Seckinger High School opened its doors for classes for the first time Wednesday, welcoming ninth grade students to the new Gwinnett County school building infused with an artificial intelligence learning component.
Along with being greeted by teachers, students also walked past a “Belonging Wall” created by the student council. Over the summer, they created large display near the front entrance in the shape of the school’s “SKG” logo. The display includes the names of every student.
“Together we have a unique opportunity to be a part of something really special,” Principal Memorie Reesman wrote in a welcome letter to students and families. “This next-generation high school will offer innovative learning opportunities and preparation for fast-paced environments of the future.”
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Gwinnett County Public Schools has a staggered first day to allow the youngest grade in its school buildings and special education students to have time to acclimate on their own.
Elementary schools had just kindergarteners and first graders, middle schools had sixth graders and high school had freshmen. Students in other grades had a digital day Wednesday. They will have their first day of in-person class Thursday.
Seckinger and its feeder elementary and middle schools make up Gwinnett’s first cluster built around an academic theme — artificial intelligence.
The schools will have A.I. and computer science components, and issues such as the ethics and expansion of A.I. may be incorporated into English and social studies classes. In high school, students can apply their A.I. knowledge to a focus on humanities, international business or advanced science and technology.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
The new school is named after former Gwinnett school board member Daniel Seckinger.
It will have about 1,500 students this year who were previously zoned for Mill Creek or Mountain View high schools. Its capacity is about 2,800 students.
Teachers throughout the district wore masks as they greeted students — students, however, have the option of wearing one or not. Gwinnett’s mask rules are based on community transmission levels of COVID-19 reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Since mid-July, the county has had a “high” level. The CDC updates county levels weekly. Once Gwinnett’s transmission level is medium or low, the district will lift the staff mask requirement.
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