The name of a founder and visionary of Peachtree Corners will be on a new STEM high school in Norcross following approval on Thursday by the Gwinnett County Board of Education.

The school, scheduled to open in August 2018, will be named after Paul A. Duke, and located on 20 acres at 5850 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. The Norcross school — to be called Duke STEM High School — is one of two schools set to open in the next two years that will be theme-focused.

“I think it’s very fitting, I knew Mr. Duke quite well,” Board member Louise Radloff said.

The Norcross and Meadowcreek theme high schools have been discussed in concert with one another by district officials for about two years. Each school would be progressive programs ninth grade through 12th grade and offer dual enrollment, internships and career coaching or mentoring.
District officials have said jobs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math are growing rapidly, some at a pace of 10 times those of other fields, and companies that operate in those fields are moving into the Norcross cluster.