• 2013-14

    • Bond issue: Building a new high school is taken out of the plan for the Fall 2014 bond issue due to cost and lack of understanding of the need.

    2016

    • February: Board of Education hears a presentation about hiring a consultant to assist GIPS and community in developing a plan for the future of high school in Grand Island. “This conversation won’t simply be about a new building, but will be about what the community wants for our students in the year 2020, 2025 and beyond.” The Board voted unanimously to hire District Management Council at the March Board of Education meeting.
    • September: Board votes unanimously to hire Cross & Joftus to lead district strategic planning process.
    • September 12-14: DMC consultants meet with Board members, administrators, staff and students, as well as host four community meetings to gather feedback on what community wants for its graduates.
    • October 27: First meeting of GISH Vision Team. This team is formed to research and make a recommendation on the direction for GISH going forward. The team includes three GISH students, four GISH teachers/counselors, two GISH principals, eight GIPS administrators (including Dr. Grover), three Board of Education members, one middle school principal, six business/community representatives and three higher education representatives.
    • Fall-Winter: GIPS undergoes community meetings for strategic planning with Cross & Joftus.
    • December: High school scheduling task force formed.

    2017

    • March: Board of Education hears update and recommendation from GISH Vision Team to move to college and career academy model.
    • June: Board of Education unanimously approves GIPS strategic plan.
    • July: Board of Education hears the recommendation from GISH Vision Team to hire Dr. Jay Steele and Steele Dynamics to help implement the Grand Island academies. In August, the Board voted unanimously to hire Dr. Steele.
    • September 6-8: Dr. Steele works with Academy Leadership Team, GISH staff and counselors and GIPS administrators and Board members to develop implementation plans for GISH Academies. Graduate Profile and district nonnegotiables are established.
    • September 26-27: Academy Brand Team meets.
    • October 9-12: Community update meetings during Parent-Teacher Conferences.
    • October 23-25: Dr. Steele works with Leadership Team on business and partnership engagement.
    • October 29-November 1: Group of GISH students, staff, counselors and principals, GIPS administrators and Board members and community partners attend National Career Academy Coalition Conference in Nashville, Tenn., and tour Academies of Nashville.
    • November 13-15: Consultant works with GISH staff on scheduling and team planning.
    • November 20: COMMUNITY UPDATE MEETING

    2017

    • November 27-29: Consultant gives GISH staff training on program of study development.
    • December: Group of GISH Math teachers visit Omaha Benson to observe teaching in a block schedule.
    • December: GISH staff will know the academy in which they will teach.

    2018

    • January 3-5: Consultant gives GISH staff training on teaching in a block schedule and project-based learning.
    • January 30-February 1: Consultant works with Leadership Team on goal setting using data.
    • FEBRUARY: COMMUNITY UPDATE MEETING
    • March 27-29: Consultant working with Leadership Team and GISH staff on developing the Freshman Seminar and Senior Capstone experiences.
    • Spring-Fall: Continued training for staff on teaching in a block schedule, project-based learning and team planning.
    • August: Incoming ninth-grade students begin the school year in Academy of Freshman Exploration. All of Grand Island Senior High and Career Pathways Institute are on a block schedule.
    • Fall: Work continues on program of study for all academies.
    • November: Students learn of pathways they have been placed in based on their requests.

    2019

    • Spring: Academy of Freshman Exploration awarded Model Status by National Career Academy Coalition, the first freshman academy to earn the status in the country.
    • Fall: All Academies of Grand Island Senior High are in operation.