The Pulse Post March 9th-March 13th

Hello Pulse Families,

I hope you and your loved ones are doing well.

Your involvement helps us create meaningful opportunities for our students and celebrate their accomplishments. We have many celebrations to share this week!

💡 Highlights:

• New Partnership! We are excited to share a new partnership with Northeast Georgia Medical Center, which will help strengthen opportunities for our students, including internships and a Healthcare Scholarship for our seniors starting this year.
• DECA State Competition: Twenty-one McClure DECA students competed against 6,000+ students across Georgia. Congratulations to Bryanna Gonzalez, who placed Top 10 in the state and will advance to the International Competition. We also celebrate Yasmin Munoz, who earned McClure’s first-ever Gold School-Based Enterprise Certification and will also attend the International competition.
• Gifted Student of the Year: Congratulations to Angelic Grace Maleche, who has been named McClure Health Science High School’s Gifted Student of the Year! Grace’s curiosity, dedication, and commitment to excellence make her a wonderful representative of our school community.
• LGPE Superior Performance: Congratulations to Mr. Barnes and the Advanced Orchestra students for earning all SUPERIOR ratings on stage and in sight reading at their LGPE performance this week—the highest possible rating!
• Reader’s Rally Success: A huge thank you to Mrs. Sly and Mrs. Malloy for supporting our students at the GCPS Reader’s Rally competition last Saturday! Our amazing team finished in the TOP THREE in the district competition.
• Science Fair: 30 McClure students represented our school at the Science Fair, completing 14 advanced research projects. Congratulations to the students earning top awards: Aryan Pathak, Siddharth Pathak, Jason Tran, Jaqueline Gomez Negrete, Sofia Escobar, Wahid Ahmed, and Taheem Khondokar. Thank you to Dr. Shang for organizing and supporting our students throughout the process.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Yours in service,

Congratulations to Valedictorian Yasmin Munoz and Salutatorian Atri Roy, who were recognized this week at the Annual Gwinnett County Public Schools Valedictorian and Salutatorian Breakfast Celebration! We are very proud of them!

In the words of our district spokesperson: "It was a true honor to gather together to recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of the Class of 2026's top scholars. Their dedication, perseverance, and commitment to excellence have distinguished you among an exceptional group of peers. We are incredibly proud of you and excited to see the impact you will make in the years ahead. To our families, teachers and staff—thank you for the guidance, encouragement, and support you provide each day. Celebrations like this reflect not only individual achievement, but the collective investment of parents, teachers, principals, and our entire Team GCPS community."

Happy SEL Week and the start of Women’s History Month! We kicked off the week by celebrating our amazing faculty and staff on SEL Day with donuts, coffee, juice, and thank-you cards to show our appreciation for the care and support they provide our school community every day.

Students will continue the celebration during Friday Funday on March 6, participating in fun SEL activities like spinning the SEL Wheel, coloring, sharing positive notes, and getting active for prizes—all while building important social and emotional skills. 💙

Youth Art Month is officially underway, and we are excited to celebrate the incredible creativity of our Pulse artists!

Our students will be participating in mARTch Madness, where the community can vote for their favorite female artist and see who becomes the 2026 Champion.

On Saturday, March 8 (11 AM–4 PM), our artists will compete in a chalk art contest at Draw the District, featuring live art, vendors, music, and food.

We are also proud to have four students—Isabella Zavala, Keila Garcia-Arce, Levi Andrade, and Naomi Cruz—representing McClure at the Georgia Capitol Art Exhibit reception on March 11, where they will meet legislators and showcase their work.

Families are invited to see outstanding student artwork at the Tapestry of the Arts, taking place March 17–24 at the ISC, with a family reception on March 17 from 6–7 PM.

Community members can also support our students by becoming an Art Angel, helping us purchase at least 50 frames to build permanent galleries of student artwork throughout the school. A special thank you to Taylor Jordan and James Frew for being our first Art Angels!

Be sure to also save the date for McClure’s Spring Art Show on April 23 after school, where our talented artists will showcase their work to the community!

