Message FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
Greetings GISD Family, It is with great pride that we present to you the 3rd edition of the GISD “Spotlight” magazine, highlighting the various programmatic offerings, academic accomplishments, and the great work that is happening here in GISD. We have made great progress over the last few years, but we still have lots of work to do. Since my arrival in July 2018, I have always communicated how “special” our city of Gainesville is to me. As the Superintendent of Schools, it has presented me with the opportunity to be heavily involved in ALL of our schools, but also within our community. Being a part of organizations such as Kiwanis Club, Cooke County United Way, and Volunteers in Service to Others has confirmed my belief that Gainesville, Texas is a place unlike anywhere I have ever called “home”. I feel blessed to be part of a growing community and a school district that believes in keeping kids first. An example of this collective caring was exemplified during our 18-month strategic planning process. During this process, a facilitator met with community members, GISD faculty/staff, students, and business owners to collect their thoughts and desires for GISD in the future, which resulted in the development of our GISD Strategic Plan entitled “VISION 2026”. Within this document, we focus on four key priorities: academics, recruitment and retention, connectedness and equity, and goals to help reach each priority. These goals and priorities will help guide the work which we will engage in for the next five years. We look forward to working with our district stakeholders as we now execute this long-range roadmap to success. Today’s classrooms and educational programs look very different from what many of us may have experienced as school-aged children. Varying educational experiences, ranging from distance learning, 1:1 technology initiatives, industry-level certifications, and internship opportunities, are designed to fit the diverse needs and interests of our GISD learners. These opportunities would not be possible without our community’s support and our partners who allow us to extend the classroom to the workplace. Education is the great EQUALIZER. In GISD, we strive to ensure that students and staff develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for immediate and future success, through the cooperative effort of the school, home, and community. Winston Churchill once said, “Success is not final; failure is not fatal; It is the courage to continue that counts”. It is our goal to re-establish ourselves as a destination district, and with the continued efforts of our faculty, staff, and students there is no doubt that we will achieve this celebratory milestone. The success of each student is a shared responsibility of our Gainesville community. Thank you for supporting a bright future for our students and our community, and please continue being part of planning and creating that future.
LEARNERS today, LEADERS tomorrow, LEOPARDS FOREVER.
Sincerely,
DesMontes Stewart, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools
Winter 2021 • Gainesville SPOTlight •
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