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Local School Council

The Local School Council (LSC) serves as a liaison between the school and the community. This committee involves parents and citizens in discussion of issues confronting local schools. Its members advise the school on important community issues. The Local School Council is elected annually and consists of parent representatives, business members from the community, teachers, and the principal. All interested individuals are invited to attend Local School Council meetings. Look for specific dates on the Bethesda Student Calendar.

Bethesda Elementary Meeting Schedule

  • September 17, 2025
  • November 14, 2025
  • January 16, 2026
  • April 2, 2026

Local School Council Meeting Minutes

November 14, 2025 8:30 AM

Members Present:
Katrina Larmond
Kelly James
Sheena Johnson
Renee Liverpool
Alicia Rojo
Amy Belcher
Britney Perez

Welcome & Introductions
Pledge of Allegiance
Celebrating Ms. Tram Nguyen: Top 6 Finalist for GCPS Teacher of the Year!!
We are excited to announce that Ms. Tram Nguyen has been selected as a Top 6 Finalist for the Gwinnett County Public Schools Teacher of the Year. This is an outstanding accomplishment and a well-deserved recognition of her hard work, dedication, and impact on students. Please join us in congratulating Miss Nguyen on this remarkable achievement. We are incredibly proud to have her represent our school at the district level.

ESPLOST
• Ms. Larmond highlights the success of the ESPLOST referendum
• Ms. James shared their involvement in the superintendent's Business Leadership Council and the efforts to advocate for ESPLOT.
• Ms. Larmond explains how ESPLOST funds are being used for various school improvements, including weapons detection systems, LED lighting upgrades, and playground enhancements. She also directed families to the Gwinnett County ESPLOST search page.
• Ms. Larmond emphasized the importance of understanding how ESPLOST funds are being allocated and the need for continued support.
• Ms. Larmond discussed the misinformation spread on social media and the importance of accurate information from the county.

Meet Officer Davis
Officer Davis is our School Safety Officer. He works for VALOR Protector Agency. He shared his 16 years of experience, highlighted his experience in traffic enforcement and community engagement. During the meeting it was discussed the proactive measures taken to ensure student safety, including traffic management and playground incidents. He expressed gratitude for the community support.
Ms. Liverpool thanked Officer Davis for his traffic enforcement efforts, noting the significant positive impact on the community.

LSPI -45 Day Review-Local School Plan of Improvement (LSPI)

Bethesda's Blueprint for the Future
• Ms. Larmond outlines the school's blueprint for the future, focusing on five key areas: staff and student well-being, academic achievement, behavior, social-emotional learning (SEL), and multi-tiered system of support (MTSS).

• Ms. Larmond highlights the school's recognition as a PBIS Distinguished School and the efforts to improve student safety and enjoyment at school.

• Ms. Larmond describes the various initiatives and programs in place to support student well-being, including small group counseling, mentor-mentee programs, and SEL specials.
• Ms. Liverpool shares a personal story about the positive impact of these programs on her child behavior and well-being.

• Ms. Larmond explains the school's approach to academic support, including the use of i-Ready assessments and the multi-tiered system of support (MTSS).
• Ms. Larmond details the various levels of intervention, from tier two to tier three, and the processes in place to ensure students receive the necessary support.
• Ms. Larmond discusses the adoption of the new 2024 EL skills block curriculum and the efforts to fast-track students with skills gaps.
• It was highlighted the importance of personalized learning and the use of computer programs to help students’ close skills gaps.

• Ms. Larmond emphasizes the school's commitment to providing opportunities and access for all students, including those with special education needs.
•Ms. Larmond describes the various initiatives in place to support students, including the use of personalized path programs and additional skills block rotations.
• Ms. Larmond highlights the importance of addressing the needs of all students and ensuring they receive the support they need to succeed.

• Ms. Larmond discusses the importance of providing enrichment opportunities for all students, not just gifted ones.
• The Arm and Hammer rocket program is mentioned as an example of such opportunities, with some schools receiving money for participation.
• Dr. Dickey, the gifted teacher, is highlighted for her role in pulling students and ensuring they receive additional services.
• Ms. Larmond emphasizes the importance of classroom teachers being gifted certified to better serve gifted students.

• Phonics gaps in grades 3-5 are being addressed with the Skills Block program, complemented by training and practice sessions.
• The new skills block phonics program is introduced as a solution to fast-track students to grade level.

• Multilingual learner (ML) support includes individualized plans and professional development for teachers. 

• Simple support methods like sentence stems are used to help MLs grow in the language.

• Ms. Larmond notes the change in state language arts standards from K through 12.
• Teachers are required to analyze and teach the new standards, with CLT time dedicated to this task.
• Math standards videos are being used to help teachers understand and implement the new standards.
• Coaching cycles with teachers are conducted to ensure proper implementation of new strategies and lessons.

• Ms. Larmond emphasizes the importance of community and parent engagement. 
• Parent workshops are held to educate parents on tools like Parent View, Parent Square, and My Payments Plus.
• The Parent Engagement Center provides resources and tools for parents to support their children at home.
• The school aims to increase parent engagement, with 94 parents attending workshops and 40 visiting the Parent Engagement Center.

• Newsletters and video tutorials are encouraged to keep parents informed and involved in their children's education.

School-Wide Goal Setting and Assessments
• Ms. Larmond discusses the goal of having every student make progress on the i-Ready assessment.
• Teachers and students are having conversations about the assessment and the rewards for progress.
• Our school is focused on ensuring every child grows by the end of the school year.
• Future plans include phase three of phonics training and school-wide goal setting for i-Ready assessments. 

Upcoming Important Dates:
Thanksgiving Feast-November 18-20
Winter Break-December 22-January 5


Open Floor: Questions, Comments, Concerns
• Ms. Larmond invites the community to donate services, products, or money (lessons, prizes, gift cards, services) from local businesses to support the school.
• Direct interested businesses or volunteer fundraisers to contact Yolanda for donation coordination and to request letterhead/letters.
• Yolanda will prepare template letters in letterhead and draft outreach letters for community members seeking business donations.
• Continue counselors’ resource programs (shoes, backpacks, jackets) and identify student needs for immediate support.
• The school is a Title One school, and Title funds are used to support teachers and resources.
• Ms. Larmond explains the impact of losing Title One funds on the school's budget.
• Title One funds are tightly controlled and can only be spent on specific people and resources.
• The school is hopeful for a carryover budget in January to fund school supply kits for next year.

Local School Meeting Dates:
Location - Bethesda ES 
January 29, 2026 8:30 AM 
April 2, 2026 8:30 AM


Thank you for your support!
Meeting Adjourned