Students at nearly three dozen Gwinnett schools will be using clear backpacks in January as the school system tests the waters to see if they will work districtwide.
Gwinnett County Public Schools officials announced 33 schools will participate in the clear backpack pilot at the beginning of the spring semester. Middle and high schools that participate in the pilot will do so from Jan. 6 until Jan. 31 while participating elementary schools will pilot the backpacks from Jan. 13 until Feb. 7.
“To prioritize student safety, Gwinnett County Public Schools is excited to announce the launch of a clear backpack pilot program at select schools starting in January 2025,” district officials said in an announcement on the district’s website.
“This pilot aims to increase visibility and create a more secure school environment for our students, and this pilot will help us understand how a clear backpack requirement might work across the district.”
The pilot program is expected to lead to a decision by district officials by March 3, 2025 as to whether GCPS will require clear backpacks during the 2025-2026 school year.
The pilot came about after GCPS initially said they would require the bags at all schools in the district only to back track after they discovered they could not procure enough bags in time to make that change this school year.
The change to clear backpacks was first floated after the fatal shooting at Apalachee High School, during which a shooter killed four people and injured nine others in September.
“Clear backpacks are already used to promote safety in places like stadiums and large event venues,” district officials said. “For schools, they offer an additional way to keep students safe by deterring individuals from bringing prohibited items onto campus. While this idea has generated mixed feelings in our community, we want to explore it further to make an informed decision about the future of the Clear Backpack program.”
Each student at the schools participating in the pilot program will receive a clear backpack at no cost.
Students will be allowed to bring their lunch boxes, pencil pouches, purses, musical instrument cases and athletic bags to school during the pilot.
“Principals at each participating school will share additional details about the pilot program, including distribution of clear backpacks in December,” GCPS officials said in their announcement. “Families, please continue to check your school website, newsletters, ParentSquare, and social media for school-specific details and reminders.”
The participating schools include:
Centers
Buice Center: ADAPT-BRIDGE-STRIVE
Elementary Schools
Berkeley Lake Elementary
Britt Elementary
Brookwood Elementary
Cooper Elementary
Corley Elementary
Craig Elementary
Ferguson Elementary
Gwin Oaks Elementary
Head Elementary
Jackson Elementary
Nesbit Elementary
Norton Elementary
Pharr Elementary
Rock Springs Elementary
Rockbridge Elementary
Starling Elementary
Taylor Elementary
Walnut Grove Elementary
Woodward Mill Elementary
Middle Schools
Berkmar Middle
Coleman Middle
Crews Middle
Duluth Middle
Five Forks Middle
Lilburn Middle
Radloff Middle
Snellville Middle
High Schools
Berkmar High
Brookwood High
Meadowcreek High
Peachtree Ridge High
Shiloh High
Credit: Gwinnett Daily Post
Credit: Gwinnett Daily Post
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