Congratulations to Angelic Grace Maleche, who has been named McClure Health Science High School’s Gifted Student of the Year! 🎉

Grace exemplifies curiosity, dedication, and academic excellence. Her commitment to learning and willingness to challenge herself both inside and outside the classroom truly set her apart. We are incredibly proud of Grace and grateful for the positive impact she has on our school community.

Way to represent Pulse, Grace! 💙✨

Congratulations to our incredible Reader’s Rally team for placing in the Top Three at the GCPS Reader’s Rally competition! Our students demonstrated outstanding knowledge, teamwork, and dedication as they competed against schools across the district.

A special thank you to Mrs. Sly and Mrs. Malloy for coaching and supporting our students throughout the season and for representing McClure this past Saturday. We are so proud of our readers for this amazing accomplishment! 📚✨

Our MHSHS DECA members represented McClure at the State Career Development Conference in Atlanta (Feb. 26–28), where 21 students competed against more than 6,000 students across Georgia in business, marketing, finance, and hospitality events.

We are proud to share that Bryanna Gonzalez placed in the Top 10 for her Innovation Plan and will advance to the International Competition in April!

In addition, Yasmin Munoz earned McClure’s first-ever Gold School-Based Enterprise Certification and will also represent McClure at the International DECA Competition in the School-Based Enterprise competition and academy.

Congratulations as well to the following students who placed in the Top 20 in their events:

• Aranav Cheralayath – Apparel & Accessories

• Hao Doan, David Doan, and Hanson Nguyen – Franchise Business Plan

• Yasmin Munoz – School-Based Enterprise Competition

• Zujeily Morejon and Rayann Chowdhury – International Business Plan

• Adona Woldgebrale – Business Finance

  
  

We are incredibly proud of these students and their hard work preparing for this event. Thank you to all teachers who supported their preparation, especially Mr. Spencer Baker and Ms. Malikah Register! 🎉

We are proud to celebrate our McClure students who represented our school at the Gwinnett Regional Science Fair on Friday, February 27. This year, 30 students participated, completing a total of 14 advanced research projects, showcasing their curiosity, dedication, and passion for science.

We are especially excited to share that seven McClure students earned top awards at the 2026 Gwinnett Regional Science Fair:

• Aryan Pathak

• Siddharth Pathak

• Jason Tran

• Jaqueline Gomez Negrete

• Sofia Escobar

• Wahid Ahmed

• Taheem Khondokar

  
  

Congratulations to these students for their outstanding accomplishments!

A special thank you to Dr. Shang for her incredible work organizing our school Science Fair and preparing students for the regional competition, and to all staff members who supported our students throughout their research projects.

Congratulations to Mr. Barnes and the Advanced Orchestra students for earning all SUPERIOR ratings on stage and in sight reading at their LGPE performance this week. Superior is the highest possible rating, and this achievement reflects the incredible dedication and preparation of our students and their director.

We are incredibly proud of their hard work and musical excellence.
Good luck to our Band and Chorus students who will participate in LGPE this week!

As we celebrate Youth Art Month, our community enjoyed an incredible chorus concert this week showcasing the talent and dedication of our student performers. Their voices filled the room with energy and artistry, making it a truly memorable evening.

A special thank you to Ms. Schroeder for her leadership and commitment to our chorus program and for creating such a wonderful musical experience for our students and families! 🎶✨

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Gemini now offers free, full-length SAT practice tests in partnership with The Princeton Review, providing students with instant feedback and customized study plans. Students can explore this feature on the AI page of the Student 1:1 Support site, which is bookmarked directly on their Chromebooks.

Ramadan Information & Student Support

• Ramadan is a sacred month observed by Muslims worldwide and is a time of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.

• Based on the Islamic lunar calendar, Ramadan is expected to begin the evening of Wednesday, February 18, 2026, and conclude on Thursday, March 19, 2026.

  
  

Meal Support for Students

• GCPS will offer meals to students fasting during Ramadan.

• Meals will be available for students to pick up and take home from February 17, 2026, through March 19, 2026.

• As we have done in the past, the cafeteria will have a designated service window open specifically for students observing fasting.

• Meals will be available at the end of the school day, prior to students heading to buses or car rider pickup.

• Families who would like their student to receive meals next week should complete the registration form by Thursday, February 19, at 4:00 p.m.

