Grapevine-Colleyville ISD continues to push forward with its 10-year strategic plan, Leading Excellence–Action Driven, which began in May 2011.
The 2014–15 school year will focus on implementing the innovations that have been created in the first years of the LEAD 2021 program, GCISD Chief Learning Officer Dr. Rick Westfall said.
"Our administrative teams have been challenged to refine our work with personalized learning plans, focusing on creating more opportunities for student engagement in their instruction and determining how we can better assess our students to determine year-to-year growth," Westfall said.
Several new initiatives were implemented during the 2013–14 school year, including:
- Opening iUniversity Prep, GCISD's first virtual school
- Expanding Rachel's Challenge anti-bullying programs at all middle and high schools
- Opening the GCISD Technology Education and Career Center
- Readying GCISD's new Early College High School (dual credit course options) at the start of the 2014–15 school year
Other ongoing initiatives include the continued development of personalized learning plans for students, more English/language arts electives for middle school students, expansion of the science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, program as well as implementation of 1:1 (iPad program) and bring-your-own-device technology and growth of dual-language programs.
"In addition to having high academic expectations for our students, our LEAD 2021 plan has set the foundation for every GCISD graduate to be a skilled problemsolver, an effective communicator, collaborative worker, self-regulated learner and global citizen," Westfall said. "Students are more actively engaged in their learning, technology is becoming a staple in how we design our instruction, and college and workforce readiness is infused throughout our education programs."
Students and teachers alike appreciate the freedom the program gives them to be creative and innovative. They are using personalized learning plans that empower students to set goals for the future.
"The plan gives a consistent vision for our teachers and staff to move our district forward by providing relevant and meaningful education opportunities for all students," Westfall said.
By 2021, GCISD plans to be prepared for the future of learning by implementing the plan's seven key strategies involving personnel, curriculum, learning, communication, finance, technology and facilities.
There is a LEAD 2021 page on the GCISD website, www.gcisd-k12.org, which will be updated this fall.
