The 2021-22 school year will come to an end over the next month.

With the end of the school year comes graduation. It is the culminating event of at least a 13-year journey for our graduating seniors. On May 27, we will launch around 200 young adults into their future.

In Sealy ISD, our vision reads, “Students of Sealy ISD will be prepared to positively impact the world.”

Simply stated, students are prepared for their future. As we continue to work through strategic planning and develop vertically aligned systems to support teaching and learning, we have to acknowledge that our student’s future looks much different than our past.

It is highly likely that our elementary-aged students will work in jobs that do not exist. Imagine if someone had told you 13 years ago that they were going to be a YouTuber, social influencer, blockchain analyst, podcaster, or a drone operator. You would likely think they had lost their mind. I have to admit, I still do not understand what some of those jobs are.

The reality is our students have to be prepared to secure jobs and careers that haven’t even been invented. In a world of standardized education that has regressed to only value academic knowledge and skills, it is our duty to equip students with professional skills as well.

Regardless of what career path our students choose, they have to be prepared to communicate, create, innovate, problem solve, build relationships, work on teams, etc. As we plan for the future, professional skills have to get as much attention as academic skills. That is the only way we can ensure our students are prepared to positively impact the world.