  
  

Spaces & Accommodations

• During lunch segments, students may choose to remain in the Commons or relocate to the Media Center.

• Students may use a designated area in the Media Center or request a private space through Mrs. Sly.

• Students who wish to reserve a quiet space to pray during the school day may reach out to their school counselorfor coordination.

• Parents visiting the school who would like accommodations for prayer may let a staff member know, and we will be ready to assist and coordinate those accommodations.

  
  

Our Commitment

• We are committed to honoring our students’ cultural and religious identities and supporting an inclusive and respectful learning environment for all.

Please email your student's counselor or Assistant Principal if you have any questions or concerns.

ParentSquare is our primary communication tool for school and district updates. Families can customize how and when they receive messages (email, text, or app notifications) to stay informed in the way that works best for them.

🔗 Learn how to customize your ParentSquare notifications here:
https://www.gcpsk12.org/students/handbook-information-for-students-and-families/parentsquare/customizing-your-parentsquare-experience

Please click on the link to view the January edition of our Senior Newsletter:

Senior Newsletter - January Edition

Ms. Anderson

candice.anderson@gcpsk12.org

Senior Counselor

For everyone’s safety, we encourage families to arrive earlier during carpool. Earlier arrival helps reduce congestion and keeps our students safe.

If your student arrives late to school, they will need to scan their Student ID barcode in order to receive a tardy pass. Students can access their barcode easily in StudentVUE:

1. Log into StudentVUE.
2. Click the ID icon in the bottom left corner.
3. Swipe up to display the Student ID barcode.

Please encourage your student to practice accessing their barcode ahead of time so check-in can be quick and smooth!

Link HERE

Families, please remember that students must be picked up within 15–30 minutes after an event concludes. Late pickups may result in students losing the privilege to participate in future after-school activities.

To keep dismissal safe and efficient during after-school events (such as Pink Out, Hispanic Heritage Festival, International Night, Black History Month Cookout, etc.) , please review our pick-up plan and traffic flow map before you arrive.

To help ensure smooth dismissal, please review our After-School Pick-Up Map and Plan below:
📍 View Pick-Up Plan / Map

Thank you for helping us keep all students safe and ensure that events run smoothly and on time!

Dear Parent/Guardian:

Children need healthy meals to learn. Gwinnett County Public Schools offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $1.75; lunch costs $2.50 for elementary and $2.75 at middle and high schools. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals. The reduced price is $.30 for breakfast and $.40 for lunch. The following information includes an application for free or reduced-price meal benefits and a set of detailed instructions. Below are some common questions and answers to help you with the application process.

• All children in households receiving benefits from Georgia SNAP or TANF are eligible for free
• Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free
• Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free
• Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free
• Children may receive free or reduced-price meals if your household’s income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Chart. Your children may qualify for free or reduced-price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on this chart.

1. Free or reduced meal prices for a healthy, nutritious student meal.

2. Additional funding for technology and internet access.

3. Discounts on fees associated with the college application process.

4. Discounted fees for SAT, ACT, and AP exams along with other scholarship opportunities.

5. Increased funding to support education.

Everyday, Chick-fil-A sells lunch during all lunch periods, Monday–Friday.

Menu items include:

• Chick-n-Strip™ Slider – $3.50

• Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap® (Half) – $4.50

Payments accepted: Cash or Card.

💌 Pulse Posts – Sent every Friday via ParentSquare with updates, reminders & celebrations

📱 Follow Us on Instagram:

• @mcclurehealthsciencehigh
• School-wide News & Events

📆 Check the School Calendar:

• 🔗Linked Here

Stay informed about important dates, breaks, and events

🗣️ Talk to Your Student:
Ask about what they're learning and how they're adjusting

📖 Family Engagement Tips

Check out these tips on how to engage with your student at home: 2025 eTips

MHSHS Website | Student & Family Handbook | GCPS Portal | GCPS 25-26 School Calendar |

GCPS News |

McClure Health Science High School

3921 Club Drive, Duluth, GA

770-806-7900

MHSHS Website

The Back-to-School Guide is a digital resource with district information about the new school year. Previously called the “Virtual Back-to-School Backpack,” the Back-To-School Guide will be available after July 11, 2025, by clicking HERE