Over the past few months we have shared with you the importance of engaging our community in creating a stronger future for our students. Our district is fortunate to have many individuals, businesses and organizations providing countless volunteer hours, resources for our classrooms and mentors for our children.
In the early 1900s, school was designed to create a constant stream of workers for U.S. factories and industry. Approximately nine percent of Americans had a high school diploma in 1910, with that percentage increasing to just over 50 percent in 1950.
Today, the high school diploma is the gateway to additional educational and economic opportunities. After graduation, all of our students will enter the work force. Some directly out of high school, or through the military, while others will arrive after attending college.
As a community committed to education, we need your input. Just as the function of education has changed in the last century, so have the expectations of our community.
It is no longer adequate to focus student learning on developing 21st century skills. We have been in the 21st century for more than 12 years and our focus already includes 21st century skills. What worked yesterday does not necessarily work today.
The Denton ISD Board of Trustees works with district staff to establish the mission, vision, values and goals for the district. This workload is shared with the Education Improvement Council (EIC), a district site-based decision making committee consisting of representatives from across the district including a teacher from every campus, representatives from central office, counselors, nurses, librarians and principals.
Key members also include parents, community and business representatives. The function of the EIC is to advise the board in establishing and reviewing the district’s educational goals, objectives, and major district-wide classroom instructional programs.
To further engage our community, Denton ISD will be actively seeking input from staff, businesses, teachers, community members, parents AND students. Input will be collected by a variety of methods including the use of Facebook. This initiative is known as “Project EIC.” The purpose is to provide an avenue for meaningful feedback on what really matters in educating our children.
We will solicit responses to five guiding questions via Facebook over the course of five weeks by asking one question per week.
• What is school for?
Posted Sept. 30
• What matters to you? (What’s really important to you?)
Posted: Oct. 7
• What is success? (What does success look like?)
Posted: Oct. 14
• Why do you do what you do? (Why are you a student, parent of a student, a civic-minded community member, an educator, a teacher, etc.)
Posted: Oct. 21
• Why are you here? (Why are you in Denton ISD?)
Posted: Oct. 28
Background information regarding the development of these questions can be found on the “PROJECT EIC” FAQ page at http://www.dentonisd.org/Page/284
There are great things happening in Denton ISD, and we want you to get engaged with us. Please take the time to access more information regarding “PROJECT EIC” on our website at http://www.dentonisd.org/eic. Starting today, find our questions online at www.facebook.com/disdeic.
Our community has a long history of commitment to the public school system, and the benefits of education for all. As a public school system, we would be remiss if we did not make a concentrated effort to engage the entire community in this process.
Conversation began in the EIC. It is now time for you to help us shape the future of our school system.
The future is not something you enter, it is something WE create. Please join us in creating our future.
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