Dr. Jonathon Wetherington

As a passionate educator, I am extremely honored and excited to lead Paul Duke STEM High School.  The vision of Gwinnett County Public Schools is to become a system of world-class schools where students acquire the knowledge and skills to be successful in college and careers.  As we continue to transform teaching and learning in support of this vision in all of our schools, we are committed to providing students with engaging and differentiated learning environments. Paul Duke STEM High School was created to provide a non-traditional, STEM-themed high school choice for the Norcross cluster. Joining the Norcross cluster, as well as the Norcross and Peachtree Corners communities, inspires me to continue the tradition of excellence that has embodied these communities as we launch in August 2018.

Paul Duke STEM High School has been described as “a small school full of big ideas!” I believe this is an excellent summary of our vision. While there are a growing number of STEM schools in the region, Paul Duke STEM High School will offer its students a STEM-themed learning experience unlike any other that emphasizes both technology and the application of knowledge to prepare students for a high-tech and high-skilled future. Our technology-infused STEM curriculum has been developed with students and their future in mind and emphasizes students learning with and through technology.

The “T” is bigger in our name because it’s a big deal at our school.  Technology is a large part of our students’ world and it will impact every career opportunity in their future from self-driving cars to robotics to managing our natural resources. Therefore, our goal is to empower our students’ learning in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics through the effective use of Technology.  While we have a technology-infused STEM approach, the big “T” in our name also refers to our school environment that will emphasize Talent, Trust, Thinking, Tinkering, Teamwork, as well as Technology.  These six words describe and inspire the culture that we will create for our students.

As we embark on this incredible journey, I hope you will join with us because I believe that the vision for Paul Duke STEM High School is one that many students, parents, and community members are looking for.  Please feel free to contact me with any ideas you may have on how we support the students in our community.

Let’s build a foundation that allows innovation for excellence!