Junior High GAINESVILLE
M
rs. Krista Beal is in her 2nd year as campus Principal at GJHS. Beal is passionate about improving the literacy of all students and encouraging their academic growth in all areas. “I do not believe that you can find more dedicated, knowledgeable, and compassionate educators than we have here in Gainesville ISD,” Beal said. The secondary focus on Career and Technology Education (CTE) begins at Gaineville Junior High. Students at GJH have the opportunity to take CTE courses in Video Production as well as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) courses. During the spring semester of their 8th grade year, all students meet with a school counselor to develop a 4-year plan for high school to ensure they make the most of their high school years. In Mrs. Fulmer’s Video Production class, students learn the fundamentals of Audio
Krista Beal Principal
14
• Gainesville SPOT SPOTlight light • Winter 2020
Video media, including writing, filming, and editing. They apply their knowledge to a daily broadcast, S.P.O.T. On News. “From script writing to stop motion, lighting, and sound, students get the basics of photography, animation, and video production to create engaging videos for our school,” Fulmer said. “No matter what knowledge they have coming into the class, they leave with the skills needed to successfully use sound and video equipment.” Seventh-grade students in Mr. Jeff Koroly’s STEM classes take a semester of Medical Detectives, in which they learn about medical careers and have a chance to diagnose various hypothetical patients based on a pattern of presented symptoms all while using higher order thinking. The second semester is a course in Robotics, using a cutting-edge program designed by Project Lead the Way (PLTW). “PLTW has
DEDICATED, KNOWLEDGEABLE, COMPASSIONATE EDUCATORS developed interactive, hands-on activities for students to complete, allowing our students to experience real life scenarios,” said Koroly. In Robotics classes, 7th and 8th grade students first code a mirco:bit controller, then use a VEX Robotics V5 kit to remotely control robotic cars and lifts. 8th grade STEM students also take a semester in Computer Science. All students in 8th grade take Mrs. Baldwins’ Exploring Careers class, where they discover vocational and higher
