The details
According to the statement, part of the fiscal year 2024-25 budget planning process includes evaluating programs across the district to ensure staffing efficiency and equity among campuses. As part of those evaluations, Executive Director of Communications Nicole Lyons said a transition will be made to two advocates rather than four at the middle school level.
“This ensures staffing efficiency and equity among campuses,” Lyons said. “The four middle schools will all continue to have support from the middle school advocates.”
The statement also addressed false rumors that the HOPE Squad—a nationwide peer-to-peer suicide prevention program—was being eliminated at the middle school level.
“The HOPE Squad program is not being eliminated,” Lyons said.
The HOPE Squad program began in GICSD in spring 2019.
A closer look
Lyons said a student advocate is a social worker who partners with school counselors to provide connected and wraparound services to students.
“All counselors and student advocates share the responsibility of caring for students’ mental well-being,” Lyons said.
She added that Colleyville Heritage High School and Grapevine High School each have a student advocate who each serve approximately 1,700-1,800 students. The four middle schools in GCISD each had a student advocate, serving approximately a range of anywhere from 650 to 800 students.
“Many surrounding districts have intervention counselors or district support counselors who serve multiple campuses or provide support from the district level,” Lyons said. “Therefore, having this position at every secondary campus was unique to GCISD and a district of our size.”
Lyons said as the 2024-25 evaluation process is in the early stages, student advocates and district counseling leadership are meeting to plan for the upcoming school year.
