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GISD committed to College for All
In an effort to help Garland ISD students graduate with
college credit in addition to their high school diplomas, the
district is launching three new programs in 2019-20. They
are the first of many initiatives that will help ensure every
student earns at least six hours of credit before they leave
GISD.
Currently, the district gives students the opportunity
to accrue college credit through dual-credit, Advanced
Placement and International Baccalaureate courses/tests.
Lakeview Centennial High School’s Collegiate Academy
also allows students to graduate with both an associate
degree (up to 60 credit hours) and a high school diploma.
Next school year, Naaman Forest High School will launch
a Collegiate Academy and offer Associate of Science or
Associate of Arts degrees. Rowlett High School will also
launch a Collegiate Academy for Technology, offering
an Associate of Applied Science degree and a two-year
career certification. RHS will work with local businesses
as well, including Microsoft and Game Stop, to provide
students training through internships and apprenticeships.
The South Garland Early College High School will target
first-generation college-goers and those who may not
already be on the path to college. This program offers an
Associate of Science degree with a focus on automotive
and electronics.
Visit garlandisd.net/college4all to learn more.
New program gifts free, fresh food to district families
Families at Ethridge and Northlake elementary schools
are discovering new foods and healthy eating habits thanks
to a partnership with Brighter Bites that launched in the fall.
“We provide families with about 50 servings of produce
every week, and for a family of four, that’s about two extra
servings every day of fresh fruits and vegetables,” said
Meredith Spence with Brighter Bites. “The idea is that over
time we are really changing eating behaviors and creating
communities of health through fresh food.”
On Brighter Bites day, volunteers pack bags of fresh
produce delivered to Ethridge and Northlake in the
morning. Families then take home everything from
papaya to cauliflower to squash after school. And during
class, teachers and students learn about
each piece, researching nutrition facts,
discussing dishes they’ve tried and
discovering new recipes. The program’s
first semester run has been a huge hit.
“One of my students never talked to
me about cooking until this program.
Now he’s looking up the items and then
cooking them for his family,” commented
fourth grade teacher Jill Olthouse.
“From a staff perspective, we bring
dishes and the person from Albania will
cook it the way they cook it, and the
person from Mexico will cook it the way
they cook it. We’re all learning,” added Principal Kathy
Metzinger.
GISD is one of Brighter Bites’ newest partners, and the
district would love to expand the healthy initiative to more
campuses. But, that desire is dependent on the nonprofit’s
funding. Until then, Ethridge and Northlake families will
enjoy their first spring goody bags starting March 8.
Discover more about this nutritious program at
brighterbites.org, and see more photos on the
district website.
february 2019