New STEM high school opens in Gwinnett County

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A new STEM high school opened in Gwinnett County Monday.

Channel 2's Steve Gehlbach was at Paul Duke STEM High School in Norcross, where about 700 students were starting their first day at the new school.

It's the first STEM-focused school in Gwinnett County. Paul Duke will give a unique opportunity to students looking to study technology skills like engineering or robotics and take duel-enrollment college credit, AP classes and internships.

Paul Duke will start with only ninth through eleventh grades, no senior class. Students will only take classes Monday through Thursday with Friday as a digital learning day or time for students to pursue internships or areas of interest. The school will eventually hold up to 12,00 students.

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"(The school is) going to be a focus on science, engineering, math high-connected and amplified by use of technology," Dr. Alvin Wilbanks, Gwinnett County Schools Superintendent, said.

The new high school gives much-needed relief to nearby Norcross High School.

Gwinnett County is also opening two new duel-emersion programs this year. Students at Meadowcreek Elementary will spend half the day learning in English and half the day learning in Spanish.

Gwinnett County is Georgia's largest school district with over 180,000 students, about 1,000 more than last year.

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