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Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District (GCISD), a K-12 public school system in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, is making bold changes in the way educators teach and students learn. In the third year of its 10-year strategic plan, the district is transforming its culture to provide the educational foundation that today’s 21st Century learners need to be successful in high school and beyond.
 
One factor that helps the district achieve its strategic plan is Skyward’s Student Management Suite and its online scheduling capabilities. With more than 13,000 students, GCISD gives the control over creating class schedules directly to the students. Not only are students becoming more independent and responsible, the online scheduling prepares them for postsecondary thinking.
 
The impact of Skyward is far reaching. On the first day of school, GCISD students were in class instead of in the hallways, waiting to see a counselor for a schedule change. With accurate and appropriate schedules, counselors were more readily available to students, and able to personally meet with every freshman to have conversations about guidance and their transition into high school.
 
“Through the scheduling capabilities in Skyward, we were able to empower students to choose their own courses instead of letting the system auto schedule,” said Emberly Spillman, director of counseling and guidance at GCISD. “Not only have we taught students skills that will help them after high school, we have also allowed them to be more in control of their schedule.”
 
GCISD has 11 National Blue Ribbon schools, including Heritage Elementary School, which earned the honor under the “No Child Left Behind” initiative. Both high schools have earned places on U.S. News and Newsweek’s Best High Schools lists, and four elementary schools were named to the 2011 National Center for Education Achievement's Higher Performing Schools List. Skyward is happy to honor Grapevine-Colleyville ISD as a District Leader in Excellence. 

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