GIS Hands-On
Training
Three days of applied ArcGIS Pro and SchoolSite Pro instruction built specifically for K-12 planners. You will leave with workflows you can deploy the week you return.
From Raw Data to Board-Ready Maps
Track A is the hands-on GIS track. Every session puts software in front of you. You will work through real district data — importing, geocoding, analyzing, and presenting — using the same tools your district already has or can access.
By the end of three days, you will have a complete ArcGIS Pro workflow for enrollment analysis and boundary mapping that you built yourself and can replicate independently.
- Navigate and configure ArcGIS Pro for K-12 planning work
- Import and manage district parcel and enrollment data
- Run proximity, capacity, and equity spatial analyses
- Geocode student address files and correct common errors
- Build and export board-ready boundary maps
- Use SchoolSite Pro for district-wide GIS planning
- Present spatial findings to non-technical board audiences
Who Should Attend Track A
- GIS coordinators new to K-12 planning workflows
- District planners who rely on spreadsheets and want spatial capability
- Facilities staff who need to visualize enrollment and capacity data
- Anyone who has ArcGIS Pro but hasn’t applied it to school planning
- Experienced planners looking to formalize their GIS methodology
Software used in this track
Setup instructions sent to registered attendees 4 weeks before the conference.
The Full Three-Day Schedule
Day One · Tuesday, June 23
Foundations — getting your environment configured and your first spatial layers built
Introduction to SchoolSite Pro for District Planning
After this session you will be able to navigate the SchoolSite Pro environment, import district parcel and enrollment data, and produce your first district-wide spatial layer ready for analysis.
ArcGIS Pro Fundamentals for K-12 Planners
After this session you will be able to build and style district boundary maps, join enrollment data to spatial layers, and export board-ready map outputs from ArcGIS Pro.
Day Two · Wednesday, June 24
Analysis — running spatial queries, geocoding student data, and building boundary proposals
Spatial Analytics for School Boundary Planning
After this session you will be able to run proximity and capacity analysis in ArcGIS Pro and use spatial outputs to build a defensible boundary proposal for board review.
Working with Parcel Data and Address Geocoding
After this session you will be able to geocode student address files, correct common data errors, and link parcel layers to enrollment records for accurate spatial analysis.
Day Three · Thursday, June 25
Presentation — turning your analysis into board-ready deliverables and communicating findings
Presenting GIS Findings to School Boards
After this session you will be able to structure a map-based board presentation, anticipate common objections to spatial data, and communicate GIS findings confidently to non-technical audiences.
Bring Your Own District GIS Lab
After this session you will have applied the week’s GIS techniques to your own district’s real data — with one-on-one mentorship from David Kaitz and the Track A instructors. Come with a dataset or a specific planning challenge.
Georgia Leonard
MBA, GISP
GIS Director, MGT
Track A LeadGeorgia Leonard, MBA, GISP
Georgia Leonard is MGT’s GIS Director and holds both an MBA and the Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP) certification — one of the most rigorous credentials in the GIS field. She specializes in leveraging ArcGIS Pro and SchoolSite Pro for district-wide planning, enrollment forecasting, and school boundary analysis. Georgia’s Track A sessions are hands-on from the first hour. Attendees work through real district data, building the spatial workflows they will take home and deploy independently.
The problem she solves
Districts hold rich spatial data but lack the GIS skills to analyze it. Enrollment projections live in spreadsheets with no map, boundary decisions are made without spatial context, and boards challenge proposals because the numbers have no visual backing.
How she solves it
Georgia teaches planners to build ArcGIS Pro and SchoolSite Pro workflows from scratch, turning raw parcel and enrollment data into defensible, board-ready spatial analysis that districts own and update in-house every year.
How to Prepare for Track A
You do not need to have ArcGIS Pro installed before registering. Full setup instructions are sent to attendees four weeks before the conference.
Software setup
ArcGIS Pro and SchoolSite Pro setup instructions will be sent four weeks before the conference. A temporary license is arranged for attendees who do not have one.
Bring your district data
For the Day 3 lab, bring a shapefile, enrollment CSV, or parcel dataset from your own district. Any format works — the session covers data cleaning and import.
No prior GIS experience required
Track A is built for planners at every level. Sessions start from fundamentals and build progressively. Experienced GIS users will still find depth in the K-12-specific methodology.
Your registration covers all three tracks
Track B: K-12 Forecasting and Planning
Cohort-survival methodology, student yield factors, birth rate trends, and building board-ready demographic studies. Led by Chris Griego, SVP K-12 Facilities.
View Track BTrack C: Safety, Capacity, and Consolidation
Indoor GIS, critical incident mapping, capacity utilization analysis, and boundary adjustment community engagement. Led by Marci Horner.
View Track CReady to Build Your GIS Capability?
Register for SPC26 and get three days of hands-on ArcGIS Pro and SchoolSite Pro training in Tampa, June 23 to 26, 2026.