girls 3/13: Bass: Schools' training 3/9: Collins: NC casino 3/6: Stilo: Clyde 'n Bonnie to open 3/2: Stout: Unitarian minister COMMENTARY INDEX

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