Gwinnett County Public School System recently got approval for accreditation.  Not only were we approved, but we were highly praised for our school system.  That would not have happened if it wasn't for the amazing men and women who dedicate their lives to make sure that our kids get the best education possible.  That being said GCPS need more men and women like that, that's why they are offering some wonderful incentives.  Below are positions that are available and the incentives that you could receive if you sign a contract with the school system.

• (Special Education Programs - ASD-I, ASD-II, ASD-III, DHH, EBD, OI, VI, SID/PID, MOID)
  The Employee shall be paid an incentive in the amount of Six-Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) for teaching one (1) full school year (2022-2023) in a special education classroom in Gwinnett County Public Schools and signing a contract for a second year of teaching (2023-2024) in a special education classroom. Employee will receive the bonus on the schedule noted below less applicable withholdings and deductions:
  Thirty days after the start of the 2022-23 School Year:$ 3,000
    December 2022 check:$ 2,000
    Upon signing contract for 2023-24 School Year:$ 1,000
• (Special Education Programs - IRR, SLD, SDD, Mild ID, ASD-IV, Pre-K)The Employee shall be paid an incentive in the amount of Five-Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) for teaching one full school year (2022-2023) in a special education classroom in Gwinnett County Public Schools and signing a contract for a second year of teaching (2023-2024) in a special education classroom. Employee will receive the bonus on the schedule noted below less applicable withholdings and deductions: 

          Thirty days after the start of the 2022-23 School Year:$ 3,000
              December 2022 check:$ 1,000
              Upon signing contract for 2023-24 School Year:$ 1,000

• The Employee shall be paid an incentive in the amount of Six -Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) for serving 1 full school year (2022-2023) as a Speech Language Pathologist in Gwinnett County Public Schools and signing a contract for a second year (2023-2024) as a Speech Language Pathologist. Employee will receive the bonus on the schedule noted below less applicable withholdings and deductions:

          Thirty days after the start of the 2022-23 School Year:$ 3,000
          December 2022 check:$ 2,000
          Upon signing contract for the 2023-24 School Year:$ 1,000
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It is understood that in the event that the Employee is terminated by Gwinnett County Public Schools for Cause prior to the one (1)-year anniversary of the Start Date, or in the event that the Employee resigns not for Good Reason prior to the one (1)-year anniversary of the Start Date, the Employee may be obligated to repay Gwinnett County Public Schools the amount of such incentive previously paid to Employee no later than thirty (30) days following the date of termination or resignation.

For more information about other positions that are available you Click Here

Thanks for stopping by.
Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey

I had a wonderful Mother's Day Weekend.  One of the things I love about Gwinnett County is that there is always something to do here.  Whether you live in Lawrenceville, Sugar Hill or Auburn, you can always find something to do.   This past weekend was so much fun for me.  I started out going to dinner with my family on Friday evening.  I love fried crabs and so almost every Friday evening we go out to eat some.  

Saturday morning started with me taking my 3 year old granddaughter Carter to free comic book day downtown Lawrenceville at Galatica Comic Book store.  That was a lot of fun.  She picked up her first comic book which had Wonder Woman on the cover.  She loves Wonder Woman and Spiderman.  I had to purchase that book, a set of trading cards and a Paw Patrol activity set.  I didn't mind because she was able to get 10 free comic books as well.  

After we left Galatica, we stopped by to visit SoJe, which was next door and owned by my husband's co-worker and his wife.  While in there, I picked up some body butter and a cute little sweat suit for Carter.  I am such a pushover for this kid.  We then left Soje and went across the street to pick up a balloon and a couple of lollipops.  We saw a couple of characters walking around.  Carter got to meet one of the Ghost Busters and Zorro. 

Our next stop was to Peachtree Cafe' to have brunch and there Carter and I met up with my daughter Dominique for some good food.  I love the Reuben from Peachtree Cafe'. I have it at least once a month when I host my Breakfast Club meeting on the 2nd Friday of each month.

Our final stop of the day was Duluth Derby Day.  This was a lot of fun, but it was a little chilly.  I wished the weather would have been warmer, but the experience was nice.  Carter got a chance to ride the horses twice and as soon as we got there we got to take a free picture from a company called Star Pix Photobooth ATL.  This was pretty cool, because I wanted to get the pictures of us with our hats on.  The night before I had stopped by the thrift store to find the hats and I lucked out.  My first thought was order them from Amazon, but I knew that I would probably only wear the hat once, so the thrift store worked out fine.

