Sharptown International School shares their experience on embedding GPS in their school culture.

1. GPS Leads the Way!
Embedding the Graduate Portfolio System into
your School Culture
Sharpstown International School 6-12
Jade Adams
Chang Yu

2. Session Objectives
 Reflect on challenges and success of GPS implementation of
the previous years
 Develop a concrete GPS goal and plan for the upcoming
12-13 school year
 Receive resources and feedback on your goal and plan from
colleagues across the ISSN network

3. Icebreaker
• Think and reflect: What is one challenge you had this
year with GPS, and what is one success?
• Be prepared to share with your table, and a few will
share out.
• Listen carefully for colleagues that have had successes
in areas you struggle with. You will have time to
network with them towards the end of the session.

4. Sharpstown International School
(SIS) Challenges
Challenge #1: Adapting from a small, charter high school to a
6-12 neighborhood school model.
Solutions
 Selecting M.S. lead teachers and sending them to GPS
training
 Adapting AVID to fit ISSN
 Visiting Denver, another 6-12, with MS and HS students
(plug for afternoon session)
 Creating a 6-12 department structure to vertically align
 Arranging for MS classes to visit HS classes

5. Sharpstown International School
(SIS) Challenges
Challenge #2 Creating teacher buy-in for task design
Solutions
• GPS coordinator full-time role to manage logistics, etc
• Regional PD to train new teachers and build investment
• Online Dropbox to organize materials and collect student
work
• Checklist for clarity, structure, timelines

6. Sharpstown International School
(SIS) Challenges
Challenge #3: Lack of overall vision/mission connected to the
GPS
Solutions
• Mission/vision setting PD with whole faculty
• Door signs
• Banners
• TVs broadcasting message
• Incorporation of traditions, I.E. all school meeting, high school
induction, International Festival (I-FEST)
• Grant writing and district outreach to support vision

7. What are your top 3 challenges?
 This is a time to begin brainstorming solutions for your
biggest challenges. Pick your top 3, and then begin
brainstorming solutions.
 Feel free to work with table partners to begin brainstorming
ideas.

8. Develop a concrete goal
• Pick one of your challenges and develop a measurable
and feasible goal.
• EXAMPLES:
• All teachers will design and implement two GPS tasks
this year.
• We will develop a system for having weekly, student-
led All School Meetings.
• Each administrator will apply for one grant to support
our international studies work.

9. Block Party
 Find a partner and share ideas spend 5 minutes on each
person.
 We will switch twice.
 Bring your pen/pencil if you want to write down ideas.

10. Group Share out
 Everyone read their goal. Post them to the Ning so we can
support each other throughout the year.