Reaching the GOAL of Positive School Culture

PHOTO:  Falcon GOAL High School Dean of Students, Trisha Aguilera (left) and Academic Coach Sandra Ackley (right).  Photo by Justin Morenz, GOAL High School.

Article by Gunnison Pagnotta

Dr. Constance Jones, Chief Executive Officer for GOAL Academy High School, leads a staff of nearly 600 and a student body of over 6,000 at the multi-district online charter school. GOAL is now the proud recipient of two Cultural Excellence awards from the Top Workplaces USA organization, the nation’s most credible employer recognition program. Results come from the anonymous Energage Survey provided to all staff.

The award for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion resulted from a series of survey questions regarding whether staff members felt genuinely appreciated and included at GOAL, regardless of one’s background. It went on to explore if the workplace allowed for new ideas and varying points of view. The second award was for a Woman-Led organization. Now in her sixth year, Dr. Jones has built a stand-out workplace culture that performs. Steady growth has doubled the number of students and families choosing GOAL each year.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are nothing new to GOAL. For fifteen years, they have been meeting the needs of students from all walks of life who, many times have become disengaged and even disenfranchised with their education. Dr. Derek Staves, Principal for the Denver region referred to GOAL as “the Statue of Liberty of schools.”

The staff is dedicated to helping all students achieve their full potential en route to become a productive member of society.

Certainly, school leadership is nothing new to Constance Jones, having over 35 years of experience in public education, including Lee County Public Schools in Florida where she served the 86,000-student school district in the capacity of Chief Academic Officer. During her tenure, the district not only rose to the top level of state accountability, but also garnered national attention for reducing the achievement gap between low and high socio-economic students as well as minority and non-minority students.

Quality leadership and a high level of job satisfaction results in student success. GOAL High School graduated over 1,000 students in each of the past three years.
GOAL is a free public charter high school (grades 9-12) which has operated successfully for fifteen years. All technology equipment is provided at no charge including laptops and internet hot spots. Students work online, and have highly qualified assistance academically; moreover, GOAL’s “wrap-around” services allow for many layers of social-emotional support. GOAL continues to expand its academic and social programming.

GOAL Academy High School is a statewide, multi-district charter school authorized by District 49. GOAL is a Microsoft Showcase School and provides online curriculum with in-person support at 40 student drop-in centers across Colorado. Students take college courses for free, earn career and technical certifications and receive excellent social and emotional support.  GOAL strives to help all students achieve their full potential in a caring, supportive and personalized environment. In turn, students become productive members of society.

Learn more at https://goalac.org/

Gunnison Pagnotta is Communications Coordinator with GOAL High School.

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