Gwinnett County officials will honor fallen military and public service heroes during its annual Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 26 at 1 p.m. It will be at the Gwinnett Fallen Heroes Memorial in Lawrenceville.
Scott
The keynote address will be given by U.S. Army Brigadier General Theodore R. Scott III, commander of the Marietta-based 78th Troop Command of the Georgia Army National Guard. Two Gwinnett fallen heroes will also be inducted into the Fallen Heroes Memorial during the ceremony.
General Scott enlisted in the Georgia Army National Guard in 1986 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in August 1997. In his 37-year career, his previous assignments have included regimental commander for the 122nd Regional Training Institute and Joint Force Headquarters intelligence officer, both based in Marietta, and commander of the Forest Park-based 221st Military Intelligence Battalion. Scott’s awards include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the NATO Service Medal.
He graduated from Georgia State University with a BBA degree. General Scott has a master’s degree from the University of Maryland in management, and also is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College.
The Gwinnett Fallen Heroes Memorial, located on the grounds of the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville, honors all Gwinnett residents who died in the line of duty in military or public service.
Buford school named top district in USA again
A new national study has named Buford (Ga.) City Schools the best school district in the United States again, earning a top score of 9.31 out of 10. The ranking, conducted by online tutoring platform Wiingy.com using data from Niche, evaluated dozens of metrics to assess academic performance, student support, and overall quality. The web site, Niche, has named Buford Schools as tops in the nation before.
Buford City Schools excelled across nearly every category, receiving perfect scores in eight out of nine areas, including academics, college preparation, and resources. The only category not rated at the maximum was diversity, where it scored an 11 out of 12. The district boasts a 96 percent graduation rate, 70 percent math proficiency, and an average review rating of 4.5 out of 5—earning high marks for “rigorous academics, exceptional educators, and comprehensive support services.”
Scarsdale Union Free School District in New York placed second with a score of 9.21, followed by Adlai E. Stevenson High School District No. 125 in Illinois at 9.17.
Wiingy’s study converted Niche’s letter grades into numerical scores out of 12 across nine key categories: academics, diversity, teachers, college prep, clubs and activities, administration, sports, food, and facilities. It also factored in math and reading proficiency rates and parent/student review ratings to find a final index score out of 10.
The top five districts were:
- Buford City Schools – 9.31;
- Scarsdale Union Free School District, New York – 9.21;
- Adlai E. Stevenson HSD No. 125, Illinois – 9.17;
- Eanes Independent SD, Texas – 9.10; and
- Ladue SD, Missouri, and Radnor Township SD, Pennsylvania – 9.04 (tie).
Norcross hires Versel as new economic developer
Versel
The City of Norcross has hired its new economic development director. He is David Versel, 51, a veteran consultant, who brings over two decades of experience to the role. He has worked in more than 250 communities across 30 states. Prior to joining Norcross, he founded and led a national consulting practice and held senior leadership positions with multiple public and private sector organizations in Georgia, Virginia and Maine. He has spent half his career in Georgia, and the balance in cities along the east coast.
A native of Silver Springs, Md., Versel holds a B.A. in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. and a Master of City Planning from Georgia Tech. He lives in Alpharetta with his wife, Maurisa, and their four children, and he’s a youth sports coach.
Follow Us