Ashley Bernard named to lead MFISD Early College High School planning team and Career Technology Education (CTE) program

Dr. Jeff Gasaway, Superintendent, has named Ashley Bernard to lead the development team for the Early College High School program in Marble Falls ISD. In addition, Ms. Bernard will take lead in the existing Career Technology Education program.

The District received a $100,000 grant in March to begin planning an Early College High School program to begin in the 2024- 2025 school year. Through this program, Marble Falls High School students will have the opportunity to earn up to 60 hours of college credits at no cost while attending high school and simultaneously earning high school credits. These college credits can transfer to colleges and universities, and some students will be able to earn an Associate’s Degree at the same time as earning their high school diploma.

Marble Falls ISD hopes this Early College High School Program will give opportunities to students in our community who may otherwise not have had the ability to attended college.

“The potential to break the poverty cycle and set students on a path to college by completing free courses is an exciting prospect for our community. We have the chance to show all of our students that they can dream big, and we can help set them on the path to earning a degree,” said Yarda Leflet, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction.

Ashley Bernard is currently the principal at Marble Falls Middle School and has a track record of success in Marble Falls ISD. She was hired for the 2018- 2019 school year to design and implement the STEAM Academy with the goal of expanding Problem- Based Learning across the middle school, which will be rolling out next school year.

Prior to Marble Falls, Ms. Bernard was at Lake Travis ISD for 13 years as an athletic trainer, health science teacher, CTE department chair, and Hudson Bend Middle School Assistant Principal. Bernard said, “I am excited about the opportunity to utilize my experience in designing and implementing curricular programs. I look forward to having an impact on a flagship program such as Early College High School in Marble Falls ISD.”

Regarding Ms. Bernard’s new position, Ms. Leflet said, “I have the utmost confidence in Ms. Bernard’s leadership and am thrilled she will be joining us on the foundational level of building our Early College High School. The Marble Falls ISD Early College High School will be life-changing for our students. In addition, I look forward to seeing her take our CTE programming to the next level. Her expertise in building, implementing, and expanding programs is to be commended and will be an asset to these two critical programs in our district.”