GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County Public Schools’ new superintendent, Dr. Alexandra Estrella, spent her first day on the job Wednesday handing out books to children at a book mobile stop.
Estrella took over Gwinnett County Public Schools on Wednesday, months after the county Board of Education hired her in March.
Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson was there as Dr. Estrella met families at a book mobile stop, a summer reading program that draws around 9,000 visitors a year.
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“A lot of students don’t have access to books and there’s a lot of learning loss,” Estrella said. “So this helps close that gap.”
She comes to Georgia after more than 26 years in education, most recently running schools in Norwalk, Connecticut.
Estrella said she spent weeks meeting with the community before her first official day, wanting to listen before making decisions.
“I want to connect with the community and understand the district well,” she said.
Estrella said she has a full summer agenda ahead.
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“I have a full agenda for the whole summer, gathering the data I need to know what areas we need to focus on,” she said.
Safety is also on her plate. The district recently wrapped a pilot program testing weapons detection systems at five elementary schools during summer school.
The district’s book mobiles, named Pow and Explore, have rolled through Gwinnett neighborhoods since 2017. Estrella said stops like the one at Graves Park are where the job starts, with the people it serves.
“There’s such a big sense of love and respect for education,” she said. “That in itself will make my job easier.”
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