All in all I had a wonderful weekend.  Looking forward to my next adventure which will be this weekend when I visit Calloway Gardens.  I'll be sure to share the pictures with you.

Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey

I try to make Saturday my day of rest.  After being in the house most of the day, I decided that I needed to go out and get some air.  I decided to go over to SlowPour Brewery located downtown Lawrenceville.  I learned about SlowPour about two years ago when I interview the founder John Allen on the show.  I'm not a beer drinker at all.  The last time I even tasted beer, I was 18 years old and I never had beer after that.  I shared this with John and he assured me that there was a craft beer out there with my name on it.  

Now I can't say that I found one with my name on it at SlowPour, but I did find one that I actually enjoyed.  I didn't think I would like it at all, but I did surprisingly.  So now I know that the next time I go, there's a beer that I can actually drink and enjoy. I loved the atmosphere of SlowPour.  I wanted to play cornholes, but someone was already playing that.  Next time we will take our own games, food and buy the beer there.

One of the things I loved about SlowPour was the family atmosphere.  My daughter was able to bring the baby who had a good time playing with the other kids that were there.  

All in all I had a nice time and look forward to going again.  It's always great to take some time and just relax and enjoy time with your family and friends.

By the way be sure to listen to the Good Morning Gwinnett Podcast Monday-Thursday live at 10am.

Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey

The Greater Eastside Chamber Of Commerce held it's first annual gala was this past Saturday and it was wonderful.  Everyone looked so beautiful and handsome all dressed up.  It's been a while since the pandemic that the members of GECC has come together.  The gala was held at Vines Mansion located in Loganville.  The mansion sits on acres of sprawling land and the grounds were beautiful. 

The vision for the chamber gala was that of the chamber president Derrick J. Wilson.  Derrick said that he wanted to re-invent the chamber and make it more vibrant and help our business thrive. 

The house was full of dignitaries from around Gwinnett County.  Those in attendance included the District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson, Gwinnett County Commissioner Chairwoman Nicole Love-Hendrickson, Gwinnett Commissioner Marlene Fosque, State Rep. Donna McCleod, State Rep. Rebecca Mitchell, State Senator Nikki Merritt, Judge Tracie Cason, Judge Veronica Cope and many others.

There were awards given to outstanding members of the Gwinnett community.  Everyone seem to have a wonderful time and are looking forward to the event next year.  For more information to attend next year's event go to www.MyGECC.org.

I love doing things for deserving people.  My mom used to say that I was a free hearted person and she was right, I am.  That's why  super excited to be launching The Gwinnett Morning Star program.  I was laying in bed the Sunday after new years being still and relaxed, when I got this idea for the Morning Star Award.  As I lay there a picture started to play out in my head what that would look like.  So I decided that once a month I would award two people breakfast on Good Morning Gwinnett.  One breakfast would go to the nominee and one would go to the person doing the nominating.  I want to be able to surprise that deserving person with a breakfast gift card.  So if you know someone who you may be A Morning Star, email me who that person is and why you think they deserve it.  Be sure to include your name & phone number.  If your person is chosen as the monthly winner they will win a plaque and a breakfast gift card and so will you. ​

Derrick J. Wilson is no stranger to politics.  We know Derrick from the strong campaign he ran in his fight to be the Gwinnett Commissioner for district 3.  Derrick lost his race in the runoff after leading the race.  Derrick said he is committed to making sure that all Georgia's residents are being treated equally and that they understand the departments that are a part of their everyday lives.

​Derrick J. Wilson, has joined the race for Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner.  Wilson says, "It is important to bring integrity back to the office." His statement about the office follows the announcement of the conviction of former Insurance Commissioner Jim Beck two weeks ago.

The Insurance Commissioner’s office is a very important office in the state of Georgia. The
mission of the Office of the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner (OCI) is to protect Georgia
families by providing access to vital insurance products and safe buildings through fair
regulation that creates economic opportunities for all Georgians.

