Greenville ISD received notification that Greenville High School received the T-STEM Academy designation as a Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (T-STEM) Academy from the Texas Education Agency. This prestigious designation will allow GHS to access professional development, receive technical assistance and participate in the network of T-STEM Academies. GHS will also be assigned a T-STEM Leadership Coach.

The T-STEM Academy blueprint consists of benchmarks that outline the mission and drive the success of the school. Under the benchmarks, GHS will use data systematically to obtain insight about student progress in an astute way to continually tailor instruction for each individual child. Each student will have a Student Performance Plan (SPP) co-authored by the student to ensure ownership of learning. Annual Action Plans will also be designed after state assessment results are released. The plans will be aligned with the academy’s mission and will address areas of growth and need.

Superintendent Don Jefferies stated, “The Greenville High School T-STEM Academy will be a school within a school that allows for personalization and the development of a collaborative learning community of students.”

A career counselor will be employed to aid students in talent recognition, course selection and career path options. An individual graduation plan with endorsements will also be completed for each student. This plan will be formulated before the student enters into ninth grade and continually monitored by the student, parents and the school to ensure success. Product Oriented Education (POE) will continue to be developed and utilized to certify students are producers, not just consumers, of knowledge.

Student involvement in the T-STEM Academy is not based on state assessment scores, discipline history, teacher recommendation or minimum GPA. To the contrary, the T-STEM Academy will have an open-access admission policy and encourage all students to be a part of the STEM culture. The culture will be infused with critical thinking, innovation, invention and extracurricular offerings like Destination Imagination, VEX Robotics, FIRST Robotics, and Solar Car.

Greenville High School students participating in the T-STEM Academy will also continue to work with business and industry mentors to acquire real world project experience that exposes them to future employment opportunities.

The T-STEM Academy will add another layer to GISD’s district STEM focus. The vertically aligned program begins at LP Waters, the district’s Pre-K campus, where students enjoy visiting a STEM lab weekly. In elementary and secondary classrooms, STEM students engage in advanced level projects and are frequently seen racing life-sized cardboard boats, constructing bridges and building electric cars from lawnmower batteries.

Jefferies stated, “We will continue to focus on customizing education for each GISD student to ensure their prolonged success in life. The T-STEM designation will afford us access to resources and mentors that will even further drive our district’s educational mission.”

Those with questions about the T-STEM Academy are encourages to call Kelli Tharp, Chief Communications and Business Development Officer, at 903.408.4483.