GOAL High School, a pioneer in providing online curriculum with face-to-face support as needed, wants to ensure the most at-risk students can finish high school.

It does that by providing cutting-edge technology to its 5,000 students through partnerships with Microsoft and Lenovo.

“We take school to them,” says GOAL Human Resources Director Ron Vigil.

“While we prioritize marginalized students, we also work with students who are ready to begin college or need a high degree of flexibility due to any and all situations.”
The free statewide public charter school, founded in 2010, employs 537 and is one of The Denver Post’s Top Workplaces. GOAL was honored by Microsoft Corporation as not only a Showcase School but also as the Biggest Impact School for the Americas – one of only three schools awarded worldwide.

GOAL is headquartered in Pueblo and accredited by the Colorado Department of Education.

Helping the most vulnerable

A minimum of 90% of the students enrolled must meet one of 15 conditions, including, dropping out of school, having a history of child abuse/neglect/foster care, or being homeless. Students with severe psychiatric or behavioral disorders and juvenile delinquency also can attend.

GOAL offers an Intervention Resource Program which quickly and efficiently helps students to improve reading and math levels to help ensure success. GOAL also provides the following and much more: concurrent college enrollment with all expenses covered; a top-tier music academy including songwriting, production and more; a GOAL Ventures field trip program tied to curriculum for credit; career and technical education pathways, student council, prom, social activities, and graduations featuring student speakers.

Students in grades 9-12 access their coursework through an online delivery system and have access to 37 drop-in centers across the state.

GOAL’s drop-in centers, conveniently located in community hubs like strip malls, are staffed with a mix of principals, assistant principals, administrative assistants, counselors, counseling assistants, social workers, academic coaches, and highly qualified teachers.

GOAL also offers a senior recovery program for students who are credit deficient but overage to earn a high school diploma or associate degree.

Dr. Constance Jones, Chief Executive Officer for GOAL says, “These are exciting times for our staff and students! Each day we renew our commitment to innovation and creativity. Regardless of circumstances, we are committed to the very important job of educating our students and helping them stay on track to graduate from high school.”

Dedicated staff focuses on mission

The charter school enjoys high staff retention.

“The employees come for the mission, but stay for the culture,” Vigil says.

GOAL’s staff also is committed to their students’ success after they graduate. Staff members can donate to a scholarship fund, and this year, GOAL will award a dozen $1,000 scholarships for post-high school education costs, says GOAL Communications Coordinator Gunnison Pagnotta.

“This is yet another example of the HEART of GOAL High School showing through,” Pagnotta says.

The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post’s preparation.