A FUTURE-FOCUSED DISTRICT To support the learners of today, every Hawley student is assigned a Chromebook. The district is also beginning to embrace the use of artificial intelligence as a classroom tool.Teachers are training on the legal and instructional implications of AI, and on how to best guide students on the benefits and limitations. “Everything is moving towards technology and more AI these days. In order to train them properly, we’re going to have to move with it,” stresses College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) Coordinator Paula Ernst. STEM is also a priority, as the district works to equip students with the skills needed for the jobs of the future. Student input plays a significant role in shaping curriculum decisions. “We survey the students pretty frequently, because this group of high school kids may have completely different interests than the ones four years from now,” says Dr. McBrayer. “The medical focus right now is very heavy in our area.” Hawley ISD aims to provide high-quality programs that align with both student interests and available resources. “We have roughly 200 kids in our high school,” she notes. “We have to be a little bit discerning about which programs we offer because we don’t want to have so many that we are splitting resources and don’t have quality programs.” INVESTING IN THE HAWLEY ISD COMMUNITY Providing an environment that promotes the wellbeing of students and staff is top of mind at Hawley ISD.“We have two licensed professional counselors that come in two days a week, in addition to three full-time school counselors. Parents can refer or teachers can refer,” reports Dr. McBrayer. More recently, the high school piloted an online program that allows students to access mental health support any time, even on weekends. Importantly, these services extend to staff across all departments. 258 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 08
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