J. Alvin Wilbanks was named by the Gwinnett County Board of Education as chief executive officer and superintendent of Gwinnett County Public Schools in March, 1996. At the time of his appointment, Mr. Wilbanks was serving as the school system’s assistant superintendent of human resources and continuous improvement. Concurrently, he held the position of president of Gwinnett Technical College (formerly Institute), the largest technical institute in Georgia, a school he opened as its president in 1984.
During his 12 years as president of Gwinnett Tech, Mr. Wilbanks also served as assistant superintendent for occupational and continuing education and as director of vocational and technical education for Gwinnett County Public Schools. His education career began in the DeKalb County School System where he served as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal/director of the Occupational Education Center. He came to Gwinnett County from the Georgia Department of Education where he was an administrator in the department’s Industrial Development Unit. In his career he has traveled extensively abroad promoting technical/vocational education, and the US and International Skills Olympics.
In 2000 and 2001, Mr. Wilbanks served as a leading member of Governor Roy Barnes’ Education Reform Study Commission, which helped shape significant new education legislation for Georgia. In 2002, United States Secretary of Education Dr. Rod Paige tapped Mr. Wilbanks to be the only local school system superintendent to serve on the negotiated rulemaking committee on Title I standards and accountability under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. In 2004, Governor Sonny Perdue appointed Mr. Wilbanks to the Education Finance Task Force that is charged with recommending improvements to the Quality Basic Education (QBE) funding formula, which determines how state funds are allocated to Georgia’s K-12 public schools. Governor Perdue appointed Mr. Wilbanks to the Board of Trustees for the state’s Teacher Retirement System in 2005. He also serves as the first chairman of the Georgia Education Coalition, formed in 2006 to give school systems a unified voice with the state’s Legislature on funding and educational policy issues important to all member districts.
Mr. Wilbanks is the recipient of numerous honors and awards for his professional accomplishments and civic contributions. Most notably, Mr. Wilbanks was named the “2005 Georgia Superintendent of the Year” and earned further distinction as one of four finalists in the “2005 National Superintendent of the Year” program. In 2004, he was presented the “Distinguished Practitioner Award” by the University Council of Educational Administrators, and the “Excellence in Educational Leadership Award” from the Education Research and Development Institute (ERDI). The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce recognized his contributions to the county by awarding Mr. Wilbanks its highest honor, naming him the Chamber’s “2005 Citizen of the Year.”
Mr. Wilbanks earned his bachelor and master of education degrees from the University of Georgia, and his education specialist degree from Georgia State University. His professional memberships include the American Association of School Administrators, the Georgia School Superintendents Association, Phi Delta Kappa, ERDI, and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators. He is a leader in many civic organizations including the Gwinnett County Board of Public Health, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Lawrenceville Rotary Club, the American Cancer Society, the Northeast Georgia Council-Boy Scouts of America, and the Council for Quality Growth. He is a graduate of Leadership Gwinnett. Mr. Wilbanks and his wife, Celeste, reside in Lawrenceville. They have two daughters and five grandchildren.
Click here to hear CEO/Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks' video message for employees.
Click here to view Mr. Wilbanks' 2008 State of the School System address.
Superintendent's Message
Today, a quality education means a world-class education. That is exactly what Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is committed to providing to our students. GCPS employees work to achieve this vision by focusing on strategic initiatives that will help guide our school system successfully into the future. For the coming year, my focus will remain on three key areas-- student achievement, communication, and operational issues.
Our business is teaching and learning; therefore, most important is the progress we make in the area of student achievement. Our work in the area of student achievement is making a difference. How do we know? Just look at the results. GCPS has been and continues to be a leader in the state and region in the area of student achievement. However, as we look toward the future, our goal is to eliminate the achievement gap that exists between various groups of students, ensuring that every student receives a quality and effective education.
Effective communication with our various internal and external audiences will be a key to reaching student achievement goals and other system priorities. We will continue to expand efforts to communicate strategically and effectively, making sure that key stakeholders-- students, parents, staff, and community members-- understand important information about the education of Gwinnett's children.
Without a doubt, this is one of the most exciting and challenging times I have seen in my 40 years as an educator. Yes, there are challenges, as school systems across the nation grapple with federal and state accountability goals, budgetary issues, and growing student populations. As we look to the future, I am confident that GCPS is up to the challenge. We are fortunate to live in a community that values public education and supports its schools. By working together, focusing our efforts, and keeping students at the heart of every decision made, we will make certain that GCPS and its students are prepared for the future.
Sincerely,
J. Alvin Wilbanks
CEO/Superintendent
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