"Many of our residents think insurance is the only thing this office does, and I plan to change
that by sharing important information about everything the office handles and the resources
that are available to all residents of Georgia.", states Wilson.

Since running for Gwinnett County District 3 Commissioner in 2020, Derrick has continued to
vocalize the need for diversity and proper minority representation within elected officials. “It is
important to have the right individuals in these elected positions who understand the issues that
Georgians face daily. They need someone who will adjust and enforce regulations that will
impact the quality of our daily lives.”

As with the last election where he was a candidate, Wilson will face competition for others who feel that they would be better suited for the job as the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner, but Wilson said he is ready to for the hard work ahead. He knows that the time has come for new
leadership that his honest, hardworking and has the best interest of every Georgia resident. "This will not be a dictatorship" states Derrick. "I am not only interested in working for the residents of Georgia, but also in working with the residents of Georgia."
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To learn more about Derrick J. Wilson and to get involved, please visit WorkingWithYouGA.com.

We are a football family.  My brother is a former high school football coach now coaching middle school football, my nephew is a college football coach and my baby nephew is a rising star, who will be playing for Grayson high school this Fall. I spent Saturday going from one 7on7 to another 7on7.  First I went to watch my nephew do his thing.  So remember the name Jaylen Bell.  The position he play is cornerback.  That's the position my brother played in college and that's the position my nephew played in college, so it's only natural that Jaylen would play the same position.  Now I must say that just like his father and brother, Jaylen is the truth and is talent is not going unnoticed.  He is only going to be a freshman at Grayson high school this year and has already gotten 3 college offers.  

Tre' who is my oldest nephew went to school on a four year scholarship to Vanderbilt.  Before he made a decision on where he would go he received 26 offers from colleges who wanted him.  I think Jaylen will have the same opportunities as his big brother.  Right now he plays on Cam Newton's team.  Cam is the quarter back for the New England Patriots.  I guess Cam is off for a minute from playing,  he is the coach for Jaylen's team.  He seems to be super passionate about coaching.  You can tell that he really has a love for the game and is helping these young fellows become the best at the game just like him.

The second part of my day I spent watching my brother coach the Grayson Rams middle school team at Jordan Rhoades Park.  Like Cam, my brother loves this sport.  He will talk football all day long.  I enjoyed watching them.  This was great time for my husband and I do bond over something that we both enjoy.

I find myself spending more and more time outside, so it was nice to watch my nephew do his thing this past Saturday where they played their 7on7 games in Norcross at Greater Atlanta Christian School, which by the way has a beautiful campus.  I swear these are some of the most amazing schools I've ever seen.  They are like college campuses, but they are only high schools.

I know this is just the beginning of the week, but I look forward to seeing what I will be doing this weekend and I will be sure to share that with you next Monday.

Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey

Barnes & Noble is one of my favorite places to go when I need to just destress.  Since the pandemic it has been a year since I've gone there.  Following the CDC guidelines I pretty much stayed away from many public places.  If I did go to public places 9 times out of 10 there was outdoor seating.

Anyway, I've been under some stress from everything that has happen with me family and losing my mom back in January.  I'm in the expansion phase of growing Good Morning Gwinnett into a super successful brand and that's a lot of work.  I haven't been sleeping well and I've really been working hard to get back to a place of joy, so I decided to go and visit Barnes & Noble on Sunday, which is what I used to do a lot.  The energy that would normally be inside of the cafe' was what I needed.  Whenever I go there I go through the magazine racks and find all of my favorite magazines and just sit for hours reading them.  So this was my plan for Sunday.  The weather was just beautiful, so I grabbed my wallet and camera jumped in my car and headed to Snellville, which is where B&N is located.  I was excited, because I hadn't been in such a long time and I was desperate to get back to some kind of normal routine. 

Well when I entered the door, the store looked great.  It looked like they had removed some of the book shelves.  It had a sort of open floor plan feel.  It felt very spacious, so I guess this was all a part of keeping everyone socially distant.  Once inside I did what I normally do, which was headed to the magazines and look for my favorite magazines.  I picked up a handful and headed towards the cafe' and as I entered that area I was shocked at what I saw.  The cafe' had be totally dismantled.  All of the chairs and tables were piled up on each other and my heart dropped.  Once again here is an example of how Covid has changed my life.  So much for trying to find a little normalcy.  There were only about 6 tables out all spread along the walls.  There was a 30 minute seating limit, which I didn't notice the sign until I had been sitting for about an hour.  Yes I did sit down, but it wasn't the same.  It felt so lonely and I felt so isolated.  What used to bring me joy was just another sad reminder of how this pandemic has changed my way of living.

