Global Impact Academy School Governance Council Engages More Stakeholders  

At GIA, the School Governance Council is breaking traditional molds. No longer confined to a select few, the council is inviting fresh voices, from passionate parents and innovative educators to engaged community members, to help steer the school’s future. With a dynamic funding request initiative now in place, innovative projects are taking shape. Whether it is propelling cybersecurity initiatives through the world’s largest youth cyber education program or empowering budding scientists for the inaugural Science and Engineering Fair, every new idea is a step toward a richer, more inclusive learning environment.

School Governance Councils (SGC) advise school administrations on how to improve student achievement. Councils are comprised of parents, teachers, and community members. The Global Impact Academy (GIA) SGC is reaching even further into the community for feedback on the school’s learning needs.

The aim of the initiative is to involve stakeholders who may not have the opportunity to serve on the council. The result is that more voices are heard, more opportunities are available to students, and more projects are considered and funded during the SGC decision-making process. To initiate this discovery campaign, they launched a comprehensive funding request form.

One request resulted in support for cybersecurity students and teachers in participating in CyberPatriot, the world’s largest National Youth Cyber Education Program and the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition organized by the Air & Space Forces Association (AFA). The competition focuses on teaching students' critical-thinking and cybersecurity skills through real-world challenges. The AFA educational programs were created to inspire K-12 students to pursue careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

Another request helped students prepare for GIA’s inaugural Science and Engineering Fair. Many students lacked the resources to make supply purchases on their own to participate. A request to the SGC for funding got students across the finish line.

The SGC’s effort to involve more stakeholders strengthens the relationship between the school and the community. By fostering a supportive and inclusive educational environment, they are growing the GIA support system and meeting their goal of preparing students for future careers.