Club member, Dr. Jennifer Goodman, was the program for the Rotary Club of Galveston's luncheon meeting Wednesday, October 13th.
Jennifer has served as superintendent of Odyssey Academy since 2005. Over the last 16 years, she has guided the district's expansion from just one campus on the island that served approximately 200 pre-kindergarten through 8th grade students, to today showcasing a multi-campus, public charter district that serves almost 1,500 students from pre-kindergarten through high school. It's important to note that students come from over 15 school districts spread across Galveston and surrounding counties. Goodman specifically highlighted three main programs, innovations, and/or accomplishments that have set Odyssey apart from other public schools: First, Odyssey focuses on leadership skills from prekindergarten through high school using FranklinCovey's The Leader in Me and The 7 Habits. These programs teach 21st century leadership and life skills to students and help to create a culture of student empowerment based on the idea that every child can be a leader. Next, Odyssey Academy is a STEAM school. STEAM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics. Teachers focus on these subjects to help students develop the critical thinking and problem solving skills needed to be successful in the 21st century. Also, very important, is that Odyssey Academy offers dual credit and early college programs. Dual credit allows students to earn college credits while still attending high school. Early College is an innovative program that helps students earn an associate degree while simultaneously earning their high school diploma. Odyssey Academy was founded in 1998 as a middle school campus on Galveston island.