There is a little light to this story.  There were great reads for Mother's Day on the shelves.  You know it is just around the corner, so if you know a mother who loves to read, drop by B&N and pick up a book.  A lot of people are still socially distancing, so a book just maybe a great gift for a mom in your life this Mother's Day.
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How Are You Living These Days?

Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey Bell-Kearney, The Voice Of Gwinnett

I gotta tell you that it has been so nice to be able to get outside and be around people.  I got my second vaccine this past Tuesday and I must admit that I feel even more comfortable being around people.  Last weekend I attended the Bacon Festival.  Yes I said the Bacon Festival.  Now, although it was nice to be outside in the park, I must admit that I was a little disappointed with the festival.  It was called the Bacon Festival, but there was only one bacon vendor there.  There was a lady there who had bacon on cupcakes though.  I was expecting to see all kinds of bacon dishes and that wasn't the case.  We had tickets to go to the evening event, so maybe all of the bacon vendors had left for the day.  Anyway I still enjoyed myself just hanging out with my husband and friends.  There was a great band playing live music and it was nice to see people let their hair down and just enjoy the evening.  

Today is Easter and I was out again.  This time I went back to Lawrenceville Lawn to take the baby to the Easter Egg hunt that never took place.  There was an event on the calendar saying that a local church was hosting an Easter Egg Hunt and the park was full with children ready to look for eggs.  Again what a disappointment.  No one showed up from the church and the children were just hanging out wondering when the hunt would begin and it never did.  Although we were all disappointed the weather was so beautiful that we did not stay disappointed for long.  I hung out in the park with my daughter and granddaughter, after that we left and went to a small fair in Duluth so that the baby could get on some rides and my daughter could buy a funnel cake, which she loves.  I was tempted to buy a candied apple, but I was afraid that it would be too sweet and make me feel sick to the stomach.  Anyway the last few weekends have been amazing and I'm looking forward to spending more time outside with my family and friends.  There are a lot of events on your local calendar, so check them out and get outside and just enjoy life.

Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey Bell-Kearney, The Voice Of Gwinnett

Running a business can consume a lot of your time.  A lot a time new entrepreneurs think that starting their own business means more free time, but I have to tell you the real hard truth, and that is you will work harder and longer for yourself as an entrepreneur than you will probably work for anyone else.  Now I must also say that even though this is true, you have a lot of flexibility as an entrepreneur.  One of the most important things to do is set some clear boundaries and put yourself on your calendar.  That's exactly what I did this past weekend.  I wanted to get out and get some fresh air this past weekend, so I decided to stop by the Lawrenceville Lawn where the Aurora Theater was hosting a Broadway show on the lawn.  I couldn't actually get close to the event, because I didn't register in time, so by the time I decided to register the tickets were all sold out.  I did however get a chance to see some of the show from the parking lot.  Although the weather was a little brisk there was a nice crowd of people attending this event.  Everyone had on coats and hats.  I even saw some people who had blankets.  

Although I didn't get a chance to see the event up close, it was still nice just to be out and about.  Covid has restricted us so much over the past year that sitting in the parking lot was an adventure.  I look forward to being able to go out and feel comfortable again.  

I also went to the circus at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds.  That was fun as it was the first time my granddaughter had attended the circus.  I look forward to more of these events shared with my daughter, granddaughter and husband.

Before Covid I worked a lot and didn't spend a lot of time just enjoying life, now I look forward to it.  There's and old saying that "you don't miss your water until your well run dry" and that saying has never been more true than it was for the whole year of 2020 until now.  A lot of our wells ran dry and we are all looking forward to a little rain to fill it up again.

You are probably like me ready to get back at living life, not just existing, but actually living.  I invite you to make the best of every minute that you can.  

Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey, "Your Business Tutor"  
Got Questions About Starting & Growing Your Business Let's Talk!  Click Here